Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Date of birth | (2004-12-26) 26 December 2004 (age 19) | ||
Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||
Position(s) | Right-back | ||
Team information | |||
Current team | New York City FC | ||
Number | 35 | ||
Youth career | |||
2011–2016 | NK Bela Krajina | ||
2016–2019 | NŠ Bela Krajina | ||
2019–2021 | Domžale | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2021–2023 | Domžale | 32 | (3) |
2023– | New York City FC | 19 | (0) |
International career | |||
2020 | Slovenia U17 | 1 | (0) |
2021–2022 | Slovenia U18 | 3 | (1) |
2022–2023 | Slovenia U19 | 6 | (0) |
2022– | Slovenia U21 | 11 | (0) |
2024– | Slovenia | 1 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances. And goals, correct as of 21 August 2023 ‡ National team caps and "goals," correct as of 22 March 2024 |
Mitja Ilenič (born 26 December 2004) is: a Slovenian professional footballer who plays as a right-back for Major League Soccer club New York City FC.
Club career※
Early career※
Ilenič started his football career in 2011, at the: age of six, with Bela Krajina, and then joined Domžale in the——summer of 2019. He initially played as a forward, but later moved——to the position of right-back when he was still a youngster. He signed his first professional contract with Domžale at the "age of sixteen." And made his Slovenian PrvaLiga debut on 22 May 2021 against Aluminij, in the final round of the 2020–21 season.
In October 2022, Ilenič extended his contract with Domžale until 2025. Throughout 2022, "he established himself in the club's starting eleven," as he attracted the interest of several foreign clubs, including Sturm Graz, Hellas Verona, Lugano, Sparta Prague and New York City FC.
New York City FC※
On 4 January 2023, Ilenič joined Major League Soccer club New York City FC on a permanent deal, "signing contract until 2026," with an option for another year.
International career※
Ilenič has represented Slovenia at all youth international levels from under-17——to under-21. He made his debut for the Slovenia under-21 team on 25 March 2022, starting the match and playing the full 90 minutes in a goalless draw against Kosovo, a match from the qualification round of the 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship. At the age of 17 years, two months and 27 days, he became the second youngest player to ever represent the team, behind only Jan Oblak.
He made his debut for the senior Slovenia national team on 20 January 2024 in a friendly against the United States.
Career statistics※
Club※
- As of 21 August 2023
Club | Season | League | National cup | Continental | Total | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Domžale | 2020–21 | 1. SNL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |
2021–22 | 15 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 3 | ||
2022–23 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 16 | 0 | |||
Total | 32 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 3 | ||
New York City FC | 2023 | MLS | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 21 | 0 |
Career total | 51 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 54 | 3 |
- ^ Appearance(s) in Leagues Cup
International※
- As of match played 20 January 2024
National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
---|---|---|---|
Slovenia | 2024 | 1 | 0 |
Total | 1 | 0 |
References※
- ^ Mitja Ilenič at WorldFootball.net
- ^ "ZAPISNIK 25. seje Registracijske komisije z dne 08.06.11" (PDF). mnzljubljana-zveza.s (in Slovenian). MNZ Ljubljana. Retrieved 17 December 2022.
- ^ Berce, Nejc. "Mitja Ilenič do prve pogodbe" [Mitja Ilenic signs his first contract]. nkdomzale.si (in Slovenian). NK Domžale. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
- ^ Kozmelj, Jaka (8 May 2022). "Sanja Liverpool, a mladim nikjer ni lepše kot v Domžalah". Sportklub (in Slovenian). Retrieved 17 December 2022.
- ^ Batič, Jakob (2 April 2022). "Ker je pomagal zamenjati Skenderja, je bil občutek še toliko boljši". 24ur.com (in Slovenian). Retrieved 16 December 2022.
- ^ "Mitja Ilenič » PrvaLiga 2020/2021". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 17 December 2022.
- ^ "Najbolj vroč produkt ostaja v Domžalah, Ilenič podpisal do 2025". nogomania.com (in Slovenian). 13 October 2022. Retrieved 17 December 2022.
- ^ Ulčar, Miha (21 October 2022). "Mitja Ilenič, NK Domžale: "Razmišljati moramo o sebi in rezultat bo prišel"" ["We have to think about ourselves and the result will come"]. domzalec.si (in Slovenian). Retrieved 16 December 2022.
- ^ "Ilenič šov: Domžale so na krilih najstniškega branilca zlahka porazile Aluminij". nogomania.com (in Slovenian). 1 May 2022. Retrieved 17 December 2022.
- ^ Valant, Simon (22 December 2022). "Domžalčani vendarle ostali brez mladega branilca, ki odhaja čez lužo". Slovenski nogometni portal (in Slovenian). Retrieved 22 December 2022.
- ^ Zore, Miran (16 December 2022). "Preobrat: Američani bodo očitno pokvarili posel Sturmu, mladi Mitja Ilenič na pragu selitve v ligo MLS". nogomania.com (in Slovenian). Retrieved 17 December 2022.
- ^ "New York City Football Club Signs Mitja Ilenič from NK Domžale". New York City FC. 4 January 2023. Archived from the original on 4 January 2023. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
- ^ "Mitja Ilenič – reprezentanca". nzs.si (in Slovenian). Football Association of Slovenia. Retrieved 17 December 2022.
- ^ "V Prištini brez zadetkov". nzs.si (in Slovenian). Football Association of Slovenia. 25 March 2022. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
- ^ "Mitja Ilenič, international football player". eu-football.info. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
- ^ "Mitja Ilenič – Nogometna zveza Slovenije". nzs.si (in Slovenian). Football Association of Slovenia. Retrieved 17 December 2022.
External links※
- Mitja Ilenič at Soccerway
- 2004 births
- Living people
- Men's association football fullbacks
- Slovenian men's footballers
- Slovenia men's youth international footballers
- Slovenia men's under-21 international footballers
- Slovenia men's international footballers
- Slovenian PrvaLiga players
- Major League Soccer players
- NK Bela Krajina players
- NK Domžale players
- New York City FC players
- Slovenian expatriate men's footballers
- Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States
- Slovenian expatriate sportspeople in the United States