Branimir Hrgota Explained

Branimir Hrgota
Fullname:Branimir Hrgota
Birth Date:12 January 1993
Birth Place:Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Height:1.85 m
Position:Forward
Currentclub:Greuther Fürth
Clubnumber:10
Youthyears1:–2008
Youthclubs1:IK Tord
Youthyears2:2008–2011
Youthclubs2:Jönköpings Södra IF
Years1:2011–2012
Clubs1:Jönköpings Södra IF
Caps1:39
Goals1:28
Years2:2012–2013
Clubs2:Borussia Mönchengladbach II
Caps2:8
Goals2:2
Years3:2012–2016
Clubs3:Borussia Mönchengladbach
Caps3:69
Goals3:7
Years4:2016–2019
Clubs4:Eintracht Frankfurt
Caps4:35
Goals4:5
Years5:2019–
Clubs5:Greuther Fürth
Caps5:163
Goals5:57
Nationalyears1:2011–2012
Nationalteam1:Sweden U19
Nationalcaps1:9
Nationalgoals1:3
Nationalyears2:2012–2015
Nationalteam2:Sweden U21
Nationalcaps2:14
Nationalgoals2:3
Nationalyears3:2014
Nationalteam3:Sweden
Nationalcaps3:3
Nationalgoals3:0
Club-Update:23 May 2024
Nationalteam-Update:20:09, 16 March 2022 (UTC)

Branimir Hrgota (in Croatian pronounced as /branimir xr̩gota/; born 12 January 1993) is a professional footballer who plays as a striker for and captains 2. Bundesliga club Greuther Fürth. Born in Bosnia, he has played for the Sweden men's national football team.

Club career

Jönköpings Södra IF

Hrgota started his career as a youth player in lower league side IK Tord which he combined with competing in karate. In 2008, he made the decision to give up martial arts and transferred to second division team Jönköpings Södra IF. He made his debut with the first team in 2011 and became the league top scorer that season, netting 18 goals in 25 games.[1] After the season Hrgota received the Player of the Year award from the club supporters.[2] Several clubs were interested in buying him after his successful debut year but Hrgota decided to stay with Jönköpings Södra so that he could finish school in the spring.[3] He went on to score 10 goals in 14 games the following season before moving to Germany in the summer.[4]

Borussia Mönchengladbach

On 4 July 2012, he completed his move to the German club Borussia Mönchengladbach. He made his Bundesliga debut against TSG 1899 Hoffenheim as 74th-minute substitute, replacing Mike Hanke. On 11 May 2013, he made the first eleven for the first time against 1. FSV Mainz 05. He made a big impact on the game scoring a hat-trick. His first ever Bundesliga goal was a converted penalty five minutes before half-time. In the second half he scored two more goals, both with his left foot. After 85 minutes he was substituted for Lukas Rupp. On 15 June 2016, it was announced that Hrgota would join fellow Bundesliga team Eintracht Frankfurt on a three-year contract.

Eintracht Frankfurt

Hrgota scored in his first goal in the game in a 4–3 penalty shoot-out victory against 1. FC Magdeburg in the DFB-Pokal on 21 August 2016. On 20 December 2016, before the winter break, he scored a brace in a 3–0 win over 1. FSV Mainz 05 in the Bundesliga. Despite failing to score in the semi-final cup tie away from home against his former club Borussia Mönchengladbach on 25 April 2017, Hrgota slotted home the winning penalty in the shoot-out which Eintracht Frankfurt won 7–6, having drawn the game 1–1 in normal time.

Greuther Fürth

On 7 August 2019, Hrgota joined Greuther Fürth on a two-year deal.[5] On 12th of February 2022, Hrgota's opener against Hertha Berlin, after 27 seconds, was the fastest goal in that season.

International career

Hrgota was eligible to play national team football for Sweden, Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Croatia U21 coach Ivo Šušak contacted him during the fall of 2012 in an attempt to bring Hrgota over to his team.[6] However, in the summer of 2014, prior to Sweden's game against Austria in the UEFA European Championship qualifiers, Hrgota was called up to, and accepted to join, the Sweden national team.[7] On March 16, 2022 Hrgota was selected for the World Cup Qualifier playoff 2022 against the Czech Republic and Poland, but did not get playing time.

Personal life

Hrgota was born in Zenica in Bosnia and Herzegovina during the Bosnian War. His parents are ethnic Croats. The family moved to Sweden when Branimir was a child, settling in Jönköping.

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational CupContinentalTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Jönköpings Södra IF2011Superettan2518202718
2012Superettan1410001410
Total392820004128
Borussia Mönchengladbach II2012–13Regionalliga West8282
Borussia Mönchengladbach2012–13Bundesliga1330040173
2013–14Bundesliga30210312
2014–15Bundesliga172321083012
2015–16Bundesliga901200102
Total697541488819
Eintracht Frankfurt2016–17Bundesliga28521306
2017–18Bundesliga602080
2018–19Bundesliga10000010
Total3554100396
2019–202. Bundesliga3210003210
2020–212. Bundesliga3116303416
2021–22Bundesliga349113510
2022–232. Bundesliga3311103411
Total130465113547
Career total27386166148303100

International

Honours

Eintracht Frankfurt

Sweden U21

2015

Individual

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Vem är Branimir Hrgota? . fotbollsoraklet.se . 28 August 2012.
  2. Web site: Branimir Hrgota - Årets Spelare 2011 . sodrasajten.se . 19 May 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131104065117/http://www.sodrasajten.se/branimir-hrgota-arets-spelare-2011 . 4 November 2013 . dmy-all .
  3. Web site: Supertalangen stannar - ska gå ut skolan . eurosport.se . 19 May 2013.
  4. Web site: Branimir Hrgota . sv . svenskfotboll.se . 3 January 2013.
  5. Web site: Hrgota stürmt für's Kleebatt. de. SpVgg Greuther Fürth. 7 August 2019. 8 August 2019.
  6. Web site: Kroatien-rykten dementeras – ber om lugn och ro . fotbolldirekt.se . 19 May 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131224093056/http://www.fotbolldirekt.se/2012/10/08/kroatien-rykten-dementeras-ber-om-lugn-och-ro/ . 24 December 2013 . dead .
  7. Web site: Hrgota mållös i ligan på nytt . 31 August 2014 . aftonbladet.se . 1 September 2014.
  8. Web site: Branimir Hrgota - Spelarstatistik - Svensk fotboll . 2022-03-16 . www.svenskfotboll.se. . sv.