Filip Ozobić

Filip Ozobić
Personal information
Date of birth	8 April 1991 (age 33)
Place of birth	Bjelovar, SR Croatia, Yugoslavia
Height	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Neftchi
Number	10
Youth career
2004–2006	Mladost Ždralovi
2006–2008	Dinamo Zagreb
2008–2009	Zadar
2009–2010	Spartak Moscow
Senior career*
Years	Team
2010–2013	Spartak Moscow
2012–2013	→ Hajduk Split (loan)
2013–2016	Slaven Belupo
2016–2018	Gabala
2018–2023	Qarabağ
2023–	Neftchi
International career‡
2006–2007	Croatia U16
2006–2008	Croatia U17
2009	Croatia U18
2008–2010	Croatia U19
2008–2011	Croatia U20
2009–2011	Croatia U21
2017	Croatia
2021–	Azerbaijan
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 4 April 2024; ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 4 April 2024

Filip Ozobić (Azerbaijani: Filip Ozobiç; born 8 April 1991) is a professional footballer who plays for Azerbaijan Premier League club Neftchi Baku. Born in Croatia, Ozobić represented the Croatia national team in two friendly matches before switching to represent the Azerbaijan national team.

Club career

Early career

In January 2008, Spartak Moscow acquired Filip while he was still playing for Dinamo Zagreb's under-19 side. Spartak then immediately loaned him out to Croatian First Division side Zadar, where he spent the remainder of the 2007–08 and the 2008–09 seasons. He then returned to Spartak for the 2010–11 season and made his professional debut in the Russian Premier League on 28 November 2010 for Spartak Moscow.^[1] He made one further appearance that season and in the following first half of the next season. Croatian club HNK Hajduk Split then took Ozobić on a loan for the next 18 months where he largely failed to impress and spent most of the time as either a reserve or a substitute. He was released from his Spartak contract in summer 2013. NK Slaven Belupo, amid other sides, were interested in the player who was then a free agent and moved fastest, confirming his signing on 6 September 2013.

Gabala

On 11 June 2016, Ozobić signed a two-year contract with Azerbaijan Premier League side Gabala FK.^[2]

Qarabağ

Ozobić signed a three-year contract with Qarabağ FK on 2 June 2018 after his Gabala contract had expired.^[3] On 31 May 2023, Qarabağ announced that Ozobić had left the club following the expiration of his contract.^[4]

Neftçi

On 30 June 2023, Neftçi announced the signing of Ozobić to a two-year contract.^[5]

International career

Croatia

From 2006, until 2011, Ozobić has been part of Croatia at youth international level, respectively has been part of the U16, U17, U18, U19, U20 and U21 teams and he with these teams played 58 matches and scored eight goals.^[6] In December 2016, he was named as part of the Croatia squad for 2017 China Cup.^[7] On 11 January 2017, Ozobić made his debut with Croatia in 2017 China Cup semi-final against Chile after being named in the starting line-up.^[8]

Azerbaijan

On 14 July 2021, the Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan announced that FIFA had accepted Ozobić's request to play for Azerbaijan after staying in the country for almost five years.^[9] On 27 August 2021, he was called up to join the Azerbaijan national football team.^[10]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 9 February 2024^[11]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club	Season	League			Cup		Continental		Other		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Spartak Moscow	2010	Russian Premier League	1	0	0	0	1	0	—		2	0
	2011–12		1	0	0	0	0	0	—		1	0
	2012–13		0	0	0	0	0	0	—		0	0
	Total		2	0	0	0	1	0	—		3	0
Hajduk Split (loan)	2011–12	Prva HNL	10	0	0	0	0	0	—		10	0
	2012–13	Prva HNL	6	0	0	0	3	0	—		9	0
	Total		16	0	0	0	3	0	—		19	0
Slaven Belupo	2013–14	Prva HNL	14	2	5	2	—		2	2	21	6
	2014–15		26	3	2	1	—				28	4
	2015–16		31	4	6	1	—				37	5
	Total		71	9	13	4	—		2	2	86	15
Gabala	2016–17	Azerbaijan Premier League	27	11	4	2	14	2	—		45	15
	2017–18	Azerbaijan Premier League	19	5	6	4	4	1	—		29	10
	Total		46	16	10	6	18	3	—		74	25
Qarabağ	2018–19	Azerbaijan Premier League	26	8	4	0	13	1	—		43	9
	2019–20		5	1	0	0	3	1	—		8	2
	2020–21		20	11	0	0	8	1	—		28	12
	2021–22		24	11	4	0	13	1	—		41	12
	2022–23		20	3	0	0	10	3	—		30	6
	Total		95	34	8	0	47	7	—		150	41
Neftçi	2023–24	Azerbaijan Premier League	15	2	2	1	4	0	—		21	3
Career total			245	61	33	11	73	10	2	2	353	84