Sandro Kulenović

Sandro Kulenović
Kulenović in 2024 with Dinamo Zagreb
Personal information
Full name Sandro Kulenović
Date of birth (1999-12-04) 4 December 1999 (age 25)[1]
Place of birth Zagreb, Croatia[1]
Height 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)[1]
Position(s) Striker
Team information
Current team
 Dinamo Zagreb
Number 17
Youth career
2008–2016 Dinamo Zagreb
2017–2018 → Juventus (loan)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016–2017 Legia Warsaw II 26 (8)
2018–2019 Legia Warsaw 24 (5)
2019– Dinamo Zagreb 57 (15)
2020–2021 → Rijeka (loan) 29 (7)
2021–2023 → Lokomotiva (loan) 66 (20)
International career
2013 Croatia U14 3 (0)
2015 Croatia U15 4 (0)
2014–2015 Croatia U16 10 (2)
2015–2016 Croatia U17 16 (6)
2016–2017 Croatia U19 9 (3)
2018–2019 Croatia U20 3 (3)
2019–2021 Croatia U21 16 (6)
2022–2023 Croatia U23 2 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22 December 2024

Sandro Kulenović (Croatian pronunciation: [sâːndro kulěːnoʋitɕ]; born 4 December 1999) is a Croatian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Dinamo Zagreb.

Club career

Kulenović was born in Zagreb in 1999. His father Almin Kulenović, who hails from Bihać, is a former Bosnian international who has seven caps for Bosnia and Herzegovina.[2][3] His mother Tajana (née Prša) is the daughter of Croatian musician Franjo "Nano" Prša.[4]

Kulenović joined the academy of Dinamo Zagreb in 2008. During the 2015–16 season, he played 27 times for the reserves, scoring 22 goals and adding 11 assists.[5] On 7 June 2016, he moved abroad and joined the academy of Polish club Legia Warsaw on a three-year contract.[1] On 22 July 2017, he was loaned out to the youth team of Italian club Juventus,[6] but returned to his parent club in the following June.[7]

On 10 July 2018, Kulenović made his first team debut, playing the last nine minutes of a 1–0 victory over Irish club Cork City in the UEFA Champions League.[8] On 22 August, he signed a three-year contract extension with the club.[9] On 27 October, he scored his first goal for the club in a 1–1 league draw against Jagiellonia Białystok.[10]

On 2 September 2019, Kulenović returned to Dinamo Zagreb, signing a long-term deal.[11] He debuted on 21 September against Varaždin. However, after an unsuccessful season where he failed to scored a single goal, he was loaned out to Rijeka on 21 September 2020.[12][13] On 24 September, in a Europa League third qualifying round against Kolos Kovalivka, he made his debut for Rijeka. The match went into extra time and, while the score was 1–0, Kulenović notably had an opportunity to set the score to 2–0; however, the ball stopped in a puddle of mud on the goal line as the pitch was soaking wet due to heavy rain. It was then netted in by teammate Franko Andrijašević.[14][13] He scored his first goal for Rijeka on 4 October, a penalty kick in a 2–0 victory over Slaven Belupo.[15] In the second half of the season, Kulenović fell out of favour with coach Simon Rožman, who left him out of the squad during the training ahead of the derby with Hajduk Split on 27 February 2021.[16]

International career

Kulenović has been capped at the youth international level and also captained the Croatia under-16 team.[1] He was part of Croatia's 23-man squads for UEFA Under-21 Euros 2019 and 2021.[17][18]

During August 2024, various Bosnian and Croatian media reported about the possibility of Kulenović choosing to represent Bosnia and Herzegovina internationally. Kulenović allegedly refused to represent any national team other than Croatia, as well as claimed that he hadn't been contacted by the Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina at all.[19]

Style of play

Kulenović plays as a typical number 9.[1] Croatian journalists have often hailed him as "the new Mandžukić",[20] whom he named his idol alongside Fernando Torres.[21]

Career statistics

As of match played on 22 December 2024[22]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] Europe Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Legia Warsaw 2018–19 Ekstraklasa 21 4 3 0 1[b] 0 25 4
2019–20 Ekstraklasa 3 1 0 0 8[c] 1 11 2
Total 24 5 3 0 9 1 36 6
Dinamo Zagreb 2019–20 Prva HNL 16 0 0 0 0 0 16 0
2020–21 Prva HNL 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
2021–22 Prva HNL 0 0 0 0 1[b] 0 1 0
2023–24 Prva HNL 21 7 6 4 8[d] 0 35 11
2024–25 Prva HNL 16 8 1 1 7[b] 3 24 12
Total 55 15 7 5 16 3 78 23
Rijeka (loan) 2020–21 Prva HNL 29 7 2 0 6[c] 1 37 8
Lokomotiva (loan) 2021–22 Prva HNL 29 10 3 1 — 32 11
2022–23 Prva HNL 34 9 3 3 — 37 12
2023–24 Prva HNL 5 1 — — 5 1
Total 68 20 6 4 — 74 24
Career total 176 47 18 9 31 5 225 61
  1. ^ Includes Polish Cup, Croatian Cup
  2. ^ a b c Appearance(s) in UEFA Champions League
  3. ^ a b Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  4. ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League

