Amer Didić

Not to be confused with Amar Dedić.
Amer Didić
Personal information
Date of birth (1994-12-28) December 28, 1994 (age 30)
Place of birth Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Height 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Position(s) Centre-back
Team information
Current team
 Atlético Ottawa
Number 55
Youth career
Sherwood Park SA
FC Edmonton
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012–2015 Baker Wildcats 80 (28)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016–2017 Swope Park Rangers 34 (1)
2016 → Sporting Kansas City (loan) 0 (0)
2017–2018 Sporting Kansas City 0 (0)
2017–2018 → Swope Park Rangers (loan) 40 (2)
2019 San Antonio FC 2 (0)
2019–2021 FC Edmonton 46 (3)
2022–2023 Pacific FC 50 (6)
2024– Atlético Ottawa 27 (4)
International career‡
2015 Canada Universiade 3 (0)
2017 Canada U23 2 (0)
2020– Canada 2 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of November 3, 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of January 15, 2020

Amer Didić (born December 28, 1994) is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a centre-back for Canadian Premier League club Atlético Ottawa. Born in Bosnia and Herzegovina, he represents the Canada national team.

Club career

Early career

Born in Zenica, Bosnia and raised in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, Didić began playing soccer with Sherwood Park District SA and later spent time in the FC Edmonton Academy system before playing four years of college soccer at Baker University, where he was a two-time NAIA All-American.[1][2] As a senior in 2015, he was named a NSCAA and NAIA All-American, as well as being named the Heart of America Athletic Conference Most Valuable Player.[1][3]

Swope Park Rangers

Didić was signed by United Soccer League side Swope Park Rangers on March 2, 2016.[4] In August 2016, Sporting Kansas City announced that they had signed Didić on a short-term loan, to play in the 2016-17 CONCACAF Champions League against Central FC. Didić made his first team debut on August 16, 2016 in the competition.[5] After receiving rave reviews in his first season with Swope Park Rangers, Didić was named to the 2016 USL All-League First Team.[6]

Sporting Kansas City

In May 2017, after six games with Swope Park in 2017, Didić was signed by Sporting Kansas City for the remainder of the 2017 season, with options for 2018, 2019 and 2020.[7] This made him the first Baker Wildcats soccer player to sign with an MLS club.[1] He remained on loan with Swope Park for the remainder of the season.[8] Upon conclusion of the 2017 season, Sporting KC announced they would exercise Didic's option for the 2018 season.[9] Didić made his first appearance for Sporting KC since the 2016 season when he started in a 2–0 victory over Real Salt Lake at Rio Tinto Stadium in the U.S. Open Cup Round of 32 on June 6, 2018. After three seasons with Sporting KC, Didić was released at the end of the 2018 season.[10]

San Antonio FC

In December 2018, Didić signed with United Soccer League club San Antonio FC for the 2019 season.[11] After starting the first two matches of the season on March 9 and 16, Didić was relegated to the bench for the following two games before being left out of the matchday 18 in April.[12] On April 15, 2019, Didić and San Antonio agreed to mutually terminate his contract so that he could pursue other opportunities.[13]

FC Edmonton

Right after his departure from San Antonio, Didić signed with his hometown club, Canadian Premier League side FC Edmonton.[14] That season, he made nineteen league appearances and one appearance in the Canadian Championship.[12] While out of contract during the off-season, Didić went on a preseason trial with Major League Soccer side Vancouver Whitecaps FC.[15] On February 24, 2020, he concluded his trial with Vancouver and returned home.[15] On March 2, 2020, Didić officially re-signed with Edmonton for the 2020 season.[16]

Pacific FC

On February 9, 2022, Didić signed with CPL reigning champions Pacific FC on a free transfer.[17] He left the club at the end of the 2023 season,[18][19] having made a total amount of 63 appearances in all competitions for them.[19]

Atlético Ottawa

On April 4, 2024, Atlético Ottawa announced the signing of the Canadian international, ahead of the 2024 Canadian Premier League season. Didić joined on a free transfer and signed a one-year contract with an option to extend for another season.[20] On April 13, 2024, he made his debut in the season opener against York United FC.[21]

International career

Didić represented the Canadian Interuniversity Sport team at the Universiade in South Korea in 2015.[22]

In March 2017, Didić received his first Canadian youth national team call-up for an under-23 tournament in Qatar.[2] In September of that year, he also received his first senior team call-up for a friendly against Jamaica, but did not appear in the match.[2]

He was recalled to the national team in October 2019 for a CONCACAF Nations League match against the United States.[23]

On January 10, 2020, he made his debut and scored his first goal against Barbados.[24]

Personal life

When he was a toddler, Didić and his family emigrated to Canada in the wake of the Bosnian War, eventually settling in Edmonton, Alberta.[25]

