Ante Budimir

Ante Budimir
Budimir playing for FC St. Pauli in 2015
Personal information
Full name Ante Budimir[1]
Date of birth (1991-07-22) 22 July 1991 (age 33)
Place of birth Zenica, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina, Yugoslavia
Height 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position(s) Striker
Team information
Current team
 Osasuna
Number 17
Youth career
1998–2008[2] Radnik Velika Gorica
2008 LASK
2008–2009 Radnik Velika Gorica
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2009–2010 HNK Gorica 22 (6)
2011–2013 Inter Zaprešić 66 (18)
2013–2014 Lokomotiva Zagreb 30 (17)
2014–2016 FC St. Pauli 19 (0)
2015–2016 → Crotone (loan) 40 (16)
2016–2018 Sampdoria 11 (0)
2017–2018 → Crotone (loan) 22 (6)
2018–2019 Crotone 17 (3)
2019 → Mallorca (loan) 18 (5)
2019–2021 Mallorca 36 (13)
2020–2021 → Osasuna (loan) 30 (11)
2021– Osasuna 138 (54)
International career‡
2005 Croatia U15 1 (0)
2012 Croatia U21 2 (0)
2020– Croatia 28 (3)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Croatia
FIFA World Cup
Third place 2022
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 2 December 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 18 November 2024

Ante Budimir (Croatian pronunciation: [ǎːnte bûdimiːr];[3][4] born 22 July 1991) is a Croatian professional footballer who plays as a striker for La Liga club Osasuna and the Croatia national team.

Club career

FC St. Pauli

In August 2014, Budimir joined German club FC St. Pauli of the 2. Bundesliga on a four-year deal until 2018.[5] St. Pauli had to pay a transfer fee believed to be around €900,000.[6] In an interview on Budimir's signing, former Croatian international Jurica Vranješ described him as "tall, strong in the air, and reliable in combinations" and compared his style to Dimitar Berbatov.[7] Budimir had a tough time at St. Pauli, scoring one goal in 20 appearances in the St. Pauli shirt.

Crotone and Sampdoria

On 1 September 2015, Budimir was loaned out to Italian club Crotone for the remainder of the season.[8] He made his Crotone debut on 7 September 2015, in a 4–0 loss to Cagliari Calcio, coming on as a 71st-minute substitute for Pietro De Giorgio. In March 2016, Crotone exercised their €1 million buyout option on the player. Budimir ended the season as Crotone's top goalscorer with 16 goals in 40 Serie B appearances, as they were promoted as runners-up to Cagliari; this tally was fourth for goalscorers in the whole league season.[9]

In June 2016, ahead of Crotone's debut Serie A season, Sampdoria of the same league activated Budimir's release clause believed to be in the region of €1.8 million, and the player signed a deal ending in mid-2020.[10] A year later, he was sent back to Crotone on a one-year loan with obligation to buy.[11] The obligation was fulfilled by now relegated Crotone at the end of the season, and he remained in the club on a permanent contract.

Mallorca

On 15 January 2019, Budimir moved on loan to Spanish club Mallorca.[12] He scored his first goal for the Balearic club on 3 February as a Panenka penalty kick in a 2–0 home win over AD Alcorcón, later being sent off.[13] On 27 June, after achieving promotion to La Liga – he scored the opening goal as they overturned a 2–0 first-leg deficit to defeat Deportivo de La Coruña 3–2 on aggregate in the play-off final – he signed a permanent deal for a €2.2 million fee.[14]

During the 2019–20 season Budimir scored 13 goals,[15] which also placed him as the 8th best 2019–20 La Liga top scorer.[citation needed]

Osasuna

On 5 October 2020, Budimir was loaned to top tier side CA Osasuna for the 2020–21 season.[15] On 7 June 2021, Osasuna announced the signing of Budimir on a permanent deal until June 2025.[16] In the 2023–24 season, he became the top scorer for his club, as he also set a new personal best in La Liga by scoring 17 goals.[17]

