Sead Kolašinac (born 20 June 1993) is a professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Serie A club Atalanta and the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team.
 Kolašinac in 2015 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Sead Kolašinac | ||
| Date of birth | 20 June 1993 | ||
| Place of birth | Karlsruhe, Germany | ||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Left-back[2] | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Atalanta | ||
| Number | 23 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2001–2009 | Karlsruher SC | ||
| 2009–2010 | 1899 Hoffenheim | ||
| 2010 | VfB Stuttgart | ||
| 2011–2012 | Schalke 04 | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2012–2015 | Schalke 04 II | 8 | (2) |
| 2012–2017 | Schalke 04 | 94 | (4) |
| 2017–2022 | Arsenal | 80 | (2) |
| 2021 | → Schalke 04 (loan) | 17 | (1) |
| 2022–2023 | Marseille | 47 | (4) |
| 2023– | Atalanta | 29 | (1) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2011 | Germany U18 | 1 | (0) |
| 2011–2012 | Germany U19 | 11 | (1) |
| 2012–2013 | Germany U20 | 2 | (1) |
| 2013– | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 58 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21 April 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 20:27, 21 March 2024 (UTC) | |||
Kolašinac started his club career with Schalke 04, playing first in its reserve team, before joining Arsenal in 2017. In 2021, he was loaned back to Schalke. The following year, he moved to Marseille, before signing for Atalanta in 2023.
A former youth international for Germany, Kolašinac made his senior international debut for Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2013. He represented the nation at their first major international tournament, the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Early life
Sead Kolašinac[3] was born on 20 June 1993[4] in Karlsruhe, Germany, to Bosniak parents.[5] He attended the Gesamtschule Berger Feld.[6]
Club career
Early career
Kolašinac began his career with his hometown club, Karlsruher SC. After eight years of playing for Karlsruhe, Kolašinac joined 1899 Hoffenheim, where he played a season before transferring to VfB Stuttgart. A season later, he joined Schalke 04.[7]
Schalke 04
After one season with the youth team, Kolašinac was promoted to the reserve team, Schalke II, which played in the Regionalliga West. After scoring two goals in seven matches, he was promoted to the first team.[citation needed] On 15 September 2012, he made his Bundesliga debut in a 2–0 win over Greuther Fürth.[8] In December 2012, he made his first appearance in European competition, a 1–1 draw against Montpellier, in the UEFA Champions League.[9]
In June 2013, Kolašinac extended his contract with Schalke to June 2017.[10] At the beginning of the following season, he tore the anterior cruciate ligament of his right knee and was out for approximately six months.[11] He returned to the pitch on 11 April 2015, over seven months after the injury.[12]
Kolašinac scored his first goal for Schalke on 13 December 2015, in a 1–1 draw against FC Augsburg.[13] In May 2017, Kolašinac made the decision not to renew his contract with Schalke, thus ending his six-year spell at German club.[14] At the end of the 2016–17 season, he was voted in the Bundesliga Team of the Season.[15]
Arsenal
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Kolašinac signed for Premier League club Arsenal on 6 June 2017 on a five-year contact on a free transfer.[16] He scored on his debut on 6 August against Chelsea in the 2017 FA Community Shield, which Arsenal won on penalties.[17][18] He made his Premier League debut on 11 August, the opening day of the season, providing an assist in a 4–3 win over Leicester City.[19] For his performances in August, he was voted as Arsenal's Player of the Month, earning more than half of the votes.[20] On 14 September, Kolašinac scored on his UEFA Europa League debut against FC Köln, with Arsenal winning 3–1.[21] He scored his first goal in the Premier League on 28 October against Swansea City, and also provided an assist for his team's other goal in a 2–1 victory.[22] Kolašinac was once again voted as Arsenal's Player of the Month, in October, earning half of the votes.[23]
In August 2018, Kolašinac picked up a knee injury during pre-season, which ruled him out for the start of 2018–19 season.[24] He made first appearance of the season against Qarabağ on 4 October in the 2018–19 Europa League group stage.[25]
On 1 January 2021, Kolašinac returned to Schalke on loan for the remainder of the 2020–21 season.[26][27] He made his first appearance since joining on 9 January in 4–0 win against Hoffenheim.[28] He was appointed captain under head coach Christian Gross.[29] On 27 February, Kolašinac scored his first goal for the club since his return in a 5–1 defeat against Stuttgart in the Bundesliga.[30]
Marseille
