Stjepan Lončar (pronounced [stjêpan lǒntʃar]; born 10 November 1996) is a Bosnian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Ekstraklasa club Lech Poznań.

Stjepan Lončar
Personal information
Date of birth (1996-11-10) 10 November 1996 (age 28)
Place of birth Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
Lech Poznań
Number 33
Youth career
2003–2016 Široki Brijeg
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016–2018 Široki Brijeg 48 (3)
2018–2021 Rijeka 89 (8)
2021–2024 Ferencváros 32 (7)
2022–2023Kortrijk (loan) 22 (0)
2023Astana (loan) 7 (0)
2024– Lech Poznań 2 (0)
2024– Lech Poznań II 1 (0)
International career
2014–2015 Bosnia and Herzegovina U19 15 (2)
2017–2018 Bosnia and Herzegovina U21 11 (0)
2018–2021 Bosnia and Herzegovina 11 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22 September 2024

Lončar started his professional career at Široki Brijeg, before joining Rijeka in 2018. Three years later, he moved to Ferencváros, who loaned him to Kortrijk in 2022 and to Astana in 2023. The following year, he signed with Lech Poznań.

A former youth international for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Lončar made his senior international debut in 2018, earning 11 caps until 2021.

Club career

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Early career

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Lončar came through Široki Brijeg's youth academy, which he joined in 2003.[1] He made his professional debut against Vitez on 24 July 2016 at the age of 19.[2] On 20 September 2017, he scored his first professional goal against Radnik Bijeljina, which sent his team through in their cup tie.[3]

Rijeka

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In June 2018, Lončar signed a three-year deal with Croatian side Rijeka.[4] He made his official debut for the squad on 3 August against Inter Zaprešić.[5] On 10 February 2019, he scored his first goal for Rijeka against the same opponent.[6] He won his first trophy with the club on 22 May, by beating Dinamo Zagreb in the Croatian Cup final.[7]

On 3 March 2021, he played his 100th game for the team against Osijek.[8]

Ferencváros

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In July, Lončar was transferred to Hungarian outfit Ferencváros for an undisclosed fee.[9] He made his competitive debut for the side against Kisvárda on 31 July.[10] On 19 September, he scored his first goal for Ferencváros in a Magyar Kupa match against Hatvan.[11] Seven weeks later, he scored his first league goal in a triumph over Kisvárda.[12] He won his first title with the club on 24 April 2022, when they were crowned league champions.[13]

In September, Lončar was sent on a season-long loan to Belgian team Kortrijk.[14]

In July 2023, he was loaned to Kazakh side Astana until the end of the season.[15]

Lech Poznań

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On 6 September 2024, Lončar moved to Polish club Lech Poznań on a contract until June 2025.[16] He debuted officially for the team on 14 September against Jagiellonia.[17]

International career

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Lončar represented Bosnia and Herzegovina at various youth levels.[18]

In January 2018, he received his first senior call-up, for friendly games against the United States and Mexico.[19] He debuted against the latter on 31 January.[20]

Lončar retired from international football on 30 November 2023.[21]

Personal life

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Lončar's father Robert was also a professional footballer.[22]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of match played 26 September 2024[23]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Široki Brijeg 2016–17 Bosnian Premier League 23 0 7 0 0 0 30 0
2017–18 Bosnian Premier League 25 3 4 1 4[b] 0 33 4
Total 48 3 11 1 4 0 63 4
Rijeka 2018–19 Croatian Football League 27 2 4 1 0 0 31 3
2019–20 Croatian Football League 31 4 5 1 4[b] 1 40 6
2020–21 Croatian Football League 31 2 3 0 8[b] 1 42 3
Total 89 8 12 2 12 2 113 12
Ferencváros 2021–22 Nemzeti Bajnokság I 19 2 5 1 8[c] 0 32 3
2022–23 Nemzeti Bajnokság I 1 0 0 0 2[d] 0 3 0
2023–24 Nemzeti Bajnokság I 12 5 3 0 0 0 15 5
Total 32 7 8 1 10 0 50 8
Kortrijk (loan) 2022–23 Belgian Pro League 22 0 3 0 25 0
Astana (loan) 2023 Kazakhstan Premier League 7 0 0 0 11[e] 1 18 1
Lech Poznań 2024–25 Ekstraklasa 2 0 1 0 3 0
Lech Poznań II 2024–25[24] III liga, group II 1 0 0 0 1 0
Career total 201 18 35 4 37 3 273 25
  1. ^ Includes Bosnian Cup, Croatian Cup, Magyar Kupa, Belgian Cup, Polish Cup
  2. ^ a b c Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  3. ^ Two appearances in UEFA Champions League; six appearances in UEFA Europa League
  4. ^ Appearances in UEFA Champions League
  5. ^ Two appearances in UEFA Champions League; two appearances in UEFA Europa League; seven appearances, one goal in UEFA Conference League

