Major international tournaments are the stuff of dreams. Amid the excitement, unpredictability and occasional heartbreak of football itself – at Euro 2024, most notably – there are a litany of stories that bring the community – from armchair viewers to match-going aficionados – together.
And the heartwarming tale of Slovenian striker Josip Ilicic is the epitome of the aforementioned remark. At the peak of his powers, the now 36-year-old was one of Europe’s most talented players and his return of 151 goals and 101 assists in his lengthy 544-game career attests to that.
The Bosnia and Herzegovina-born talisman has endured his fair share of difficulty in recent years, through no fault of his own, but has finally come full circle, once again stepping out onto the pitch, proudly wearing the colours of his home country.
Having made 83 appearances for his country, his first coming in August 2010, Ilicic is a certified hero among his compatriots – and his appearance against England was a moment that will prevail the test of time, thus remaining a part of their folklore forever.
Inside Ilicic’s Heartwarming Story
Considered retirement in 2022
So, what is it that makes Ilicic’s journey, which includes breaking back into Slovenia’s Euro 2024 squad, so special? One of the reasons behind his decline on the pitch is thanks to mental health reasons.
Ilicic’s brightest years of his career came when he was earning his corn for Atalanta in 2020. While in red-hot form, the 83-cap Slovenia international struck 15 times in 26 Serie A outings, though that was the start of his unfortunate decline.
The well-documented COVID-19 pandemic took its toll on Ilicic and, while in Bergamo, he fell into a state of depression after being hit terribly hard by the virus. Things became so tough for the storied forward that he considered hanging up his boots in 2022 after not playing for almost a whole year.
Two years on from going against his career-ending decision and Ilicic has rediscovered the joy of playing football. He joined former club NK Maribor after his Atalanta contract came to an end via mutual agreement and, in his first full season back in Slovenia, he notched nine strikes in 31 games.
Making the end of an incredible turnaround, one that Ilicic himself would have dreamed of in years gone by, the veteran frontman made his return against England. A redemption story for the ages.
Ilicic Reveals Touching Declan Rice Exchange
‘My story is well known around the world’
Today, Ilicic is back doing what he loves most: putting on a Slovenian shirt and playing football. By virtue of his age and Manchester United-linked Benjamin Sesko’s emergence as his nation’s talismanic figure, Ilicic is no longer their go-to guy. Still, having replaced Sesko in the 75th minute of their goalless draw with England, he got to relive his childhood dream again, three years after his last major tournament appearance.
Ilicic had picked up a total of 60 minutes from a duo of recent international friendlies against Armenia and Bulgaria – but his 90-minute showing against Cyprus on 14 November 2021, was the last time he showed out in a major tournament.
Talking to Sky Italia about making his return to international football, Ilicic reflected on a recent interaction with Arsenal and England midfielder Declan Rice, which occurred during the lifeless draw against the Three Lions at Euro 2024. He said:
“I am sincerely pleased, even today when I entered the pitch a player complimented me and told me that he respects me a lot, this pleases me. The whole world knows my story. Who is the player? An Arsenal midfielder, you know well.”
When quizzed whether Declan Rice was the man in question, Ilicic responded with a nod, all while sporting a heartwarming grin. Watch the heartwarming video of his post-match interview below:
A Deeper Look at Ilicic’s Career
Most fruitful spell came at Atalanta
Ilicic’s senior career began in his home country of Slovenia, having played for both NK Britof and Triglav Gorenjska at youth level. His breakthrough came in the summer of 2008, however, when he made the move to NK Interblock Ljubljana.
A 66-game stint – boosted by 17 goal contributions (14 goals and three assists) – earned him a move to NK Maribor and then Italian outfit Palmero, where he spruced into life and propelled to stardom – and the rest is, well, it’s history.
Versatile enough to ply his trade through the middle or on either flank, Ilicic enjoyed an 11-year stint in Serie A and played for a trio of Italian teams: Palermo, Fiorentina and Atalanta. Typically the spearhead of those sides, his goalscoring prowess was heralded among his teammates.
His most fruitful spell came at Atalanta between 2017 and 2022 with him scoring 60 goals and plundering a further 44 assists in 173 outings for the Bergamo-based club.
Josip Ilicic – Senior Career Statistics | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Team | Games | Goals | Assists | Yellow/Red Cards |
Slovenia | 83 | 17 | 17 | 14/1 |
Atalanta | 173 | 60 | 44 | 19/2 |
Fiorentina | 137 | 37 | 18 | 17/0 |
Palermo | 107 | 25 | 19 | 14/1 |
NK Interblock | 66 | 14 | 3 | 11/2 |
NK Maribor | 61 | 15 | 17 | 10/1 |
As mentioned earlier, the standout moment of Ilicic’s career came in the 2019/20 Champions League campaign when he notched four times in a 4-3 win over Valencia in the round of 16. In doing so, he guided the Nerazzurri into the quarter-finals for the first time in their history.
A legend thanks to his footballing ability but a name that will be forever etched in football mythology on the back of his return to greatness after overcoming a number of hurdles. Kudos to you, Josip.