Elvir Baljić
Bosnian footballer and manager (born 1974)

Elvir Baljić
Baljić in 2023
Personal information
Date of birth (1974-07-08) 8 July 1974 (age 51)
Place of birth Sarajevo, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina, SFR Yugoslavia
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s)
Youth career
–1993 Željezničar
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1993–1995 Sarajevo 11 (8)
1995–1998 Bursaspor 87 (42)
1998–1999 Fenerbahçe 30 (18)
1999–2002 Real Madrid 11 (1)
2000–2001 → Fenerbahçe (loan) 27 (5)
2001–2002 → Rayo Vallecano (loan) 21 (7)
2002–2004 Galatasaray 34 (3)
2005 Konyaspor 14 (2)
2006 Ankaragücü 15 (2)
2006–2008 Istanbulspor 25 (9)
Total 264 (91)
International career
1996–2005 Bosnia and Herzegovina 38 (14)
Managerial career
2010–2014 Bosnia and Herzegovina (assistant)
2015 Karabükspor
2017 Alanyaspor (assistant)
2018 Akhisarspor (assistant)
2019–2020 Tuzla City
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Elvir Baljić (Turkish: Elvir Baliç) (born 8 July 1974) is a Bosnian-Turkish professional football manager and former player.

As a player, Baljić's biggest success was winning the UEFA Champions League with Spanish giant Real Madrid in the 1999–2000 season. Apart from the UEFA Champions League success, he also won the Turkish Süper Lig with Fenerbahçe in the 2000–01 season.

After ending his playing career, Baljić became an assistant manager of Safet Sušić at the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team, with whom he qualified for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Baljić briefly managed Turkish club Karabükspor in 2015. After Karabükspor, he was also an assistant of Sušić at Alanyaspor in 2017 and Akhisarspor in 2018. Baljić also managed Bosnian club Tuzla City.

Club career

Baljić transferred to Real Madrid in summmer 1999 under club president Lorenzo Sanz for €26 million[1] Throughout the 1999–2000 season, he made eleven league appearances – with eight of them being substitute – scoring just one goal.[2]

In 2001–02 season, Baljić joined compatriots Elvir Bolić and Emir Granov to Rayo Vallecano.[3] At times they formed a forward line consisting of him, Bolić, and Bolo along with a Basque who also had a similar name.[4] However, the move did not do much to improve Baljić's standing at the Bernabéu as more injuries, poor form, and even disciplinary issues followed with only one league goal from 10 appearances.[5]

During the 2002 summer transfer window, Baljić's contract with Real Madrid was terminated and he returned to Turkey, this time to Galatasaray. Due to his substantial price tag and the subsequent high-profile failure at Madrid, his acquisition by Real features consistently and prominently on various "worst-ever signing" lists.[6][7][8]

International career

Baljić (second row, third from left) with the Bosnia and Herzegovina squad in March 2002

Baljić debuted for Bosnia and Herzegovina in a friendly match against Albania in April 1996.[citation needed] He has earned a total of 38 caps, scoring 14 goals.[9] He scored four goals in a single official match for Bosnia and Herzegovina in an away match of the Group 9 during the UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying between Estonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, on 9 October, just a couple of weeks after he signed a contract with Real Madrid. The final result was 1–4.[citation needed] His final international was a March 2005 FIFA World Cup qualification match against Lithuania.[10]

Managerial career

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Almost two years after finishing his playing career, in February 2010, Bosnia and Herzegovina's national team coach Safet Sušić revealed that Baljić would be one of his assistants.[11] As an assistant, Baljić was part of the historic achievement of the national team, which was qualification to the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.[12] Baljić left the national team in 2014 with Sušić's departure.

Karabükspor

On 2 October 2015, Baljić became the new manager of Turkish TFF First League club Karabükspor.[13] Less than three months later, on 21 December, he resigned after a 3–0 league loss against Adanaspor, which was the club's third loss in a row in all competitions and second in a row in the league.[14]

Tuzla City

On 1 October 2019, Baljić was appointed coach of Bosnian Premier League club Tuzla City.[15] The next day, on 2 October, Baljić officially took over the role of manager of Tuzla City, signing a three-year contract with the club.[16] In his first match as Tuzla City coach, the club won Zvijezda 09 at home 3–0 in a league match on 5 October.[17] He suffered his first loss with Tuzla on 19 October 2019 after the club lost 0–3 against Radnik Bijeljina in another league match.[18]

In his first Tuzla derby, the club drew against city rivals Sloboda Tuzla 1–1 on 30 November 2019.[19] On 9 March 2020, Baljić decided to terminate his contract with Tuzla City after poor results, with the last one being a 1–0 league loss against Željezničar the day earlier.[20]

