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Nebojša Jelenković

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Serbian footballer

Nebojša Jelenković
Personal information
Full name Nebojša Jelenković
Date of birth (1978-05-26) 26 May 1978 (age 46)
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

In Serbia

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

Litex Lovech

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. Three weeks later, he scored an own goal in a 1–0 home loss against Panathinaikos in the first round of the tournament.

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. In the same year CSKA Sofia attempted to secure the services of the Serbian midfielder.

On 30 August 2007, Kuban Krasnodar confirmed Jelenković has joined on loan for three months. 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

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. He earned 27 appearances playing in the Corgoň liga, scored one goal and the team finished in third place.

Return to Litex Lovech

On 12 June 2009, Jelenković again came back to Litex Lovech on a long-term contract. On 12 March 2011, he made his 250th appearance for Litex in the Bulgarian A PFG, in a 2–1 win over Pirin Blagoevgrad. Jelenković announced his retirement at the end of the 2012–13 season. 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).

Career statistics

Club Season League Cup Europe Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Obilić 1998-99 15 1 0 0 15 1
Total 15 1 0 0 15 1
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 337 9 46 3 51 3 431 15

Awards

Litex Lovech

References

  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.

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