Gordon Schildenfeld

Gordon Schildenfeld[1] (born 18 March 1985) is a Croatian professional footballer who plays as a centre back for Anorthosis Famagusta. He played several years for Croatia national team.

Gordon Schildenfeld
Schildenfeld playing for Anorthosis in 2020.
Personal information
Full name Gordon Schildenfeld[1]
Date of birth (1985-03-18) 18 March 1985
Place of birth Šibenik, Croatia
Height 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Playing position(s) Centre back
Club information
Current team
 Anorthosis Famagusta
Number 5
Youth career
Šibenik
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2001–2007 Šibenik 94 (2)
2007–2008 Dinamo Zagreb 35 (2)
2008–2010 Beşiktaş 9 (0)
2008–2009 → MSV Duisburg (loan) 4 (0)
2009–2010 → Sturm Graz (loan) 34 (1)
2010–2011 Sturm Graz 36 (2)
2011–2012 Eintracht Frankfurt 33 (1)
2012–2015 Dynamo Moscow 6 (0)
2013 → PAOK (loan) 15 (1)
2013–2015 → Panathinaikos (loan) 57 (2)
2015–2017 Dinamo Zagreb 27 (0)
2017– Anorthosis Famagusta 88 (9)
National team‡
2006 Croatia U-21 1 (0)
2009–2016 Croatia 29 (1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 8 March 2020
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 22 June 2016

Club career

Šibenik

Schildenfeld began playing football at his hometown club HNK Šibenik. The club's then manager Stanko Mršić gave him his senior debut at age 16 against Kamen Ingrad. In the 2005–06 season, Schildenfeld helped Šibenik win promotion to the top flight.

Dinamo Zagreb

Midway through his first season in the Croatian first division, the country's top clubs Dinamo Zagreb and Hajduk Split became interested in signing Schildenfeld and his Šibenik teammate Ante Rukavina. It first seemed likely that Schildenfeld and Rukavina would move to Hajduk together, but then Dinamo entered the race for the two players. In the end, on 2 January 2007, Schildenfeld moved to Dinamo while Rukavina joined archrivals Hajduk. Despite only having five months of top-flight experience at the time, Schildenfeld quickly managed to establish himself as a regular at Dinamo and helped the club winning both Croatian league and cup titles, also netting the crucial away goal against Slaven Belupo in the second leg of the cup final.

In the first part of the 2007–08 season, Schildenfeld was also one of the regulars in Dinamo's UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup campaign, appearing in five Champions League qualifying matches and four UEFA Cup matches before the club was knocked out of the latter competition in the group stage. Schildenfeld became an unlucky figure in Dinamo's 2–1 defeat at Norwegian side Brann in their second match in the UEFA Cup group stage, causing a penalty and being sent off for a professional foul in the final moments of the first half. He missed the last two group matches, against Hamburger SV and Rennes, because of the red card.

Beşiktaş

Although he was initially set to stay at Dinamo Zagreb, Schildenfeld was signed by Turkish top club Beşiktaş under unexpected circumstances on 1 February 2008. Beşiktaş were actually ready to sign Schildenfeld's teammate Dino Drpić, but the deal fell through due to Drpić's behaviour after a Croatian league match between Dinamo and Hajduk Split almost two years earlier.

Schildenfeld made his Süper Lig debut on 9 February 2008, coming on as a late substitute in Beşiktaş's 2–0 defeat at Kayserispor.[2] He played his first full Süper Lig match a week later as Beşiktaş beat Ankaraspor 3–2 at home.[3]

Duisburg

In September 2008, Schildenfeld joined MSV Duisburg of the German 2. Bundesliga on loan until the end of the season. He made his league debut for the club on 16 November 2008 in a 4–3 defeat at SpVgg Greuther Fürth, entering as a substitute for Olcay Şahan in the 83rd minute.[4] He made just four appearances for the club in the league, all of them as a substitute.

