Milan Borjan
Borjan with Red Star Belgrade in 2018
Personal information
Full name Milan Borjan[1]
Date of birth (1987-10-23) 23 October 1987
Place of birth Knin, SR Croatia, Yugoslavia
Height 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)[2]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
Slovan Bratislava
(on loan from Red Star Belgrade)
Number 82
Youth career
Dinara Knin[3]
Radnički Jugopetrol
East Hamilton SC
Mount Hamilton SC
2006 Nacional Montevideo
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008 Quilmes 0 (0)
2009–2011 Rad 36 (0)
2011–2014 Sivasspor 43 (0)
2012Vaslui (loan) 16 (0)
2014 Ludogorets Razgrad 2 (0)
2015 Radnički Niš 15 (0)
2015–2017 Ludogorets Razgrad 16 (0)
2017Korona Kielce (loan) 14 (0)
2017– Red Star Belgrade 180 (1)
2023–Slovan Bratislava (loan) 14 (0)
International career
2011– Canada 80 (0)
Medal record
Representing  Canada
Men's soccer
CONCACAF Nations League
Runner-up2023
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21 November 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 13 October 2023

Milan Borjan (Serbian Cyrillic: Милан Борјан; born 23 October 1987) is a professional soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for Slovak club Slovan Bratislava, on loan from Red Star Belgrade. Born in Yugoslavia, he plays for and serves as captain for the Canada national team.

Early life

Borjan was born on 23 October 1987 in Knin, former SFR Yugoslavia today Croatia, to ethnic Serb parents Boško and Mirjana.[4] He is also of Croatian descent through his paternal grandmother.[5] Borjan got his first taste of organized soccer in the town, playing with the Dinara Knin youth side.[3] Borjan's family lived in Knin until Operation Storm in 1995,[6] at which point his family fled to Belgrade, and Borjan began playing soccer with FK Radnički Beograd. In 2000, the family emigrated to Canada, first living in Winnipeg, Manitoba for a few months,[7] before settling in Hamilton, Ontario where his parents still reside.[6] He attended Glendale Secondary School. He played youth soccer in Canada with East Hamilton SC for six months, before joining Mount Hamilton SC.[7][8]

Club career

Early career

Borjan went on trial with Boca Juniors in 2005, but failed to sign a contract with the club.[9] In 2006, he joined Club Nacional de Football in Montevideo, Uruguay, playing for their youth team,[9] and in July 2007, he went on trial with the Argentine club Club Atlético River Plate.[10] His final South American stint was with Quilmes, with whom he played from January 2008[11] through the end of the 2007–08 Primera B Nacional season.[12]

Rad

Borjan returned to Serbia in January 2009, signing with the Belgrade Serbian SuperLiga club FK Rad.[13] He initially had difficulty breaking into the team, signed as the third-string goalkeeper. However, due to trouble with the starting keeper's work permits, and an injury from the second string, Borjan soon became the only available goalkeeper on the club roster. He made his debut on 16 August 2009 in a 3–2 victory over FK Smederevo. By fall 2010, he was the starting keeper, with a nine-game winning streak.[14] Under his tenure, FK Rad became fourth in the league, gaining them a berth in the 2011–12 UEFA Europa League qualifying rounds.[15]

Sivasspor

Following an appearance in the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup, Borjan joined the Turkish club Sivasspor,[16] and made his debut on 11 September 2011 in a 2–1 loss against Karabükspor.[17]

Loan to Vaslui

Due to a lack of playing time in Turkey, Borjan was loaned to Romanian club SC Vaslui in a deal that would keep him in Romania through the end of the season, with an option to purchase the player for an undisclosed transfer fee.[18] Borjan joined the club as the starting goalkeeper and played seven clean sheet games in 16 starts, securing Vaslui a spot in the UEFA Champions League.[19]

