Valter Birsa facts for kids
Birsa in November 2009
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 7 August 1986 | ||
| Place of birth | Šempeter pri Gorici, SR Slovenia, SFR Yugoslavia | ||
| Height | 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Winger, attacking midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1991–2004 | Bilje | ||
| 2004–2005 | Gorica | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2003 | Primorje | 1 | (0) |
| 2004 | Bilje | 7 | (6) |
| 2004–2006 | Gorica | 61 | (26) |
| 2006–2009 | Sochaux | 66 | (8) |
| 2009 | → Auxerre (loan) | 15 | (1) |
| 2009–2011 | Auxerre | 68 | (8) |
| 2011–2013 | Genoa | 9 | (0) |
| 2012–2013 | → Torino (loan) | 17 | (2) |
| 2013–2015 | AC Milan | 15 | (2) |
| 2014–2015 | → Chievo (loan) | 35 | (0) |
| 2015–2019 | Chievo | 122 | (18) |
| 2019–2020 | Cagliari | 25 | (0) |
| Total | 441 | (71) | |
| International career | |||
| 2001 | Slovenia U15 | 7 | (1) |
| 2004 | Slovenia U19 | 1 | (0) |
| 2004–2005 | Slovenia U20 | 2 | (0) |
| 2004–2006 | Slovenia U21 | 12 | (5) |
| 2006 | Slovenia B | 1 | (0) |
| 2006–2018 | Slovenia | 90 | (7) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Valter Birsa is a former professional footballer from Slovenia. He was born on August 7, 1986. Valter mostly played as a winger or an attacking midfielder. He was known for his powerful shots and free kicks.
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Valter Birsa's Football Journey
Valter Birsa grew up in Nova Gorica, Slovenia. He started playing football at just five years old for a local club called ND Bilje. Because he was very talented, he soon moved to bigger clubs. First, he joined Primorje, and then at 17, he moved to Gorica.
Playing for Sochaux in France
In 2006, Valter moved to France to play for Sochaux. This team was in Ligue de Football Professionnel, which is a top league in France. While playing for Sochaux, he helped his team win the French Cup in 2007. The final game was very exciting and went to a penalty shootout. Valter scored his penalty, helping Sochaux win the cup!
Loan to Auxerre and Permanent Move
On January 22, 2009, Valter joined Auxerre on a temporary loan from Sochaux. He scored his first goal for Auxerre against Olympique Lyonnais. Later that year, Auxerre decided to sign him permanently. In the 2010–11 season, Valter scored an amazing goal from a free kick. He also scored his first goal in the UEFA Champions League against Ajax. The Champions League is a very important competition for European clubs.
Time in Italy: Genoa and Torino
In 2011, Valter signed a four-year contract with Serie A club Genoa in Italy. Serie A is one of the best football leagues in the world. He played nine games in his first season there. In 2012, he went on loan to Torino. He played 17 games for Torino and scored two goals. After his loan, he returned to Genoa.
Playing for AC Milan
On August 31, 2013, Valter made a big move to AC Milan. This was a direct swap deal, meaning another player, Luca Antonini, moved to Genoa. Valter was given the number 14 shirt at Milan. He scored his first goal for AC Milan on September 28, 2013, against Sampdoria. This goal helped AC Milan win the game.
Joining Chievo and Cagliari
Valter joined Chievo on loan in July 2014. A year later, Chievo signed him permanently with a three-year contract. He played many games for Chievo. In January 2019, Valter moved to another Serie A team, Cagliari, where he played until 2020.
Valter Birsa's International Career
Valter Birsa also played for the Slovenia national team from 2006 to 2018. He scored his first goal for his country on September 9, 2009. This was during a World Cup qualifying match against Poland, which Slovenia won 3–0.
World Cup Goal for Slovenia
At the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, Valter scored a fantastic long-range curling shot. This goal came in Slovenia's second group stage match against the United States. The game ended in a 2–2 draw.
Valter played a total of 90 games for the Slovenian national team and scored 7 goals. His last game for Slovenia was a friendly match against Belarus in March 2018.
Valter Birsa's Personal Life
Valter Birsa was born in Šempeter pri Gorici, which is now part of Slovenia. In 2012, he married his long-time girlfriend, Mateja. They have a son named Nolan.
International Goals
Here are the goals Valter Birsa scored for the Slovenian national team:
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 September 2009 | Ljudski vrt, Maribor, Slovenia |  Poland |
3–0 | 3–0 | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 2 | 10 October 2009 | Tehelné pole, Bratislava, Slovakia |  Slovakia |
1–0 | 2–0 | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 3 | 18 June 2010 | Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa |  United States |
1–0 | 2–2 | 2010 FIFA World Cup |
| 4 | 7 June 2013 | Laugardalsvöllur, Reykjavík, Iceland |  Iceland |
2–2 | 4–2 | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 5 | 19 November 2013 | Arena Petrol, Celje, Slovenia |  Canada |
1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly |
| 6 | 9 October 2015 | Stožice Stadium, Ljubljana, Slovenia |  Lithuania |
1–0 | 1–1 | UEFA Euro 2016 Qualification |
| 7 | 4 September 2017 | Stožice Stadium, Ljubljana, Slovenia | Lithuania |
4–0 | 4–0 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
Awards and Achievements
Valter Birsa won several awards and championships during his career:
With Gorica
- Slovenian PrvaLiga: 2004–05, 2005–06 (This is the top football league in Slovenia)
With Sochaux
- Coupe de France: 2006–07 (This is the main cup competition in French football)
Individual Awards
- Slovenian Footballer of the Year: 2010 (This award is given to the best Slovenian football player)
See also
In Spanish: Valter Birsa para niños
- Slovenian international players
