Denis Kolinger

Denis Kolinger (born 14 January 1994) is a German-born Croatian footballer playing as a defender for Lokomotiva in the Prva HNL.

Denis Kolinger
Personal information
Date of birth (1994-01-14) 14 January 1994
Place of birth Malsch,[1] Germany
Playing position(s) Center back
Club information
Current team
 Lokomotiva
Number 20
Youth career
2000–2007 Jaska Jastrebarsko
2007–2012 NK Zagreb
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011–2016 Zagreb 102 (2)
2016– Lokomotiva 37 (1)
National team‡
2010 Croatia U16 6 (0)
2011 Croatia U17 3 (0)
2011 Croatia U18 3 (0)
2012 Croatia U19 2 (0)
2015 Croatia U21 6 (0)
2017– Croatia 1 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 14:35, 18 December 2017 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 27 March 2018

Club career

Kolinger was born in Malsch, Germany where his parents were working before they returned to Stankovo in Croatia when he was three months old.[2] He started out at NK Jaska in nearby Jastrebarsko, moving on to the NK Zagreb academy at the age of 13.[3] He went through all the ranks of the club, debuting for the senior side in the 2011/12 season, becoming a first-team regular in the following season. After NK Zagreb was relegated after the 2015/16 season, Kolinger moved to NK Lokomotiva, signing a four-year contract.[4]

International career

A Croatian youth international in U16, U17, U18 and U19 categories, Kolinger refused a call-up to the Croatia U21 national football team under Nenad Gračan in August 2014 claiming that he wanted to play for Germany, that he feels he is a German rather than a Croat and is therefore willing to take the chance and seek out German nationality, which he could since it is the country of his birth.[5] However, in early 2015 he changed his mind, claiming that he realized it would be too hard for him to join the Germany U21 national football team and since March 2015 rejoined the Croatia U21 team.[6]

References
  1. Volio bih igrati za Njemačku, ali znam da bi to bilo teško pa sam izabrao Hrvatsku at Večernji List
  2. Volio bih igrati za Njemačku, ali znam da bi to bilo teško pa sam izabrao Hrvatsku at Večernji List
  3. "Comet database" (in Croatian). Croatian Football Federation. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  4. Denis Kolinger iz Zagreba prešao u Lokomotivu at Večernji List
  5. Denis Kolinger: Srce me vuče prema Njemačkoj at Goal.com Croatia]
  6. Volio bih igrati za Njemačku, ali znam da bi to bilo teško pa sam izabrao Hrvatsku at Večernji List
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