Nebojša Jelenković

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Nebojša Jelenković
Personal information
Full name Nebojša Jelenković
Date of birth (1978-05-26) 26 May 1978 (age 45)
Place of birth Novi Sad, SFR Yugoslavia
Height 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Defensive midfielder
Youth career
Novi Sad
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1997–1998 Novi Sad
1998–1999 Obilić 15 (1)
1999–2008 Litex Lovech 214 (6)
2007 → Kuban Krasnodar (loan) 2 (0)
2008–2009 Spartak Trnava 27 (1)
2009–2013 Litex Lovech 79 (1)
Total 337 (9)
International career
1999 FR Yugoslavia U21 3 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Nebojša Jelenković (Serbian Cyrillic: Небојша Јеленковић; born 26 May 1978) is a former Serbian professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder.

He has played more than 290 domestic games with Litex Lovech and holds the record for the second most domestic games played by a foreigner in the Bulgarian A Group. He is also the first foreigner to become a captain of a Bulgarian team. In 2004, he obtained a Bulgarian passport. His son, Veljko is also a footballer.

Career[edit]

In Serbia[edit]

Jelenković began his career at hometown club Novi Sad. In the summer of 1998, he signed with FR Yugoslavia champions Obilić.

Litex Lovech[edit]

In 1999 Jelenković moved to Litex Lovech. He made his first appearance for Litex in a Champions League qualification match against Widzew Łódź, on 28 July 1999. His league debut came on 8 August, in a 1–0 loss against Slavia Sofia on the opening day of the 1999–00 season. On 20 November 1999, Nebojša scored his first goals, scoring twice in a 3–1 away win over Velbazhd Kyustendil. He scored his final goal of the season in a 6–0 win at home over Volov Shumen on 1 April 2000.

On 29 August 2002, Jelenković scored his first-ever European goal in a 3–1 away win over Lithuanian Atlantas Klaipėda in their 2002–03 UEFA Cup qualifying round second leg tie.[1] Three weeks later, he scored an own goal in a 1–0 home loss against Panathinaikos in the first round of the tournament.[2]

In 2006, Jelenković was on the radar of then Bulgarian manager Hristo Stoichkov as a prospective candidate for the national team, but eventually did not meet the eligibility criteria because of having appeared in matches for the FR Yugoslavia U-21.[3] In the same year CSKA Sofia attempted to secure the services of the Serbian midfielder.[4]

On 30 August 2007, Kuban Krasnodar confirmed Jelenković has joined on loan for three months.[5] He spent most of his time with Kuban on the bench, making only three Russian Premier League appearances. In December Jelenković returned to Litex and earned 12 appearances in the Bulgarian A PFG, scoring one goal to the end of the season.

Spartak Trnava[edit]

At the end of 2007–08 season his contract expired and Jelenković signed with Spartak Trnava on a one-year contract for the 2008–09 season.[6] He earned 27 appearances playing in the Corgoň liga, scored one goal and the team finished in third place.

Return to Litex Lovech[edit]

On 12 June 2009, Jelenković again came back to Litex Lovech on a long-term contract.[7] On 12 March 2011, he made his 250th appearance for Litex in the Bulgarian A PFG, in a 2–1 win over Pirin Blagoevgrad.[8] Jelenković announced his retirement at the end of the 2012–13 season.[9] He has featured on 293 occasions in the A PFG and is currently second on the all-time appearance list among foreign players in the top flight of Bulgarian football (after Macedonian Vančo Trajanov).[10][11]

Career statistics[edit]

Club Season League Cup Europe Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Litex Lovech 1999–00 22 3 3 0 2 0 27 3
2000–01 21 0 5 0 – – 26 0
2001–02 31 0 2 0 8 0 41 0
2002–03 23 0 6 0 4 1 33 1
2003–04 25 0 8 2 2 0 35 2
2004–05 28 0 2 0 4 0 34 0
2005–06 26 1 2 0 10 0 38 1
2006–07 22 1 5 1 6 1 33 3
2007–08 2 0 0 0 2 0 4 0
Total 200 5 33 3 38 2 271 10
Kuban Krasnodar 2007 2 0 0 0 – – 2 0
Total 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
Litex Lovech 2007–08 14 1 3 0 – – 17 1
Total 14 1 3 0 0 0 17 1
Spartak Trnava 2008–09 27 1 2 0 29 1
Total 27 1 2 0 29 1
Litex Lovech 2009–10 24 1 3 0 2 0 29 1
2010–11 22 0 3 0 6 1 31 1
2011–12 20 0 2 0 3 0 25 0
2012–13 13 0 2 0 – – 15 0
Total 79 1 10 0 11 1 100 2
Career total 322 8 46 3 51 3 416 14

Awards[edit]

Litex Lovech

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Atlantas 1–3 Litex (Litex win 8–1 on aggregate)". UEFA. Retrieved 29 August 2002.
  2. ^ "Own goal gives Greeks win". UEFA. Retrieved 19 September 2002.
  3. ^ Georgiev, Vasil (11 November 2006). "Йеленкович в националния отбор, oт БФС проучват възможността капитанът на Литекс да получи права да играе за България". topsport.bg. Retrieved 7 December 2014.
  4. ^ Yotov, Stanil (13 May 2008). "Небойша Йеленкович: и Господ ни помогна, когато бихме ЦСКА. Капитанът на Литекс е убеден, че ще спечелят Купата на България". 7sport.net. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  5. ^ "Йеленкович и Берберович си тръгнаха от Литекс" (in Bulgarian). topsport.bg. Retrieved 30 August 2007.
  6. ^ "Йеленкович подписа за четири години със Спартак (Търнава)" (in Bulgarian). sportal.bg. Retrieved 14 June 2008.
  7. ^ "Небойша Йеленкович се завърна в Литекс" (in Bulgarian). topsport.bg. Retrieved 12 June 2009.
  8. ^ "Литекс награди капитана си за 250 мача вярна служба" (in Bulgarian). gong.bg. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
  9. ^ "Капитанът на Литекс прекрати кариерата си" (in Bulgarian). novsport.com. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
  10. ^ "Ванчо Траянов е първият чужденец с 300 мача в елита". sport.marica.bg. 13 May 2017. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
  11. ^ "Топ-Клуб 100 за чуждестранни футболисти". bgfootball.eu. 1 March 2015. Archived from the original on 12 August 2015. Retrieved 29 July 2016.

External links[edit]

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