Sturm Graz
Gordon Schildenfeld in duel with Vakhtang Pantskhava

In July 2009, Schildenfeld joined Sturm Graz of the Austrian Bundesliga on a season-long loan from Beşiktaş. He made his league debut for the club on 26 July 2009 in a 3–0 win at home to Magna Wiener Neustadt, entering as a substitute for Ferdinand Feldhofer in the 89th minute.[5] He later managed to find his place as a regular at the club, appearing in 34 league matches during the season. His only goal in the league during the season came on 27 March 2010 when he netted the opening goal in a 3–0 win at Kapfenberger SV.[6]

During his first season with Sturm Graz, he also made ten appearances for the club in the UEFA Europa League and was also a regular feature in their run to the Austrian Cup title, making six appearances in the competition. On 15 August 2009, he netted a brace against TSV St. Johann in the Austrian Cup, helping Sturm to grab a 4–2 extra-time win in the first-round match. He also completed the full 90 minutes in the Cup final on 16 May 2010, which Sturm won 1–0 against Magna Wiener Neustadt. On 8 June 2010, he signed a three-year contract with Sturm Graz.

Eintracht Frankfurt

On 7 July 2011, Schildenfeld returned to the 2. Bundesliga to join Eintracht Frankfurt. He played there in his first season 33 out of 34 possible matches, helping the club earn promotion to the top-flight Bundesliga. He scored one goal during the 2011–12 campaign.

Dynamo Moscow

On 11 July 2012, Schildenfeld signed a three-year contract with Russian Premier League side Dynamo Moscow for an undisclosed fee.[7]

PAOK

After struggling to become regular starting center back in Dynamo, Schildenfeld moved on loan to Superleague Greece side PAOK.

Panathinaikos

On 2 August 2013, Schildenfeld went on a loan to Panathinaikos. He stayed for two years being one of the most famous players of the club, winning the Greek Cup against his other Greek club PAOK.

Dinamo Zagreb

In the summer of 2015, Schilden returned to Dinamo Zagreb with a contract expired at summer of 2018. On summer of 2016 the manager of Panathinaikos, Andrea Stramaccioni wants to sign the experienced Croatian, since Danish stopper Rasmus Thelander is still suffering from a serious footpad injury and nobody knows if he will be ready to help his team in the beginning of 2016-17 season, leaving them only with Rodrigo Moledo, Ivan Ivanov and Nuno Reis in the defensive line.[8]

Anorthosis Famagusta

On 6 July 2017, Anorthosis Famagusta officially announced the acquisition of the Croatian international on a year contract for an undisclosed fee.[9]

International career

On 1 March 2006, Schildenfeld won his only international cap for the Croatia national under-21 team, coming on as a substitute in a friendly match against Denmark.[10]

Schildenfeld went on to make his full international debut for Croatia on 14 November 2009, coming on as a substitute for Darijo Srna in the 58th minute of a friendly match against Liechtenstein in Vinkovci.

In 2010, he made a total of six international appearances, of which four were in friendlies. His competitive international debut came on 9 October 2010 in a UEFA Euro 2012 qualifier at Israel, in which he played the full 90 minutes. In November 2011, he played the full 90 minutes in both play-off matches against Turkey, helping Croatia to qualify for the finals after a 3–0 aggregate win. He went on to play in all three Croatian matches at Euro 2012.

Ten days after his 30th birthday, on 28 March 2015 coming in as a second-half substitute for midfielder Ivan Rakitić in a UEFA Euro 2016 qualification match against Norway, Schildenfeld scored his first goal for the national side with a header off of a Darijo Srna corner kick to make the score 4–1 in the 87th minute. Croatia went on to win the match 5–1.

After Euro 2016 finished, he had not received any further call ups for the national team.