Honours

Dinamo Zagreb[22]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Sandro Kulenović wielki talent Chorwackiej piłki" [Sandro Kulenović: A great talent of Croatian football] (in Polish). Legia Warsaw. 7 June 2016. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
  2. ^ A. Letić (14 November 2020). "Sin bivšeg reprezentativca BiH želi igrati za Hrvatsku". BH Lopta (in Bosnian). Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  3. ^ Dasović, Tomislav (23 June 2019). "Sa 16 godina je napustio Dinamo, a danas je novi Mandžo i najmlađi vatreni na Euru". Večernji list (in Croatian). Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  4. ^ "FOTO Jeste li znali? Sandro Kulenović je unuk zagrebačkog glazbenika". Gol.hr (in Croatian). 6 November 2024. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  5. ^ "Sandro Kulenović pożegnał się z kibicami Dinama i potwierdził przejście do Legii Więcej" [Sandro Kulenović said goodbye to Dinam fans and confirmed the passage to Legia Warsaw] (in Polish). Legia Sport. 6 June 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
  6. ^ "Sandro Kulenović zamienił Legię na Juventus" [Sandro Kulenović turned Legia into Juventus] (in Polish). Onet. 22 July 2017. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
  7. ^ "INTERVISTA – Sandro Kulenovic: "Alla Juve momenti che ricorderò per sempre. Torneo di Viareggio il ricordo più bello. Il più forte? Morachioli, ma anche…"" [INTERVIEW - Sandro Kulenovic: "At Juve, moments that I will always remember. Tournament of Viareggio the most beautiful memory. The strongest? Morachioli, but also ... "] (in Italian). Giovani Bianconeri. 29 June 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
  8. ^ "Chorwacki talent na dłużej w Legii. Sandro Kulenović chce wykorzystać w Warszawie doświadczenie zdobyte w Juventusie" [Croatian talent for longer in Legia. Sandro Kulenović wants to use the experience gained at Juventus in Warsaw] (in Polish). Sportowe Fakty. 22 August 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
  9. ^ "Sandro Kulenović 2021!" (in Polish). Legia Warsaw. 22 August 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
  10. ^ "Sandro Kulenović: To pierwsza poważna bramka w moim życiu" [Sandro Kulenović: This is the first serious goal in my life] (in Polish). Gol 24. 28 October 2018. Retrieved 31 October 2018.
  11. ^ "Sandro Kulenović vratio se u svoj Dinamo". GNK Dinamo (in Croatian). 2 September 2019. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  12. ^ "Sandro Kulenović novi igrač Rijeke: 'Rijeka je pravi odabir za mene'". HNK Rijeka (in Croatian). 21 September 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  13. ^ a b Vrdoljak, Juraj (13 October 2020). "Kulenović: For koji ne daje gol". Telesport (in Croatian). Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  14. ^ Čičin-Mašansker, Goran (24 September 2020). "Video: Najljepši kraj velike drame na Rujevici! Rijeka ostaje u Europi, Hrvatska ima dva kluba u playoffu". Sportske novosti (in Croatian). Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  15. ^ "NK Rijeka". Facebook (in Croatian). 5 October 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  16. ^ Dobrinić, Damir (26 February 2021). "Tri igrača Rijeke 'na hlađenju'! Šef kod kuće ostavio čak i dinamovca u kojega je imao ogromno povjerenje". Sportske novosti (in Croatian). Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  17. ^ HINA (7 June 2019). "Konačan popis za Euro: S ovim mladima Hrvatska napada Olimpijske igre". Gol.hr (in Croatian). Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  18. ^ Kajtazi Roth, Anita (9 March 2021). "Bišćan objavio popis igrača za U-21 Euro: Na njemu najviše igrača Dinama i neka nova imena". Gol.hr (in Croatian). Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  19. ^ "Otkriveno hoće li junak Dinama Kulenović igrati za Hrvatsku ili BiH: 'Za njega postoji samo jedna reprezentacija'". Večernji list (in Croatian). 23 August 2024. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  20. ^ "Tin Matić i Sandro Kulenović piłkarzami Legii" [Tin Matić and Sandro Kulenović with Legia's players] (in Polish). Gol 24. 7 June 2016. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
  21. ^ Olivari, Davorin (2 November 2018). "TALENTIRANI HRVATSKI TINEJDŽER PREKO NOĆI POSTAO ZVIJEZDA Napustio je Dinamo, a sada ga nazivaju 18-godišnjim spasiteljem i novim Mandžukićem!". Sportske novosti (in Croatian). Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  22. ^ a b "S. Kulenovic". Soccerway. Retrieved 1 September 2018.