Josip Skoblar (born 12 March 1941) is a Croatian former professional football player and manager. He was primarily a forward, and also capable of playing on both wings. In 1971, he won the European Golden Shoe with 44 goals.

Josip Skoblar
Skoblar in 1970
Personal information
Full name Josip Skoblar[1]
Date of birth (1941-03-12) 12 March 1941 (age 83)[2]
Place of birth Privlaka, Yugoslavia
(now Croatia)
Height 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)[3]
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
Marseille (scout)
Youth career
1956–1958[4] Zadar
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1958–1959 Zadar
1959–1966 OFK Belgrade 162 (63)
1966–1970 Hannover 96 57 (30)
1966–1967Marseille (loan) 15 (13)
1969–1974 Marseille 159 (138)
1974–1977 Rijeka 36 (11)
Total 429 (254)
International career
1961–1967 Yugoslavia 32 (11)
Managerial career
1977–1978 Marseille (technical manager)
1979–1981 Orijent
1983–1986 Rijeka
1986–1987 Hajduk Split
1987 Hamburger SV
1988 Čelik Zenica
1988–1989 Dinamo Zagreb
1989 Real Valladolid
1990–1991 Hajduk Split
1991–1992 Famalicão
1994 NK Zagreb
1994 Nîmes
1995–1996 Rijeka
1998 Zadarkomerc
2000 Lebanon
2001 Marseille
2001– Marseille (scout)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

He played for Zadar, OFK Belgrade, Hannover 96, Marseille and NK Rijeka. While playing at Marseille, Skoblar won the French First Division twice (1970–71, 1971–72), 1971 Challenge des Champions and 1972 Coupe de France. He was also the league top goalscorer three consecutive seasons (1970–71, 1971–72, 1972–73). In 2009, he was inaugurated into the Olympique de Marseille Hall of Fame and in 2010 he was put into "The Dream Team 110 years of Olympique de Marseille". Skoblar is also part of the all time XI of OFK Belgrade and NK Rijeka.

At the international level, Skoblar played for Yugoslavia appearing in 32 matches and scoring 11 goals. He was in the national team at the 1962 FIFA World Cup where they finished in fourth place losing to Czechoslovakia in the semi-final.

As a manager, he managed NK Orijent, HNK Rijeka, Hamburger SV, Čelik Zenica, Dinamo Zagreb, Real Valladolid, Famalicão, NK Zagreb, Nîmes, Zadarkomerc, Marseille, Lebanon national team and Hajduk Split, with whom he won two Yugoslav Cups (1987, 1991).[5]

Playing career

edit

Club

edit
 
Skoblar in 1971

Skoblar was born in Privlaka near Zadar (at the time in Banovina of Croatia). He started his career with NK Zadar (1957–58). He got spotted there by OFK Beograd goalie Perica Radenković who was serving his mandatory army stint in Zadar. Radenković recommended Skoblar to club management and the 19-year-old was soon on his way to Belgrade. With OFK Beograd Skoblar won the Yugoslav Cup in 1962 and 1966. In Germany he played for Hannover 96 (1967–70). In 57 games in Bundesliga, he scored 30 goals.[3]

He was willing to play in Marseille, but the chairman of Hannover didn't want to lose such a player. Marcel Leclerc, chairman of Marseille, went to Hannover on a quick journey and came back with the player, it was the beginning of a great adventure with Marseille. The player was applauded at the airport by many fans.

In France, Skoblar played for Marseille and was three time top goalscorer in Ligue 1 (1971–73). Skoblar won the European Golden Boot in 1971 for 44 goals in Ligue 1, he still remains as the best scorer in a season in Ligue 1. With Marseille, he won the French league title in 1971, and French league and cup title in 1972. OM fans refer to him as "l'Aigle Dalmate", "l'Aigle Dalmate"/"l'aigle des Dalmates" (The Dalmatian Eagle),[6][7] or "Monsieur Goal" (Mister Goal).