In January 2022, Kolašinac signed for Ligue 1 club Marseille on a contract until June 2023.[31] He made his debut on 4 February against Angers.[32] On 13 November, he scored his first goal for Marseille against Monaco, which secured the victory for his team.[33]
Atalanta
Kolašinac signed for Serie A club Atalanta on 6 July 2023 on a free transfer.[34] He debuted on 20 August in a 2–0 away win over Sassuolo.[35] On 8 October, he scored his first goal for Atalanta against Lazio.[36]
International career
After playing for Germany at various youth levels, Kolašinac switched allegiance to his parents' homeland Bosnia and Herzegovina.[37] In November 2013, his request to change sports citizenship from German to Bosnian was approved by FIFA.[38] Later that month, he received his first call-up for the senior national team, for a friendly against Argentina.[39] and made his debut in that match, a 2–0 defeat, on 18 November.[40]
Kolašinac was named in Bosnia and Herzegovina's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, which was the country's first appearance in a major international tournament.[41] He made his tournament debut in the opening group match, a 2–1 defeat to Argentina on 15 June at the Maracanã Stadium, in which he scored the fastest own goal in World Cup history in the third minute.[42]
Style of play
During his career, Kolašinac has been deployed as a centre-back and as a defensive midfielder, although he spent most of the time playing as a left-back. He possesses very strong body build and strength.[43]
Personal life
Kolašinac married his long-time girlfriend Susubelle in June 2019. Together they have one daughter.[44] Kolašinac is a practising Muslim.[45]
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played 24 April 2024
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Schalke 04 II | 2011–12[46] | Regionalliga West | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | ||||
| 2012–13[46] | Regionalliga West | 5 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 5 | 2 | |||||
| 2014–15[46] | Regionalliga West | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 8 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 8 | 2 | ||||||
| Schalke 04 | 2012–13[46] | Bundesliga | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 3[c] | 0 | — | 20 | 0 | ||
| 2013–14[46] | Bundesliga | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 6[c] | 0 | — | 30 | 0 | |||
| 2014–15[46] | Bundesliga | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 7 | 0 | |||
| 2015–16[46] | Bundesliga | 23 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 6[d] | 0 | — | 30 | 1 | |||
| 2016–17[46] | Bundesliga | 25 | 3 | 3 | 0 | — | 8[d] | 0 | — | 35 | 3 | |||
| Total | 94 | 4 | 6 | 0 | — | 23 | 0 | — | 123 | 4 | ||||
| Arsenal | 2017–18[47] | Premier League | 27 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5[d] | 2 | 1[e] | 1 | 36 | 5 |
| 2018–19[48] | Premier League | 24 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10[d] | 0 | — | 36 | 0 | ||
| 2019–20[49] | Premier League | 26 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[d] | 0 | — | 32 | 0 | ||
| 2020–21[50] | Premier League | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4[d] | 0 | 1[e] | 0 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2021–22[51] | Premier League | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 5 | 0 | |||
| Total | 80 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 20 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 118 | 5 | ||
| Schalke 04 (loan) | 2020–21[46] | Bundesliga | 17 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 18 | 1 | |||
| Marseille | 2021–22[46] | Ligue 1 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 3[f] | 0 | — | 17 | 0 | ||
| 2022–23[46] | Ligue 1 | 33 | 4 | 4 | 0 | — | 4[c] | 0 | — | 41 | 4 | |||
| Total | 47 | 4 | 4 | 0 | — | 7 | 0 | — | 58 | 4 | ||||
| Atalanta | 2023–24[46] | Serie A | 29 | 1 | 4 | 0 | — | 7[d] | 0 | — | 40 | 1 | ||
| Career total | 275 | 14 | 22 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 57 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 365 | 17 | ||
International
- As of match played 21 March 2024[52]
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 2013 | 1 | 0 |
| 2014 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2015 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2016 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2017 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2018 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2020 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 58 | 0 | |
Honours
Arsenal
- FA Cup: 2019–20[53]
- FA Community Shield: 2017,[54] 2020[55]
- EFL Cup runner-up: 2017–18[56]
- UEFA Europa League runner-up: 2018–19[57]
Individual
References
External links
- Profile at the Atalanta BC website
- Sead Kolašinac – UEFA competition record (archive)
- Sead Kolašinac – FIFA competition record (archived)
