Sejad Salihović facts for kids
Salihović with 1899 Hoffenheim in 2008
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Sejad Salihović | ||
| Date of birth | 8 October 1984 | ||
| Place of birth | Zvornik, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina, Yugoslavia | ||
| Height | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
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Current team
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1899 Hoffenheim II (assistant coach) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1995–1998 | Minerva Berlin | ||
| 1998–2000 | Hertha Zehlendorf | ||
| 2000–2003 | Hertha BSC | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2003–2006 | Hertha BSC II | 88 | (35) |
| 2004–2006 | Hertha BSC | 5 | (0) |
| 2006–2012 | 1899 Hoffenheim II | 2 | (0) |
| 2006–2015 | 1899 Hoffenheim | 228 | (62) |
| 2015–2017 | Beijing Renhe | 28 | (5) |
| 2017 | St. Gallen | 13 | (0) |
| 2017–2018 | Hamburger SV | 10 | (1) |
| 2019–2020 | DJK Frankenthal | 0 | (0) |
| 2021 | 1899 Hoffenheim II | 27 | (6) |
| International career | |||
| 2005–2006 | Bosnia and Herzegovina U21 | 9 | (3) |
| 2007–2015 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 47 | (4) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2020–2021 | 1899 Hoffenheim II (assistant) | ||
| 2021 | 1899 Hoffenheim II (player-assistant) | ||
| 2021– | 1899 Hoffenheim II (assistant) | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 31 January 2021 | |||
Sejad Salihović (born on October 8, 1984) is a Bosnian football coach and a former player. He is currently an assistant coach for TSG 1899 Hoffenheim II. Sejad spent most of his playing career with 1899 Hoffenheim in Germany's top league, the Bundesliga. He also played for other clubs like Hertha BSC, Beijing Renhe, St. Gallen, and Hamburger SV.
From 2007 to 2015, Salihović played for the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team. He played in 47 games and scored 4 goals for his country. He was part of the team that played in their first big tournament, the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Contents
Playing Career Highlights
Starting Out in Football
Sejad Salihović started his football journey in youth teams. He played for Minerva Berlin and Hertha Zehlendorf before joining Hertha BSC in 2000. At Hertha, he played for the under-17 and under-19 teams. By 2003, he joined their reserve team, Hertha BSC II.
Time at Hertha BSC
In 2004, Salihović moved up to the main team at Hertha BSC. He played his first professional game in the Bundesliga on September 26, 2004. This match was against Hamburger SV, and Hertha lost 1–2.
Success with 1899 Hoffenheim
In 2006, Salihović joined 1899 Hoffenheim. In his first season, the team played in a lower league called Regionalliga Süd. They played so well that they were promoted to the 2. Bundesliga at the end of that season.
He was even named the best player in the 2. Bundesliga during the 2007–08 season. This was a great achievement! That same season, 1899 Hoffenheim was promoted again, this time to the top German league, the Bundesliga.
In their first Bundesliga season, Salihović helped 1899 Hoffenheim do amazingly well. They were at the top of the league table when the winter break started. Even though they finished the season in seventh place, it was a fantastic start for a newly promoted team.
Towards the end of the 2012–13 season, Salihović scored two important goals from penalty kicks against Borussia Dortmund. These goals helped his team avoid being directly relegated from the Bundesliga. Instead, they got to play in special play-off matches and managed to stay in the league.
His last few seasons at 1899 Hoffenheim were tough due to injuries. These injuries meant he couldn't play as much as he wanted. He left the club in 2015 after nine years. He became the player with the most appearances in the club's history, which is a huge accomplishment!
Playing in China and Switzerland
After leaving Hoffenheim, Salihović moved to China in June 2015. He joined Chinese Super League team Beijing Renhe.
In February 2017, he signed with St. Gallen, a team in the Swiss Super League. He played for them until the end of that season.
Return to Bundesliga with Hamburger SV
On September 13, 2017, Salihović returned to the Bundesliga by signing a one-year contract with Hamburger SV. He played his first game for them on September 15, 2017. He scored his first goal for the club against Mainz 05. He left Hamburger SV when his contract ended.
Retirement and Return to Hoffenheim
In April 2019, Sejad Salihović decided to end his playing career. However, in 2021, he made a comeback to professional football and played a game for 1899 Hoffenheim II.
International Career
Playing for Bosnia and Herzegovina
Sejad Salihović was an important player for the Bosnia and Herzegovina under-21 team. In October 2006, he scored two goals against the Czech Republic under-21 team in a play-off match. Both of his goals were powerful shots from far away!