International

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Appearances and goals by national team and year[25]
National team Year Apps Goals
Bosnia and Herzegovina
2018 2 0
2019 2 0
2020 4 0
2021 3 0
Total 11 0

Honours

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Široki Brijeg[23]

Rijeka[23]

Ferencváros[23]

References

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  1. ^ "Lončar: Krenuo sam iz male sredine, ali nikada nisam prestajao vjerovati u sebe". scsport.ba (in Bosnian). 24 July 2021. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
  2. ^ "Rezervista Kapetan zaledio Pecaru u finišu". sportsport.ba (in Bosnian). 24 July 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  3. ^ "Pobjede Širokog i Zvijezde 09, Vitez i Leotar ubjedljivi". sportsport.ba (in Bosnian). 20 September 2017. Retrieved 22 September 2017.
  4. ^ "Stjepan Lončar napustio Široki Brijeg i potpisao za Rijeku". klix.ba (in Bosnian). 11 June 2018. Retrieved 11 June 2018.
  5. ^ "Kvržić pogodio za Rijeku, Lončar igrao od prve minute". reprezentacija.ba (in Bosnian). 3 August 2018. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
  6. ^ "Prvijenac Stjepana Lončara u dresu Rijeke". reprezentacija.ba (in Bosnian). 10 February 2019. Retrieved 11 February 2019.
  7. ^ "Ništa od duple krune Modrih: Rijeka u sjajnom meču osvojila Kup, Kvržić jedan od junaka". scsport.ba (in Bosnian). 22 May 2019. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
  8. ^ "Lončar protiv Osijeka odigrao 100. utakmicu u dresu Rijeke". fiuman.hr (in Croatian). 4 March 2021. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
  9. ^ "Stjepan Lončar karijeru nastavlja u Mađarskoj". faktor.ba (in Bosnian). 16 July 2021. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  10. ^ "Stjepan Lončar debitovao za Ferencváros". oslobodjenje.ba (in Bosnian). 31 July 2021. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  11. ^ "Stjepan Lončar postigao prvi gol za Ferencváros". reprezentacija.ba (in Bosnian). 19 September 2021. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
  12. ^ "Lončar zabio za Ferencváros, igrali Bešić, Kovačević i Ćivić". reprezentacija.ba (in Bosnian). 7 November 2021. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  13. ^ "Četiri bh. fudbalera slave uspjeh sa svojim klubom: Ferencváros osigurao titulu prvaka Mađarske". scsport.ba (in Bosnian). 24 April 2022. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  14. ^ "Reprezentativac BiH iz Ferencvárosa otišao u Kortrijk". avaz.ba (in Bosnian). 8 September 2022. Retrieved 11 September 2022.
  15. ^ "Stjepan Lončar ima novi klub". oslobodjenje.ba (in Bosnian). 13 July 2023. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  16. ^ "Reprezentativac BiH potpisao za novi klub". sportske.ba (in Bosnian). 6 September 2024. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  17. ^ "Naši u Poljskoj: Dino Hotić postigao golčinu, Ajdin Hasić igrač utakmice". reprezentacija.ba (in Bosnian). 14 September 2024. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
  18. ^ "Stjepan Lončar: Pokazaćemo da se na nas može računati". reprezentacija.ba (in Bosnian). 22 January 2018. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  19. ^ "Prosinečki objavio spisak za američku turneju, čak 20 igrača iz Premijer lige". radiosarajevo.ba (in Bosnian). 9 January 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  20. ^ "BiH se nije mogla odbraniti: Meksiko zasluženo slavio". sportsport.ba (in Bosnian). 1 February 2018. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  21. ^ "U tišini se oprostio od reprezentacije BiH: Igračima nije lako, mnogo je tu nefudbalskih stvari". avaz.ba (in Bosnian). 30 November 2023. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  22. ^ "Selo od 500 stanovnika daje dva reprezentativca BiH". sportske.ba (in Bosnian). 18 January 2018. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
  23. ^ a b c d "S. Lončar". soccerway.com. Retrieved 27 September 2024.
  24. ^ "Sezon 2024/25". 90minut.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 9 November 2024.
  25. ^ "Stjepan Lončar". eu-football.info. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
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