Igor Duljaj facts for kids
Duljaj with Shakhtar Donetsk in 2009
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Igor Duljaj | ||
| Date of birth | 29 November 1979 | ||
| Place of birth | Topola, SR Serbia, SFR Yugoslavia | ||
| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Defensive midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1990–1997 | Partizan | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1997–2004 | Partizan | 154 | (4) |
| 2004–2010 | Shakhtar Donetsk | 118 | (5) |
| 2010–2014 | Sevastopol | 82 | (3) |
| Total | 354 | (12) | |
| International career | |||
| 2000–2007 | Serbia | 47 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2016–2019 | Shakhtar Donetsk (assistant) | ||
| 2019–2022 | Partizan (assistant) | ||
| 2022–2023 | Teleoptik | ||
| 2023–2024 | Partizan | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Igor Duljaj (Serbian Cyrillic: Игор Дуљај; born on October 29, 1979) is a former Serbian football player. He played as a defensive midfielder, a player who helps protect the defense. People remember him for his strong and energetic playing style.
During his football career, Igor Duljaj played for three main clubs. These were Partizan, Shakhtar Donetsk, and Sevastopol. He won 14 big trophies with his teams. One of his biggest wins was the 2008–09 UEFA Cup in 2009.
Igor also played for his country, Serbia. He played 47 games for the national team. He was part of the Serbia and Montenegro team that played in the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
Contents
Playing Career
Early Years at Partizan
Igor Duljaj was born in a town called Topola. When he was 11 years old, in 1990, the famous football club Partizan noticed his talent. He traveled to Belgrade for training sessions for several years. Later, he moved to the capital city permanently to join the club.
Many people believe Igor was one of the best defensive midfielders to come from Partizan's youth academy in the 1990s. He passed all the club's tests and selections. In the 1997–98 season, when he was 18, he joined the main team. He played in five league games and scored one goal.
Becoming a Key Player
By his third year as a senior player, in the 1999–2000 season, Igor became a regular starter. He played 41 games in all competitions and scored one goal in the league. For the next three seasons, Igor was a very important player for Partizan.
During this time, his team won one national cup. They also won the league championship two years in a row, in 2002 and 2003. In the 2003–04 season, Igor helped Partizan reach the group stage of the 2003–04 UEFA Champions League. This was a big achievement for the club.
Moving to Shakhtar Donetsk
In February 2004, Igor Duljaj moved to Shakhtar Donetsk in Ukraine. He signed a five-year contract with the club. There, he joined his former Partizan teammate, Zvonimir Vukić.
Igor played for Shakhtar Donetsk for seven seasons. During this time, he won many titles. He helped the team win the Ukrainian Premier League four times. They also won the Ukrainian Cup twice and the Ukrainian Super Cup twice. His biggest win with Shakhtar was the 2008–09 UEFA Cup in 2009. He played a total of 195 games for Shakhtar and scored six goals.
Time at Sevastopol
In July 2010, Igor Duljaj signed with another Ukrainian club, Sevastopol. He played for this team for four seasons. Two of these seasons were in the top league, and two were in the second league. After these four seasons, he decided to retire from playing football.
International Career
Igor Duljaj played for his country, FR Yugoslavia, at different youth levels. He played for the under-18 and under-21 teams. He also played for the country in the Millennium Super Soccer Cup in 2001. In that tournament, he played in all five games and scored two goals, helping his team win. However, these games are not officially counted by FIFA.
Igor made his first official game for the senior national team of FR Yugoslavia on November 15, 2000. It was a friendly game against Romania, which his team lost 2–1. Overall, he played 47 official games for his country. He was also a member of the Serbia and Montenegro team that played in the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
Coaching Career
After he stopped playing football, Igor Duljaj started a career in coaching.
Assistant Coach Roles
In the summer of 2016, Igor joined the coaching staff at Shakhtar Donetsk. He became an assistant coach to the manager, Paulo Fonseca. He worked there for three years.
In December 2019, it was announced that Igor would return to Partizan. He joined the coaching staff as an assistant to manager Savo Milošević. He stayed in this role until 2022.
Becoming a Head Coach
On August 16, 2022, Igor Duljaj became the new manager of Teleoptik. This is a football club in Serbia. He led Teleoptik to a fourth-place finish in the first part of the 2022–23 Serbian League Belgrade season.
In February 2023, the manager of Partizan, Gordan Petrić, resigned. Igor Duljaj was then chosen to be the new head coach of Partizan. He managed the team for over a year. In April 2024, the club's Board of Directors decided to replace him. Albert Nađ, who was an assistant coach, took over as the new head coach.
Personal Life
Igor Duljaj has two brothers named Joakim and Nenad. Together, they run the Duljaj Football Academy in their hometown of Topola. This academy helps young football players learn and grow.
Honours
Partizan
- First League of FR Yugoslavia: 1998–99, 2001–02, 2002–03
- FR Yugoslavia Cup: 1997–98, 2000–01
Shakhtar Donetsk
- Ukrainian Premier League: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2007–08, 2009–10
- Ukrainian Cup: 2003–04, 2007–08
- Ukrainian Super Cup: 2005, 2008
- UEFA Cup: 2008–09
Sevastopol
- Ukrainian First League: 2012–13
Individual Awards
- Partizan Player of the Year: 2003
See also
In Spanish: Igor Duljaj para niños