He left l'OM after the arrival of two Brazilians Jairzinho and Paulo César.[7]

Skoblar joined NK Rijeka in the summer of 1974. He played for the club until 1977 accumulating 37 appearances and scoring 11 goals in league and Cup.[8]

International

edit

For Yugoslavia Skoblar played between 1961 and 1967. In 32 games for Yugoslavia, he scored 11 goals.[9] Skoblar participated in World Cup 1962. Skoblar scored one goal, and Yugoslavia finished in the fourth place. He first played for the national team on 7 May 1961, in a friendly match against Hungary. He ended his international career on 7 October 1967 against West Germany,[10] before the end of the Euro 68 qualification competition. The Yugoslavia national football team ended 2nd of the Euro 1968 without him.

Style of play

edit

When he came to OFK Belgrade he was assigned left winger (outside left) position, because of his versatility, technique and speed. While being a winger he continued to score goals although as winger he couldn't completely fulfill his goalscoring potential. While at Marseille he was moved to centre forward while being able to play all forward positions. Skoblar was very well known scoring with headers. He was also a solid dribbler with tremendous speed.[11]

Reputation

edit

Just Fontaine speaking about Josip: "When I watched him front of the goal, each time, I was thinking, kick from the inside of the left foot, ... from the outside of the right foot ... a header, now! ... he had already done it ... scoring each time, exactly by the only possible way, and in just a split second. In the last 30 years, he has been the only striker that I've seen like that in France."[12]

Career statistics

edit

Club

edit

[13] [14]

Club performance League Cup Continental Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Yugoslavia League Yugoslav Cup Europe Total
1959–60 OFK Beograd Yugoslav First League 18 5 2 0 20 5
1960–61 22 5 2 1 24 6
1961–62 21 8 5 2 26 10
1962–63 22 11 2 0 9 5 33 16
1963–64 26 16 1 0 3 0 39 16
1964–65 26 10 3 2 2 1 31 13
1965–66 27 8 5 5 32 13
1966–67 1 0 0 0 1 0
France League Coupe de France Europe Total
1966–67 Marseille Division 1 16 13 3 4 19 17
Bundesliga League DFB-Pokal Europe Total
1967–68 Hannover 96 Bundesliga 21 9 1 0 22 9
1968–69 26 17 3 3 4 3 33 23
1969–70 10 4 0 0 2 1 11 5
France League Coupe de France Europe Total
1969–70 Marseille Division 1 15 13 3 4 18 17
1970–71 36 44 8 5 2 0 46 49
1971–72 31 30 9 8 4 2 44 40
1972–73 31 26 4 2 1 0 36 28
1973–74 33 20 0 0 4 3 37 23
1974–75 12 5 0 0 0 0 12 5
Yugoslavia League Yugoslav Cup Europe Total
1974–75 NK Rijeka Yugoslav First League 14 6 0 0 14 6
1975–76 21 5 1 0 22 5
1976–77 1 0 0 0 1 0
Country Yugoslavia 198 73 21 10 14 6 233 100
Germany 57 30 4 3 5 4 66 37
France 174 151 27 23 11 5 212 179
Total 430 254 52 36 29 15 511 305

International appearances

edit
Yugoslavia national team
Year Apps Goals
1961 1 0
1962 9 3
1963 5 2
1964 6 3
1965 4 0
1966 4 2
1967 3 1
Total 32 11

International goal

edit
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 16 May 1962 Stadion JNA, Belgrade, Yugoslavia   East Germany
2 – 0
3–1
Friendly match
2 2 June 1962 Estadio Carlos Dittborn, Arica, Chile   Uruguay
1 – 1
3–1
1962 FIFA World Cup
3 4 November 1962 JNA Stadium, Belgrade, Yugoslavia   Belgium
1 – 0
3–2 1964 European Nations' Cup qualifying
4
2–1
5 6 October 1963 Stadion JNA, Belgrade, Yugoslavia   Hungary
1 – 0
2–0
Friendly match
6 3 November 1963 Stadion Maksimir, Zagreb, Yugoslavia   Czechoslovakia
2 – 0
2–0
Friendly match
7 17 May 1964 Stadion Československé Armády, Prague, Czechoslovakia   Czechoslovakia
0 – 1
2–3
Friendly match
8 25 October 1964 Praterstadion, Vienna, Austria   Australia
2 – 2
3–2
Friendly match
9 27 September 1964 Népstadion, Budapest, Hungary   Hungary
2 – 1
2–1
Friendly match
10 8 May 1966 Stadion Maksimir, Zagreb, Yugoslavia   Hungary
2 – 0
2–0
Friendly match
11 3 May 1967 Red Star Stadium, Belgrade, Yugoslavia   West Germany
1 – 0
1–0
UEFA Euro 1968 qualifying

