Nikola Katić

Nikola Katić (Croatian pronunciation: [nǐkola kǎːtitɕ, - kâː-];[1][2] born 10 October 1996) is a Croatian professional footballer who plays as a defender for Scottish Premiership club Rangers.[3] He has played once for the Croatia national team, in 2017.

Nikola Katić

Katić with Rangers in 2018
Personal information
Full name	Nikola Katić
Date of birth	10 October 1996
Place of birth	Ljubuški, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Height	1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Position(s)	Centre back
Club information
Current team	Rangers
Number	19
Youth career
2004–2014	HNK Stolac
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2014–2015	Neretvanac Opuzen	36	(1)
2016–2018	Slaven Belupo	64	(1)
2018–	Rangers	37	(3)
National team^‡
2017–2019	Croatia U21	8	(0)
2017–	Croatia	1	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 1 August 2020 ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 24 June 2019

Club career

Early career

Katić started his football career in 2001 at HNK Stolac in his native Stolac,[4] before moving on to NK Neretvanac in Opuzen, Croatia. He was soon moved to the club's senior team and started featuring in Treća HNL Jug.[5] A year later, he went on a trial with HNK Hajduk Split's reserve team, but did not sign.[6] A year later, however, he moved to top-tier NK Slaven Belupo.[7] Initially mostly featuring for the youth team, Katić broke into the club's first squad in the 2016–17 season.

Rangers

In June 2018, Katić left Slaven to join Scottish Premiership club Rangers on a four-year deal, for an undisclosed transfer fee.[8]

On 29 December 2019, Katić scored the winning goal in a 2–1 victory in the Old Firm against Celtic, the first win at Celtic Park for Rangers since 2010.[9]

International career

Katić represented Croatia at under-21 level, playing against Austria and Slovenia in 2017.[10] Katić was called up to the senior Croatia team in May 2017, and he made his full international debut as a substitute in a 2–1 win against Mexico.

He was named in Croatia's squad for UEFA Under-21 Euro 2019 and was featured in all three group stage matches as Croatia finished last in the group following losses to Romania and France and a draw with England.

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 12 September 2020[11]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			Cup[lower-alpha 1]		Other[lower-alpha 2]		Europe		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Slaven Belupo	2015–16	1. HNL	1	0	0	0	—		—		1	0
	2016–17		29	1	3	1	—		—		32	2
	2017–18		34	0	2	1	—		—		36	1
	Total		64	1	5	2	—		—		69	3
Rangers	2018–19	Scottish Premiership	18	1	1	0	2	1	9[lower-alpha 3]	1	30	3
	2019–20		19	2	1	0	1	0	8[lower-alpha 3]	1	29	3
	2020–21		0	0	0	0	0	0	0[lower-alpha 3]	0	0	0
	Total		37	3	2	0	3	1	17	2	59	6
Career total			101	4	7	2	3	1	17	2	128	9

1. Includes Croatian Football Cup and Scottish Cup.
2. Includes Scottish League Cup.
3. Appearances in UEFA Europa League

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Croatia	2017	1	0
Total		1	0

References

1. "Nìkola". Hrvatski jezični portal (in Serbo-Croatian). Retrieved 17 March 2018. Nìkola
2. "Katarína". Hrvatski jezični portal (in Serbo-Croatian). Retrieved 17 March 2018. Kátlić (Kȃtić)
3. "Nikola Katlic (Belupo) - Player Profile - FlashScore.com".
4. Nikola Katić at the NK Slaven Belupo official page
5. Hajduk B probe i prinove at NogometPlus.net
6. Hajduk B probe i prinove at NogometPlus.net
7. Nikola Katić potpisao za Slaven Belupo at NK Slaven Belupo official page
8. "Nikola Katic: Rangers sign Croatian defender on four-year deal". BBC Sport. 12 June 2018. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
9. English, Tom (29 December 2019). "Celtic 1-2 Rangers: Nikola Katic gives Steven Gerrard's side Old Firm derby win". BBC Sport. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
10. "NIKOLA KATIĆ". Croatia FA. 12 June 2018. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
11. "Nikola Katic". soccerway.com. Soccerway. Retrieved 20 December 2019.

External links

• Nikola Katic at Soccerbase