Career statistics

Club

As of November 3, 2024[12]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Playoffs National Cup Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Swope Park Rangers 2016 USL 28 1 4 0 – – 32 1
2017 21 1 4 1 – – 25 2
2018 25 1 2 0 – – 27 1
Total 74 3 10 1 0 0 0 0 84 4
Sporting Kansas City 2016 Major League Soccer 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 3 0
2017 0 0 0 0 0 0 – 0 0
2018 0 0 0 0 1 0 – 1 0
Total 0 0 0 0 1 0 3 0 4 0
San Antonio FC 2019 USL Championship 2 0 – 0 0 – 2 0
FC Edmonton 2019 Canadian Premier League 19 0 – 1 0 – 20 0
2020 3 0 – – – 3 0
2021 24 3 – 1 0 – 25 3
Total 46 3 0 0 2 0 0 0 48 3
Pacific FC 2022 Canadian Premier League 26 2 2 0 1 2 4 0 33 4
2023 24 4 3 0 3 0 – 30 4
Total 50 6 5 0 4 0 4 0 63 8
Atlético Ottawa 2024 Canadian Premier League 27 4 2 0 3 0 – 32 4
Career total 199 16 17 1 10 2 7 0 233 19

International

As of January 16, 2020
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Canada 2020 2 1
Total 2 1
As of match played 10 January 2020[2]
Scores and results list Canada's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Didić goal.
List of international goals scored by Amer Didić
No. Date Venue Cap Opponent Score Result Competition
1 10 January 2020 Championship Soccer Stadium, Irvine, United States 1  Barbados 3–0 4–1 Friendly

Honours

Individual

References

  1. ^ a b c "Baker Alum Amer Didic Signs with Sporting KC". Baker University. 31 May 2017. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d "Amer Didic". Canadian Soccer Association. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
  3. ^ "Amer Didić". Baker University Athletics. Archived from the original on June 3, 2016. Retrieved May 8, 2016.
  4. ^ "Swope Park Rangers sign Amer Didic and Tyler Pasher". Sporting Kansas City. March 2, 2016. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  5. ^ Kozvan, Sam (Aug 14, 2016). "Sporting KC adds Amer Didic and Tyler Pasher from Swope Park Rangers ahead of Champions League opener". Sporting Kansas City.
  6. ^ Bergabo, Patrik (October 18, 2016). "Amer Didic named to the 2016 USL All-League First Team". Sporting Kansas City.
  7. ^ Kozvan, Sam (May 31, 2017). "Sporting KC signs 22-year-old defender Amer Didic to an MLS contract from the Swope Park Rangers". Sporting Kansas City.
  8. ^ Kovzan, Sam (August 19, 2017). "Sporting KC defender Amer Didic named to Canada Men's National Team for first time ahead of Jamaica friendly". Sporting Kansas City.
  9. ^ Kozvan, Sam (November 27, 2017). "Sporting KC exercises options on 11 players ahead of 2018 MLS season". Sporting Kansas City.
  10. ^ "Sporting KC Announces Roster Moves For 2019". Sporting Kansas City. November 30, 2018.
  11. ^ "San Antonio FC signs defender Amer Didic". San Antonio FC. December 18, 2018. Archived from the original on January 11, 2020. Retrieved December 19, 2018.
  12. ^ a b c "Amer Didic". Soccerway. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
  13. ^ "San Antonio FC and Defender Amer Didic Mutually Agree to Part Ways". San Antonio FC. 15 April 2019. Archived from the original on 15 April 2019. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
  14. ^ "FC Edmonton Announces Signing of Amer Didic". April 15, 2019. Archived from the original on April 16, 2019. Retrieved April 16, 2019.
  15. ^ a b "Amer Didic returning home after Whitecaps trial ends". Canadian Premier League. 24 February 2020. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
  16. ^ Khimji, Kassim (2 March 2020). "Canadian International Amer Didic Returns to FC Edmonton for 2020 Season". FC Edmonton. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
  17. ^ "Amer Didic joins Pacific FC for 2022!". Pacific FC. 9 February 2022. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  18. ^ "Thank you Didic". Pacific FC. January 17, 2024. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
  19. ^ a b Jacques, John (January 18, 2024). "Key Pacific Defender Amer Didic Leaves The Isle". Northern Tribune. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
  20. ^ "Atlético Ottawa signs colossal Canadian defender Amer Didić". Atlético Ottawa. 2024-04-04. Retrieved 2024-04-04.
  21. ^ O'Connor-Clarke, Charlie (April 13, 2024). "Recap: Atlético Ottawa 2-1 York United — CPL Match #1". Canadian Premier League.
  22. ^ "Baker's Amer Didic to Play for Canadian National Team". bakeru.edu. Baker University Athletics. May 8, 2015. Archived from the original on June 3, 2016. Retrieved May 8, 2016.
  23. ^ Molinaro, John (October 1, 2019). "FC Edmonton's Amer Didic named to Canadian national team roster".
  24. ^ "Canadian men's soccer comfortably dispatches Barbados in friendly rematch". CBC. 10 January 2020.
  25. ^ "Sporting KC and Canadian National Team Defender Amer Didic Shares His Urban Picks". Urban Pitch. 15 August 2018. Retrieved 16 April 2019.