Managerial career

edit

With his playing career over, he came back to Marseille, and became technical manager in 1977 under manager Ivan "Ðalma" Marković.[15] Due to an internal conflict he left the club after one season to pursue a career as a manager.[16] He began his career as a manager in third tier club NK Orijent in Rijeka. He took the club to the quarter-final of the 1981 Yugoslav Cup beating NK Zagreb and OFK Beograd. In the quarter-final Orijent lost to Budućnost Titograd of penalties.[17]

Skoblar joined NK Rijeka in May 1983 replacing Marijan Brnčić. He concluded the last six matches of 1982–83 season and saved the club from relegation and finished at 15 place.[18] In his second season at the club Skoblar nearly won the League short three point from first placed Red Star Belgrade, Rijeka finished in fourth place behind Željezničar and Partizan. This result was the club best league result since 1965–66, they also reached the quarter-final of Yugoslav Cup and qualified for UEFA Cup.

On 24 October Rijeka beat Real Madrid 3:1 in the second round of the UEFA Cup. This match made Skoblar reputation with the supporters and club rise to a status of legend. In their away match against the Spanish side they lost 3:1 with Real Madrid advancing and eventually winning the Cup. Many of the players and Skoblar himself have stated that they were cheated from victory by the referee.[19] The season ended with the club at a mid-table eight place, four points shy of a European qualification.[20]

1985–86 season started out poorly with losses in the league and elimination in the second round of the Cup. During the second part of the season Skoblar managed to secure fifth place with the club and secured a place in the UEFA Cup. Rijeka was eliminated during the first round of the 1986–87 UEFA Cup by Standard Liège. Mid-season Rijeka was in tenth place in the league and had reached the semi-final in the Cup. Skoblar left the club in December 1986.

He later became head coach for Hajduk Split with whom he won 2 Yugoslavia Cups. With Hamburger SV he lost DFB Supercup in 1987. In 1988 he managed Čelik Zenica and saved them from relegation.[21]

He also had short stints in Spain with Real Valladolid and Portugal with F.C. Famalicão. He also coached Croatian clubs Dinamo Zagreb, NK Zagreb, Zadarkomerc and HNK Rijeka. At his second stint at Rijeka Skoblar's results were unfavorable so he was sacked after two months in 1995. Later during the year in October he was again set as manager of Rijeka but was again sacked due to results in February 1996. Years later Skoblar stated that he wasn't given enough freedom by the (then) president of the club Hrvoje Šarinić to work properly with the team.[22]

He is employed at the Marseille since 2001 as scout, and he is now close to retirement. During the summer 2001, he was with Marc Levy the co-manager of the team for 3 days, few days before the nomination of Tomislav Ivić. He managed the Lebanon national football team. He joined them in March 2000 and got sacked later in the year (October) after failing to qualify to the second round of the 2000 AFC Asian Cup.