International statistics
Croatia national team[11]
Year Apps Goals
2009 10
2010 60
2011 20
2012 80
2013 20
2014 20
2015 21
2016 60
Total 291

International goals
Scores and results list Croatia's goal tally first.[11]
NoDateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.28 March 2015Stadion Maksimir, Zagreb, Croatia Norway4–15–1UEFA Euro 2016 qualification

Personal life

Schildenfeld's family on his father's side is originally from Slovenia and is of Austrian origin.[12] Gordon Schildenfeld married Christina Marsellou (Greek: Χριστίνα Μαρσέλλου) in 2016 in Athens, away from lights of publicity, after two years of dating.[13] On 22 March 2017, their son Alexander Marsellos-Schildenfeld was born.[14] Two years later, on 9th of September 2019, they welcomed their second child and daughter, Bella Marsellou-Schildenfeld. He has two daughters from his first marriage with Ivana Škugor, whom they were married from 2007 until 2013.[15]

Career statistics

Club
As of 8 March 2020
Club Season League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Dinamo Zagreb 2006–07 Prva HNL 18100——181
2007–08 1710090—261
Total 352009000441
Beşiktaş 2007–08 Süper Lig 9000——90
Duisburg (loan) 2008–09 2. Bundesliga 4000——40
Sturm Graz (loan) 2009–10 Austrian Bundesliga 34162100—503
Sturm Graz 2010–11 3622141—424
Eintracht Frankfurt 2011–12 Bundesliga 33120——351
Dynamo Moscow 2012–13 Russian Premier League 600040—100
PAOK (loan) 2012–13 Superleague 15140——191
Panathinaikos (loan) 2013–14 Superleague 28051——331
2014–15 2922090—402
Total 572719000733
Dinamo Zagreb 2015–16 Prva HNL 1103000—140
2016–17 1604090—290
Total 270709000430
Anorthosis Famagusta 2017–18 Cypriot First Division 35341——394
2018–19 3023120—353
2019–20 23441——275
Total 889113200010112
Career total 344193974310042627

Honours

Club
HNK Šibenik
GNK Dinamo Zagreb
Sturm Graz
Eintracht Frankfurt
Panathinaikos

Individual

References
  1. "2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil: List of Players" (PDF). FIFA. 11 June 2014. p. 12. Retrieved 8 July 2014.
  2. "Kayserispor – Beşiktaş (SüperLig 2007/2008)" (in German). Weltfussball.de. 9 February 2008. Retrieved 16 July 2011.
  3. "Beşiktaş – Ankaraspor (SüperLig 2007/2008)" (in German). Weltfussball.de. 16 February 2008. Retrieved 16 July 2011.
  4. "SpVgg Greuther Fürth – MSV Duisburg (2. Bundesliga 2008/2009)" (in German). Weltfussball.de. 16 November 2008. Retrieved 16 July 2011.
  5. "Sturm Graz – SC Magna (Bundesliga 2009/2010)" (in German). Weltfussball.de. 26 July 2009. Retrieved 16 July 2011.
  6. "KSV Superfund – Sturm Graz (Bundesliga 2009/2010)" (in German). Weltfussball.de. 27 March 2010. Retrieved 16 July 2011.
  7. "Schildenfeld: "Nadam se da ću pomoći Dinamu da postane prvak"" (in Croatian). hrsport.net. 11 July 2012. Retrieved 11 July 2012.
  8. Οι τρεις προϋποθέσεις για τον Σίλντενφελντ (in Greek). www.sport24.gr. 24 June 2016.
  9. Ανακοίνωσε Σίλντενφελντ η Ανόρθωση (in Greek). www.sport24.gr. 6 July 2017.
  10. "Statistike – Nastupi: Gordon Schildenfeld" (in Croatian). Croatian Football Federation. Retrieved 16 July 2011.
  11. "Schildenfeld, Gordon". National Football Teams. Retrieved 12 March 2017.
  12. "Schildenfeld: Frankfurt mi je novi i veliki izazov". Slobodna Dalmacija (in Croatian). 14 August 2011. Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  13. "EKSKLUZIVNO Gordon Schildenfeld: Ljubavna idila s fatalnom Grkinjom". Story (in Croatian). 9 March 2016.
  14. "Gordon Schildenfeld sa Grkinjom Christinom dobio sina". sibenik.in (in Croatian). 23 March 2017.
  15. "Schildenfelda na vjenčanje dovezao Ante Rukavina u peglici". index.hr (in Croatian). 8 September 2007.
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