Later, Salihović joined the senior national team. He played his first game for them on October 13, 2007, against Greece. He scored his first goal for his country in a friendly game against Oman on June 9, 2009. Even though he usually played in midfield, he sometimes played as a left back when the team needed him there.
2014 FIFA World Cup
In June 2014, Salihović was chosen to be part of Bosnia and Herzegovina's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. This was a very special moment because it was the first time his country had ever qualified for such a big tournament! He played in all three of Bosnia's games at the World Cup. These games included matches against Argentina, Nigeria, and Iran.
After Bosnia did not qualify for the 2016 UEFA Euro, Salihović stopped playing for the national team.
Personal Life
Sejad Salihović and his family moved to Berlin, Germany, in 1992, just before the Bosnian War began. In June 2009, after 17 years, Sejad visited his hometown of Zvornik. His parents were renovating their home there. Sejad enjoys reading, playing football, and spending time with his family.
He got married on December 15, 2014. In April 2015, he and his wife welcomed their son.
Playing Style
Sejad Salihović was known for his very powerful shot with his left foot. He was also a specialist at taking free-kicks, often scoring directly from them.
Career Statistics
Club Appearances
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Hertha BSC II | 2003–04 | NOFV-Oberliga Nord | 31 | 13 | – | – | – | 31 | 13 | |||
| 2004–05 | Regionalliga Nord | 27 | 14 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 28 | 14 | |||
| 2005–06 | 30 | 8 | – | – | – | 30 | 8 | |||||
| Total | 88 | 35 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 89 | 35 | ||||
| Hertha BSC | 2004–05 | Bundesliga | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 5 | 0 | ||
| 2005–06 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| Total | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | ||
| 1899 Hoffenheim II | 2006–07 | Oberliga Baden-Württemberg | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | 1 | 0 | |||
| 2011–12 | Regionalliga Süd | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | 1 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 2 | 0 | – | – | – | 2 | 0 | |||||
| 1899 Hoffenheim | 2006–07 | Regionalliga Süd | 30 | 10 | – | – | – | 30 | 10 | |||
| 2007–08 | 2. Bundesliga | 27 | 6 | 4 | 1 | – | – | 31 | 7 | |||
| 2008–09 | Bundesliga | 29 | 8 | 1 | 1 | – | – | 30 | 9 | |||
| 2009–10 | 32 | 4 | 4 | 1 | – | – | 36 | 5 | ||||
| 2010–11 | 26 | 5 | 4 | 0 | – | – | 30 | 5 | ||||
| 2011–12 | 23 | 9 | 3 | 2 | – | – | 26 | 11 | ||||
| 2012–13 | 20 | 7 | 1 | 0 | – | 2 | 0 | 23 | 7 | |||
| 2013–14 | 28 | 11 | 2 | 0 | – | – | 30 | 11 | ||||
| 2014–15 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 13 | 2 | ||||
| Total | 228 | 62 | 19 | 5 | – | 2 | 0 | 249 | 67 | |||
| Beijing Renhe | 2015 | Chinese Super League | 15 | 2 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 15 | 2 | ||
| 2016 | China League One | 13 | 3 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 13 | 3 | |||
| Total | 28 | 5 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 28 | 5 | ||||
| St. Gallen | 2016–17 | Swiss Super League | 13 | 0 | – | – | – | 13 | 0 | |||
| Hamburger SV | 2017–18 | Bundesliga | 10 | 1 | – | – | – | 10 | 1 | |||
| Career total | 374 | 103 | 20 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 397 | 108 | ||
International Appearances
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | |||
| 2007 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2008 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2009 | 8 | 2 | |
| 2010 | 4 | 1 | |
| 2011 | 5 | 1 | |
| 2012 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2014 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2015 | 2 | 0 | |
| Total | 47 | 4 | |
International Goals
- Scores and results list Bosnia and Herzegovina's goal tally first.
| Goal | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 6 June 2009 | Stade Pierre de Coubertin, Cannes, France |  Oman |
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Friendly |
| 2. | 9 September 2009 | Bilino Polje, Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina |  Turkey |
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2010 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 3. | 29 May 2010 | Råsunda Stadium, Solna, Sweden |  Sweden |
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Friendly |
| 4. | 2 September 2011 | Dinamo Stadium, Minsk, Belarus |  Belarus |
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UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying |
See also
In Spanish: Sejad Salihović para niños