Managerial statistics

edit
As of 4 September 2017[23][24][25][26]
Club From To Competition Record
P W D L Win %
NK Orijent 1979 1981 Croatian Republic League 60 25 15 20 041.67
Yugoslav Cup 3 2 1 0 066.67
NK Orijent Total 63 27 16 20 042.86
NK Rijeka 22 May 1983 14 December 1986 First League 125 50 39 36 040.00
Yugoslav Cup 11 5 5 1 045.45
UEFA Cup 6 2 1 3 033.33
NK Rijeka Total 142 57 45 40 040.14
Hajduk Split 22 February 1987 14 June 1987 First League 17 9 2 6 052.94
Yugoslav Cup 3 1 1 1 033.33
Hajduk Split Total 20 10 3 7 050.00
Hamburger SV 28 July 1987 9 November 1987 Bundesliga 15 5 4 6 033.33
DFB-Pokal 2 2 0 0 100.00
DFB-Supercup 1 0 0 1 000.00
Hamburger SV Total 18 7 4 7 038.89
Čelik Zenica 6 March 1988 12 June 1988 First League 17 8 2 7 047.06
Čelik Zenica Total 17 8 2 7 047.06
Dinamo Zagreb 2 August 1988 6 May 1989 First League 27 13 6 8 048.15
Yugoslav Cup 5 2 2 1 040.00
UEFA Cup 4 1 1 2 025.00
Dinamo Zagreb Total 36 16 9 11 044.44
Real Valladolid 2 September 1989 28 October 1989 La Liga 9 3 1 5 033.33
European Cup Winners' Cup 6 3 3 0 050.00
Real Valladolid Total 15 6 4 5 040.00
F.C. Famalicão 18 August 1991 8 March 1992 Primeira Divisão 25 6 7 12 024.00
Taça de Portugal 3 2 0 1 066.67
F.C. Famalicão Total 28 8 7 13 028.57
NK Zagreb 27 February 1994 12 June 1994 Prva HNL 17 9 3 5 052.94
NK Zagreb Total 17 9 3 5 052.94
Nîmes August 1994 October 1994 French Division 2 12 3 5 4 025.00
Nîmes Total 12 3 5 4 025.00
HNK Rijeka 12 April 1995 4 June 1995 Prva HNL 9 1 4 4 011.11
HNK Rijeka 25 October 1995 17 February 1996 Prva HNL 8 0 3 5 000.00
Croatian Cup 1 1 0 0 100.00
HNK Rijeka Total 18 2 7 9 011.11
NK Zadarkomerc 22 November 1998 13 December 1998 Prva HNL 4 1 1 2 025.00
NK Zadarkomerc Total 4 1 1 2 025.00
Lebanon 12 October 2000 18 October 2000 2000 AFC Asian Cup 3 0 1 2 000.00
Lebanon Total 3 0 1 2 000.00
Marseille 25 August 2001 25 August 2001 Ligue 1 1 0 1 0 000.00
Marseille Total 1 0 0 1 000.00
Totals 394 154 107 133 039.09
*Dates of first and last games under Skoblar; not dates of official appointments

Personal life

edit

Skoblar owns a family restaurant with his brother in Zadar.[27]

Honours

edit

Player

edit

OFK Beograd[28]

Marseille[28]

Individual[28]