Career statistics

International goals

Scores and results list Bosnia and Herzegovina's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Baljić goal.
List of international goals scored by Elvir Baljić
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 12 August 1998 Koševo Stadium, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina  Faroe Islands 1–0 1–0 UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying
2 14 October 1998 Žalgiris Stadium, Vilnius, Lithuania  Lithuania 2–2 2–4 UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying
3 9 October 1999 Kadriorg Stadium, Tallinn, Estonia  Estonia 1–1 4–1 UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying
4 2–1
5 3–1
6 4–1
7 2 September 2000 Koševo Stadium, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina  Spain 1–1 1–2 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification
8 15 August 2001 Koševo Stadium, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina  Malta 1–0 2–0 Friendly
9 2–0
10 7 October 2001 Koševo Stadium, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina  Liechtenstein 2–0 5–0 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification
11 4–0
12 11 October 2002 Koševo Stadium, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina  Germany 1–0 1–1 Friendly
13 12 February 2003 Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales  Wales 1–0 2–2 Friendly
14 2 April 2003 Parken Stadium, Copenhagen, Denmark  Denmark 2–0 2–0 UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying

Managerial statistics

As of match played 8 March 2020[21]
Managerial record by team and tenure
Team From To Record
G W D L GF GA GD Win %
Karabükspor 2 October 2015 21 December 2015 11 4 3 4 12 14 −2 036.36
Tuzla City 2 October 2019 9 March 2020 12 4 2 6 10 19 −9 033.33
Total 23 8 5 10 22 33 −11 034.78

Honours

Player

Real Madrid

Fenerbahçe

Individual

References

  1. ^ "Džeko je kralj transfera SFRJ". mondo.rs (in Serbian). 7 January 2011. Retrieved 19 November 2025.
  2. ^ "Real Madrid 1999–2000". BD Futbol. Retrieved 19 November 2025.
  3. ^ "Baljic pleased with Rayo Opportunity". Sky Sports. 1 August 2001. Retrieved 19 November 2025.
  4. ^ "Baljic, Bolic y Bolo desafían a un Zidane en estado de gracia" [Baljic, Bolic and Bolo challenge Zidane in a state of grace]. El País (in Spanish). 24 November 2001. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  5. ^ "Rayo Vallecano (2001–2022)". BD Futbol. Retrieved 19 November 2025.
  6. ^ Lazarevic, Nemanja (1 September 2010). "10 Worst Spanish La Liga Transfers Ever". Soccer News.
  7. ^ "Top 10: Los peores fichajes del Real Madrid". Diario AS (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 15 April 2012.
  8. ^ "Real Madrid Transfers: 10 Worst Signings in Club's History". Bleacher Report. 16 October 2011. p. 11. Archived from the original on 11 February 2012.
  9. ^ Mamrud, Roberto (16 July 2009). "Bosnia and Herzegovina – Record International Players". RSSSF. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
  10. ^ "Player Database". eu-football.info. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
  11. ^ "Elvir Baljić pomoćnik Sušiću" (in Bosnian). sportsport.ba. 8 February 2010. Retrieved 8 February 2010.
  12. ^ Isanović, Edin (15 October 2013). "Zmajevi ostvarili historijski rezultat: Idemo u Brazil!". Klix.ba (in Bosnian). Retrieved 15 October 2013.
  13. ^ "Elvir Baljić novi trener Karabukspora". sportsport.ba (in Bosnian). 2 October 2015. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
  14. ^ "Baljić više nije trener Karabukspora". sportsport.ba (in Bosnian). 21 December 2015. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
  15. ^ "Elvir Baljić novi trener Tuzla Cityja". Klix.ba (in Bosnian). 1 October 2019. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
  16. ^ "Elvir Baljić zvanično preuzeo Tuzla City: Dat ću maksimum u klubu koji ima budućnost". Klix.ba (in Bosnian). 2 October 2019. Retrieved 2 October 2019.
  17. ^ "Foto: Baljić debitovao pobjedom: Tuzla City ubjedljivo savladala Zvijezdu". Sport1.ba (in Bosnian). 5 October 2019. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
  18. ^ "FK Radnik razbio FK Tuzla City na Tušnju". sportsport.ba (in Bosnian). 19 October 2019. Retrieved 19 October 2019.
  19. ^ "Remi Slobode i Tuzle na katastrofalnom terenu stadiona Tušanj". Klix.ba (in Bosnian). 30 November 2019. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  20. ^ "Baljić više nije trener Tuzla Cityja!". sportsport.ba (in Bosnian). 9 March 2020. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  21. ^ "Elvir Baljić". Sofascore. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  22. ^ a b "Player of the year | Bosnia-Herzegovina". WorldFootball. Heim: Spiel. Archived from the original on 6 September 2013. Retrieved 14 July 2019.
  • Elvir Baljić at National-Football-Teams.com
  • Elvir Baljić – FIFA competition record (archived)
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