International career

On 27 August 2020, during pre-season training, Budimir was called up by the Croatia national team coach Zlatko Dalić for September Nations League clashes against Portugal and France.[18][19] He made his national team debut on 7 October in a friendly 2–1 victory over Switzerland, providing Mario Pašalić with an assist for the winning goal.[20] He scored his debut goal on 11 November in a friendly 3–3 draw with Turkey.[21][22]

Budimir was a member of Croatia's squad that finished third at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He appeared twice as a substitute – in the round of 16 against Japan[23] and the quarter-final against Brazil.[24]

On 21 November 2023, Budimir scored the only goal of Croatia's 1–0 win over Armenia to qualify the nation for the UEFA Euro 2024.[25]

Personal life

Budimir's family comes from the village of Ozimica in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and he was born in Zenica as it was the nearest town with an adequate hospital. Fleeing the war, the family moved to Croatia when Budimir was 6 months old.[26]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 5 December 2024[27]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] Europe Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Inter Zaprešić 2010–11 Prva HNL 11 3 0 0 — — 11 3
2011–12 24 6 1 0 — — 25 6
2012–13 31 9 1 0 — — 32 9
Total 66 18 2 0 0 0 0 0 68 18
Lokomotiva Zagreb 2013–14 Prva HNL 27 12 0 0 — — 27 12
2014–15 3 5 0 0 — — 3 5
Total 30 17 0 0 0 0 0 0 30 17
FC St. Pauli 2014–15 2. Bundesliga 19 0 1 1 — — 20 1
FC St. Pauli II 2014–15 Regionalliga Nord 2 1 — — — 2 1
Crotone (loan) 2015–16 Serie B 40 16 1 1 — — 41 17
Sampdoria 2016–17 Serie A 11 0 3 1 — — 14 1
Crotone (loan) 2017–18 Serie A 22 6 2 1 — — 24 7
Crotone 2018–19 Serie B 17 3 1 0 — — 18 3
Mallorca (loan) 2018–19 Segunda División 18 5 0 0 — 2[b] 1 20 6
Mallorca 2019–20 La Liga 35 13 1 0 — — 36 13
2020–21 Segunda División 1 0 — — — 1 0
Total 26 13 1 0 0 0 0 0 37 13
Osasuna (loan) 2020–21 La Liga 30 11 2 1 — — 32 12
Osasuna 2021–22 La Liga 28 8 2 1 — — 30 9
2022–23 31 8 6 0 — — 37 8
2023–24 33 17 2 0 2[c] 1 1[d] 0 38 18
2024–25 16 10 1 1 — — 17 11
Total 108 43 11 2 2 1 1 0 122 46
Career total 394 132 24 7 2 1 3 1 423 141
  1. ^ Includes Croatian Cup, DFB-Pokal, Coppa Italia, Copa del Rey
  2. ^ Appearances in La Liga play-offs
  3. ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League
  4. ^ Appearance in Supercopa de España

International

As of match played 18 November 2024[28]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Croatia 2020 4 1
2021 4 0
2022 9 0
2023 2 1
2024 9 1
Total 28 3
Scores and results list Croatia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Budimir goal[28]
List of international goals scored by Ante Budimir
No. Date Venue Cap Opponent Score Result Competition
1 11 November 2020 Vodafone Park, Istanbul, Turkey 3  Turkey 1–1 3–3 Friendly
2 21 November 2023 Stadion Maksimir, Zagreb, Croatia 19  Armenia 1–0 1–0 UEFA Euro 2024 qualification
3 8 June 2024 Estádio Nacional, Oeiras, Portugal 21  Portugal 2–1 2–1 Friendly

