Josip Brekalo

Josip Brekalo (Croatian pronunciation: [jǒsip brěːkalo];[1][2] born 23 June 1998) is a Croatian footballer who plays as a winger for VfL Wolfsburg and Croatia national football team. He usually plays on the right side, but can also be used on the left side.

Josip Brekalo
Brekalo training with VfB Stuttgart in 2017
Personal information
Date of birth (1998-06-23) 23 June 1998
Place of birth Zagreb, Croatia
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Playing position(s) Right winger
Club information
Current team
 VfL Wolfsburg
Number 7
Youth career
2006–2015 Dinamo Zagreb
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015–2016 Dinamo Zagreb II 9 (0)
2015–2016 Dinamo Zagreb 8 (0)
2016– VfL Wolfsburg 74 (10)
2016 → VfL Wolfsburg II 2 (0)
2017 → VfB Stuttgart (loan) 25 (2)
National team‡
2012 Croatia U14 2 (0)
2013 Croatia U15 2 (0)
2013–2014 Croatia U16 8 (2)
2013–2015 Croatia U17 25 (9)
2015 Croatia U18 6 (3)
2015–2017 Croatia U19 17 (6)
2016– Croatia U21 17 (9)
2018– Croatia 11 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 27 June 2020
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 18 November 2019

Club career

Brekalo is a youth exponent from Dinamo Zagreb. He made his league debut on 19 December 2015 against Inter Zaprešić.[3] On 15 May 2016 he signed for Bundesliga club VfL Wolfsburg for €10 million.

On 31 January 2017, Brekalo was loaned out to VfB Stuttgart until the end of the season with an option for a further year. The loan deal was automatically extended until June 2018 when Stuttgart secured promotion.[4] Brekalo scored his first senior goal on 17 February 2017 coming off the bench for VfB Stuttgart against 1. FC Heidenheim.[5] Brekalo returned prematurely to Wolfsburg on 1 January 2018.[6]

International career

Brekalo is a youth international and has represented Croatia in 2015 UEFA European Under-17 Championship and 2016 UEFA European Under-19 Championship.

He made his debut for Croatia's senior squad on 15 November 2018 in a 3–2 Nations League victory over Spain.[7]

Career statistics

Club
As of match played 27 June 2020[8]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup[lower-alpha 1] Europe Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Dinamo Zagreb 2015–16 Prva HNL 8031—111
VfL Wolfsburg 2016–17 Bundesliga 4000—40
2017–18 15400—154
2018–19 25320—273
2019–20 303218[lower-alpha 2]3407
Total 741041838614
VfB Stuttgart (loan) 2016–17 2. Bundesliga 11100—111
2017–18 Bundesliga 14131—172
Total 25231—283
Career total 107121038312518
  1. Includes Croatian Cup and DFB-Pokal
  2. Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa League

Reserves
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season Total[lower-alpha 1]
DivisionAppsGoals
Dinamo Zagreb II 2015–16 Druga HNL 90
VfL Wolfsburg II 2016–17 Regionalliga Nord 20
Career total 110
  1. B-teams play only league matches.

International
As of match played 16 November 2019[9]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Croatia 201820
201990
Total110

References
  1. "Jòsip". Hrvatski jezični portal (in Serbo-Croatian). Retrieved 19 March 2018. Jòsip
  2. "brȅcati". Hrvatski jezični portal (in Serbo-Croatian). Retrieved 19 March 2018. Brékalo
  3. "Dinamo Zagreb vs. Inter Zaprešić - 19 December 2015 - Soccerway". soccerway.com. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
  4. "Josip Brekalo signs for VfB". VfB Stuttgart. 31 January 2017. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
  5. "Away win in Heidenheim". VfB Stuttgart. 17 February 2017. Retrieved 18 February 2017.
  6. "Josip Brekalo makes early return to VfL Wolfsburg". VfB Stuttgart. 22 December 2017. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
  7. "Croatia v Spain game report". UEFA. 11 November 2018.
  8. "J. Brekalo". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  9. "Josip Brekalo profile". eu-football.info. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
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