Manager

edit

Hajduk Split

Orders

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ a b "Décret du 15 mai 2015 portant promotion et nomination" [Decree of 15 May 2015 on promotion and appointment]. Journal Officiel de la République Française (in French). 2015 (112): 8281. 16 May 2015. PREX1510485D. Archived from the original on 24 March 2016. Retrieved 25 August 2019.
  2. ^ "FIFA Tournaments – Players & Coaches – Josip SKOBLAR". FIFA. Archived from the original on 7 April 2019. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
  3. ^ a b Josip Skoblar at fussballdaten.de (in German)
  4. ^ "SKOBLAR Josip Dit "l'Aigle des Dalmates"". om1899.com. 1 November 2007. Archived from the original on 14 November 2007.
  5. ^ "ŽIVOTNA PRIČA DALMATINSKOG ORLA Skoblar: "Bio sam kralj sve dok nije došao Leo Messi"". zadarski list. 9 April 2016. Archived from the original on 14 June 2024. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
  6. ^ "L'Aigle dalmate revient à Marseille – Actualités – Football – Sport.fr". jo2008.sport.fr. Archived from the original on 9 July 2012. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  7. ^ a b "L'OM va-t-il saisir sa chance ? –". lephoceen.fr. Archived from the original on 4 August 2012. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  8. ^ "Povijest". nk-rijeka.hr. 22 September 2012. Archived from the original on 22 September 2012. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
  9. ^ "Appearances for Yugoslavia/Serbia National Team". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 27 November 2022. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
  10. ^ "Player Database". EU-football. Archived from the original on 23 December 2022. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
  11. ^ "Skoblar, Josip". nogomet.lzmk.hr. Archived from the original on 4 December 2018. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
  12. ^ "JOSIP SKOBLAR: L'AIGLE DALMATE". inbedwithmaradona.com. 3 May 2014. Archived from the original on 5 December 2018. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
  13. ^ "Skoblar Josip statistics". footballplyers.ru. Archived from the original on 31 May 2018. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
  14. ^ "HNK Rijeka". nk-rijeka.hr. Archived from the original on 18 February 2011. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
  15. ^ "SAISON 1977/1978". om1899.com. Archived from the original on 6 November 2018. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
  16. ^ "Josip Skoblar, forever a scorer". om.net. Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
  17. ^ "GRADSKI DERBI". klub-susacana.hr. Archived from the original on 1 October 2020. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
  18. ^ "HNK Rijeka 1982.-83" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 October 2012. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
  19. ^ "Krađa Rijeke u Madridu: Podvala s prijevozom, tri crvena..." Večernji list. 22 November 2011. Archived from the original on 5 December 2018. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
  20. ^ "Rijeka – Real Marid 3:1; 32 godine od jedne od najvećih pobjeda u povijesti". nk-rijeka.hr. 24 October 2016. Archived from the original on 2 August 2020. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
  21. ^ "The Sydney Morning Herald – Google News Archive Search". Archived from the original on 30 April 2016. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
  22. ^ "Josip Skoblar: Razniježim se kada čujem za Rijeku..." Novi list. 7 July 2014. Archived from the original on 4 December 2018. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
  23. ^ "Marseille stats". om1899.com. 26 October 2017. Archived from the original on 11 July 2021. Retrieved 12 December 2017.
  24. ^ "Josip Skoblar stats". hrnogomet.com. 26 October 2017. Archived from the original on 13 December 2017. Retrieved 12 December 2017.
  25. ^ "Stats". worldfootball.net. 7 November 2018. Archived from the original on 19 November 2020. Retrieved 7 November 2018.
  26. ^ "Skoblar Josip". bdfutbol.com. 7 November 2018. Archived from the original on 4 December 2018. Retrieved 3 December 2018.
  27. ^ "Konoba Skoblar: šarm i tradicija s vrhunskom hranom". ezadar.rtl.hr. 12 January 2017. Archived from the original on 14 June 2024. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
  28. ^ a b c Stojković, Vasa. "Josip Skoblar". ofkbeograd.co.rs (taken from book "Legende fudbala"). Archived from the original on 2 August 2020. Retrieved 10 October 2019.
  29. ^ Garin, Erik; Pierrend, José Luis (18 January 2018). "France – Footballer of the Year". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation (RSSSF). Archived from the original on 5 September 2015. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  30. ^ "France – All-Time Topscorers". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 8 December 2022. Retrieved 10 October 2019.
  31. ^ "Skoblar dernier joueur de la dream team des 110 ans". OM.net (Olympique de Marseille). 24 April 2010. Archived from the original on 27 August 2016. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
  32. ^ "Poruka Joške Skoblara: Navijači, vratite se na Karaburmu!". ofkbeograd.net. 20 September 2018. Archived from the original on 2 August 2020. Retrieved 10 October 2019.
  33. ^ "Josip Skoblar". zadarskilist.hr. 10 March 2009. Archived from the original on 13 December 2017. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
  34. ^ "DREAM TEAM: Asevi s Kantride: Idealna momčad Rijeke". Novi list. 29 August 2011. Archived from the original on 6 September 2012. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
  35. ^ "Josip Skoblar dobio nagradu Francuske nogometne lige". Večernji list. 1 June 2012. Archived from the original on 5 December 2018. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
  • Nogometni leksikon (2004, in Croatian)
edit