Ivan Strinić facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Ivan Strinić

Strinić playing for Croatia in the 2018 FIFA World Cup Final
Personal information
Full name	Ivan Strinić
Date of birth	(1987-07-17) 17 July 1987 (age 38)
Place of birth	Split, SR Croatia, Yugoslavia
Height	1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s)	Left-back
Youth career
	Hajduk Split
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2006–2007	Le Mans B	11	(0)
2007–2008	Hrvatski Dragovoljac	22	(1)
2008–2011	Hajduk Split	51	(4)
2011–2015	Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk	85	(4)
2015–2017	Napoli	26	(0)
2017–2018	Sampdoria	17	(0)
2018–2019	AC Milan	0	(0)
Total		212	(9)
International career
2002	Croatia U15	1	(0)
2002–2003	Croatia U16	9	(0)
2003	Croatia U17	8	(0)
2004	Croatia U18	2	(1)
2005–2006	Croatia U19	10	(0)
2008	Croatia U21	2	(0)
2010–2018	Croatia	49	(0)
Medal record Men's football Representing  Croatia FIFA World Cup Runner-up 2018
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Ivan Strinić (born on July 17, 1987) is a former professional footballer from Croatia. He played as a left-back, which is a defensive position on the field. Strinić played for several top clubs in Croatia, Ukraine, and Italy during his career. Some of these clubs include Hajduk Split, Napoli, and Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk. He was also a key player for the Croatian national team.

Playing for Clubs: Ivan Strinić's Journey

Starting Out: Early Football Days

Ivan Strinić was born in Split. He began his football journey in the youth academy of Hajduk Split, a well-known club in Croatia. He stayed there until 2006. After that, he moved to France to play for Le Mans B. When he returned to Croatia, he played for NK Hrvatski Dragovoljac. His talent there caught the eye of his old club, Hajduk Split.

Returning Home: Hajduk Split Career

Even though he was close to joining another big club, Dinamo Zagreb, Strinić chose to sign with his childhood club, Hajduk Split. His first game for Hajduk was at the start of the 2008–09 season. They won 1–0 against NK Zadar at Poljud Stadium. In his first season, he played in 17 league games as a left-back.

In the 2009–10 season, he became a regular starter for the team. This also led to his first call-up to the Croatian national team. He scored four goals in the league that season. One memorable goal was in a 2–1 win against Dinamo Zagreb, a big rival match.

During the 2010–11 season, Strinić played in all of Hajduk's matches in the 2010–11 UEFA Europa League. He played against teams like RSC Anderlecht and Zenit St. Petersburg. He also became the main left-back for the national team, playing in many qualification games for Euro 2012. He left Hajduk in January 2011, having played 77 games and scored five goals.

Moving to Ukraine: FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk

Strinić playing for Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk in 2011

On January 27, 2011, Strinić joined Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk in Ukraine. The transfer fee was reportedly 4 million euros. He made his debut for Dnipro in a league match against Tavriya Simferopol, where he scored a great goal in a 2–2 draw. He played five more games that season.

The 2011–12 season was much better for Strinić. He played 27 games for Dnipro. He also played all three games for Croatia in their Euro 2012 campaign. The 2012–13 season was also successful. He continued to be a starter for both his club and the national team. He played 35 games for Dnipro that season. In December 2014, Strinić announced he would not renew his contract with Dnipro. His contract ended that month.

Playing in Italy: Napoli and Sampdoria

After leaving Dnipro, Ivan Strinić signed with S.S.C. Napoli in Italy. He had played 112 games for Dnipro over four years. On August 31, 2017, Strinić moved to Sampdoria. He signed a one-year deal with them.

Time at AC Milan and Retirement

In March 2018, Strinić signed a pre-contract with AC Milan. This deal became official on July 2, 2018, while he was playing for Croatia at the World Cup in Russia. On August 18, 2018, Strinić had to temporarily stop playing football. This was due to a health matter that was discovered. He was able to return to training by January 12, 2019. He was on the team's bench for 10 games before the season ended. In July 2019, he played his first unofficial game for Milan in a friendly match. On August 26, 2019, Strinić and AC Milan agreed to end his contract early.

Representing Croatia: International Career

Strinić playing for Croatia in 2013

Ivan Strinić first joined the Croatia national football team under coach Slaven Bilić. His first game was a friendly match against Austria on May 19, 2010. After that, he became a regular starter for Croatia. He was the first choice for the left-back position. He was part of the Croatian team at UEFA Euro 2012 in Poland. He played all three group stage games there. He even helped Mario Mandžukić score a goal against Italy, making the score 1–1.

Even though he was the main left-back during the qualification matches, he missed the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil. This was because of a muscle injury. In May 2018, Strinić was chosen for Croatia's squad for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. He started in six of the seven matches as Croatia finished as runners-up. This included the exciting final game. However, due to a health issue, Strinić had to step away from football. After he recovered, he was not in playing shape and was not called up to the national team again. He played a total of 49 games for Croatia.

Career Achievements

Club Honors

Hajduk Split

• Croatian Football Cup: 2009–10 (This means his team won the main cup competition in Croatia in that season.)

International Honors

Croatia

• FIFA World Cup runner-up: 2018 (His team came in second place at the World Cup.)

Special Recognition

• Order of Duke Branimir: 2018 (This is a special award given in Croatia for important achievements.)

See also

In Spanish: Ivan Strinić para niños