Ivica Olić has announced the official end to his professional football career.
Legendary Croatian striker Ivica Olić (37) has officially announced the end of his active football career in an interview with German newspaper Bild, announces Gol.hr on June 24, 2017.
“I’m ready to hang up my boots. I think I can leave football with a clear conscience,” said the former representative of the Croatian national team, adding: “I am happy, I had fun, I had a lot of success and I can say that I gave everything in my training and matches. For me, it was a dream to play at a high level for so long.”
Olić’s last season was spent playing for TSV 1860 Munich, who dropped from the second to third German league after playing additional qualifications.
“I’m sorry to go when the club has been relegated to the third division. I love this traditional club, but there have been problems in it for a long time,” he added.
Olić has been active as a professional footballer for 20 years, beginning his career at NK Marsonia from Slavonski Brod in 1996. After Marsonia, Olić moved to German club Hertha in 1998, but returned to Marsonia in 2000. Olić then joined NK Zagreb in 2001 and won the Croatian championship with the team in 2002. After one season spent at Dinamo Zagreb from 2002-2003, he moved to CSKA Moscow.
In Moscow, he won three Russian titles, as well as the UEFA Cup in 2005. From Moscow, Olić moved to Germany where he played for HSV (2007-09, 2015-16), Bayern Munich (2009-12), Wolfsburg (2012-15) and 1860 Munchen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v=9IMH8agNyjI
During his career, he won a total of 13 trophies, and in the Bayern shirt he appeared in the Champions League finals twice.
Olić played for the Croatian national team from 2002-2015, appearing in 104 matches and scoring 20 goals.
Olić said that he will stay in football but has not yet decided how.
“First let me begin the process of getting my coaching license,” he concluded.
To an incredible career and one of Croatia’s favorites, we will miss you, Ivica!
