Sanel Ibrahimović

Sanel Ibrahimović (born 24 November 1987) is a Bosnian footballer who plays for the Luxembourgish club FC Wiltz 71 as a forward.

Sanel Ibrahimović
Personal information
Date of birth 24 November 1987[1]
Place of birth Tuzla, SFR Yugoslavia
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[2]
Position(s) Forward
Club information
Current team
 Wiltz 71
Number 99
Youth career
1993–2003 Sloboda Tuzla
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2009–2011 Wiltz 71
2011–2012 Hamm Benfica 24 (20)
2012–2015 Jeunesse Esch 77 (57)
2015–2019 F91 Dudelange 92 (35)
2019– Wiltz 71 15 (20)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 21:05, 21 May 2020 (UTC)

He spent most of his career in the Luxembourg National Division, with over 200 appearances and 100 goals between four teams. During his time at Jeunesse Esch and F91 Dudelange, he won four each of the league title and Luxembourg Cup. He was the Luxembourgish Footballer of the Year in 2013–14 and the league's top scorer three times.

Career

Born in Tuzla, then in the SFR Yugoslavia, Ibrahimović was in the youth system of FK Sloboda Tuzla from the age of 6, until at 16 his family moved to Luxembourg. He returned to the Balkans and became a futsal professional in Croatia before returning to Luxembourg in 2008, settling with his family in Wiltz, a northern city with a large Bosnian community.[3]

His first club was FC Wiltz 71 of the second-tier Luxembourg Division of Honour. As a non-European Union citizen, he required a work permit as a specialist to play for the team. The club president, former Luxembourg international Henri Roemer, hired him as a purported specialist in Bosnian cuisine for his hotel – though he had no actual expertise in this field.[3] The team gained promotion, and he was top scorer in the 2010–11 Luxembourg National Division with 18 goals in 24 games.[2] However, the club were relegated and he missed a penalty in their play-off against US Hostert.[4]

Ibrahimović had been tracked by a scout from nearby French club FC Metz, but the game he attended saw Wiltz lose 15–0 to F91 Dudelange, and he joined FC RM Hamm Benfica in 2011 for a club record €35,000, and Jeunesse Esch a year later.[3] In the final of the 2012–13 Luxembourg Cup, he scored twice in a 2–1 win over FC Differdange 03 at the Stade Josy Barthel.[5] In 2013–14, he was again top scorer with 22 goals in 26 games, in addition to Luxembourgish Footballer of the Year.[6] With only one goal fewer the following season, he was top scorer for the third time.[7]

In June 2015, after his Jeunesse contract expired,[7] Ibrahimović moved to F91 Dudelange on a three-year deal.[8]

Ibrahimović was close to returning to Wiltz in January 2019, but stayed at F91 and won the league and cup double. In June that year, he joined Wiltz on a three-year contract.[9]

Honours

Club
Jeunesse Esch
F91 Dudelange

Individual

References
  1. "Sanel Ibrahimović" (in French). F91 Dudelange. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
  2. "L'autre Ibrahimovic" [The other Ibrahimović]. Le Républicain Lorrain (in French). 10 October 2013. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  3. Pennacino, Noémi (28 March 2014). "L'autre Ibrahimovic" [The other Ibrahimović] (in French). So Foot. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  4. Pertsch, Florian (16 June 2011). "Season review: Luxembourg". UEFA. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  5. "Ibrahimovic offre la Coupe à la Jeunesse" [Ibrahimović offers the Cup to Jeunesse]. L'essentiel (in French). 17 May 2013. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  6. "Sieg für Jeunesse-Spieler: Ibrahimovic ist Luxemburger Fußballer des Jahres" [Victory for Jeunesse player: Ibrahimović is Luxembourgish Footballer of the Year]. Luxemburger Wort (in German). 21 May 2014. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  7. Ruppert, Axel (29 June 2015). "Season review: Luxembourg". UEFA. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  8. "Ibrahimovic finalement au F91 Dudelange" [Ibrahimović finally to F91 Dudelange]. L'essentiel (in French). 19 June 2015. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  9. Hiegel, Didier (29 June 2019). "Ibrahimovic signe trois ans à Wiltz" [Ibrahimović signs for Wiltz for three years]. Luemburger Wort (in French). Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  10. "S. IBRAHIMOVIĆ". Soccerway. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
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