Honours

Croatia

References

  1. ^ "UEFA Nations League 2025: Booking List before League phase Matchday 5" (PDF). UEFA. 6 November 2024. p. 1. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  2. ^ Ante Budimir: "La gent dels Balcans sabem que el camí per triomfar en el futbol és llarg" at ara.cat
  3. ^ "Àntūn". Hrvatski jezični portal (in Serbo-Croatian). Retrieved 19 March 2018. Ánte
  4. ^ "búditi". Hrvatski jezični portal (in Serbo-Croatian). Retrieved 19 March 2018. Bȕdimīr
  5. ^ "Ante Budimir wechselt zum FC St. Pauli" [Ante Budimir transfers to FC St. Pauli] (in German). FC St. Pauli. 4 August 2014. Retrieved 9 September 2014.
  6. ^ "Nöthe und Budimir sind St. Paulis Sturmduo der Hoffnung" [Nöthe and Budimir are St. Pauli's striker duo of hope]. Hamburger Abendblatt (in German). 19 August 2014. Retrieved 9 September 2014.
  7. ^ "Kroaten-Star Vranjes lobt Paulis Neuen: "Budimir ist ein Typ wie Berbatov"" [Croatia-Star Vranjes praises Pauli's new arrival]. Bild (in German). 5 August 2014. Retrieved 9 September 2014.
  8. ^ "Leihe: Budimir wandert nach Kalabrien aus". kicker (in German). 1 September 2015. Retrieved 10 September 2015.
  9. ^ Morozzo, Angelo (8 December 2019). "Ex Crotone, Budimir show: doppietta al Camp Nou" [Ex Crotone, Budimir show: brace at the Camp Nou] (in Italian). Calabria Sport 24. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  10. ^ "Sampdoria snap up Budimir". Football Italia. 24 June 2016. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  11. ^ "Budimir Torna Al Crotone Al Titolo Temporaneo Con Obbligo di Riscatto" (in Italian). U.C. Sampdoria. 5 July 2017.
  12. ^ "UFFICIALE: Crotone, Budimir va in prestito al Maiorca" (in Italian). Retrieved 15 January 2019.
  13. ^ Bryce, Monro (6 February 2019). "Mallorca seventh after 2-0 win". Majorca Daily Bulletin. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  14. ^ "El Mallorca 'ficha' a Budimir" [Mallorca 'sign' Budimir]. Marca (in Spanish). 27 June 2019. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  15. ^ a b "Osasuna logra la cesión de Budimir" [Osasuna get the loan of Budimir] (in Spanish). CA Osasuna. 5 October 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  16. ^ "Osasuna ficha a Budimir, con el que firma una vinculación hasta 2025" [Osasuna signs Budimir until 2025]. CA Osasuna. 7 June 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
  17. ^ Sharma, Abhinav (27 May 2024). "La Liga top scorers 2023-24: Jude Bellingham, Robert Lewandowski & players with the most goals in Spain this season". Goal.com.
  18. ^ "Budimir to replace Modrić and Rakitić". 27 August 2020.
  19. ^ "Luka Modrić and Ivan Rakitić to miss Croatia's opening UEFA Nations League matches". croatiaweek. 27 August 2020.
  20. ^ Olivari, Davorin (7 October 2020). "Hrvatska bez pola prve momčadi srušila Švicarsku! Zablistao 'Dalićev eksperiment', na kraju ušao i Modrić". Sportske novosti (in Croatian). Archived from the original on 21 October 2020.
  21. ^ "Ante Budimir: Mogao sam zabiti još koji gol". Večernji list (in Croatian). 11 November 2020. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
  22. ^ Hina (11 November 2020). "Budimir: Svjestan sam da je bio VAR, gola ne bi bilo". Glas Istre (in Croatian). Retrieved 11 November 2020.
  23. ^ "Croatia beat Japan on penalties to reach quarter-finals". BBC News Pidgin (in Nigerian Pidgin). 5 December 2022. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
  24. ^ "Croatia eliminates five-time champion Brazil in penalty kicks". The Washington Post. 9 December 2022. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
  25. ^ "Budimir seals Croatia qualification for Euro 2024". Reuters. 22 November 2023.
  26. ^ Ante Budimir: "La gent dels Balcans sabem que el camí per triomfar en el futbol és llarg" at ara.cat
  27. ^ Ante Budimir at Soccerway. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  28. ^ a b "Ante Budimir profile". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  29. ^ Smyth, Rob (17 December 2022). "Croatia 2-1 Morocco: World Cup 2022 third-place playoff – as it happened". the Guardian. Retrieved 17 December 2022.