Return to Sivasspor

Borjan with Sivasspor in 2013

After returning from a successful stint in Romania, Borjan returned to the starting lineup in the third match of the 2012–13 season in a 0–0 draw against Fenerbahçe on 2 September 2012.[20] In February 2014, following a decrease in playing time under new manager Roberto Carlos, Borjan's contract with Sivasspor was terminated.[21] Speculation arose, after the termination, that a deal had been put in place for Borjan to join Napoli in June, as the Turkish Football Association blocked a January move.[21][22]

Ludogorets Razgrad

Following reports that he had signed for Bosnian Premier League club Sarajevo as a free agent, Borjan accepted an offer from Bulgarian club PFC Ludogorets Razgrad on 12 September 2014.[23] The club had already qualified for the 2014–15 UEFA Champions League group stage, and four days after signing, Borjan made his club debut in a 2–1 Champions League away defeat to Liverpool F.C.[24] That game marked the first time that a Canadian international played in the group stage since Lars Hirschfeld played with Rosenborg BK in 2007.[25] Razgrad released Borjan shortly thereafter, having secured first-choice goalkeeper Vladislav Stoyanov through the summer of 2015.[26]

Radnički Niš

Spurning interest from Sarajevo,[27] Borjan signed a one-year contract with SuperLiga club FK Radnički Niš on 15 February 2015.[28] Due to his Serbian passport, Borjan did not count as a foreigner while playing at Radnički.[29] He debuted in a 0–0 draw against Red Star Belgrade on 23 February,[30] the first of three clean sheets in a row.

Return to Ludogorets Razgrad

Borjan turned down a contract to return to Radnički, instead returning to the Bulgarian A Football Group of Ludogorets, where he signed a three-year deal on 2 June 2015.[31] Although he was signed as the second-string goalkeeper, Borjan began to start after Stoyanov sustained a major injury.

Loan to Corona Kielce

On 15 February 2017, Borjan was loaned to the Ekstraklasa club Korona Kielce through the end of the season,[32] where he made 14 league appearances and five clean sheets.[33]

Red Star Belgrade

Borjan playing for Red Star Belgrade in 2017

Three years after rumors of a transfer to Red Star Belgrade,[34] Borjan made the transfer official, replacing Filip Manojlović on 24 July 2017. Borjan signed a three-year contract with the club and chose the jersey number 82.[35] He made his debut in the first leg of the third qualifying round for the 2017–18 UEFA Europa League, keeping a clean sheet in a home victory against Sparta Prague on 27 July 2017.[36] He played his first eternal derby with the club a month later.[37]

In his second season with the club, Borjan would help Red Star qualify for the 2018–19 UEFA Champions League, and would earn two clean sheets: once in the group stage opener against Napoli,[38] and again in a 2–0 home win against Liverpool.[39] In February 2019, Zvezdan Terzić announced that Borjan would sign a contract extension until 2023, and would finish his career after that. He was honoured by Red Star shortly after as the club athlete of the year.[40]

On 23 May 2022 Borjan notably scored a penalty for Red Star in their final game of the 2021–22 Serbian SuperLiga against Voždovac, as the club clinched their fifth-straight title.[41] In July 2022, despite earlier talk of retirement after his current deal ended, Borjan signed a contract extension until 2026.[42]

In June 2023, Borjan revealed in an interview with Sportski žurnal that after meeting with new Red Star coach Barak Bakhar, he was told by his coaching staff that he would no longer be the first-choice option at the club going forward.[43]

Loan to Slovan Bratislava

In June 2023, Borjan joined Slovan Bratislava of the Niké Liga on loan.[44]

International career

Borjan with the Canada national team in 2011

Borjan was called to join the Canada national team in 2010, following strong performances with FK Rad.[45] He was called up to the Canadian senior team on 3 February 2011, and made his team debut in an exhibition game against Greece a week later.[46] That summer, Borjan was called up to the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup roster, making his Gold Cup debut on 11 June 2011 in a 1–0 victory over Guadeloupe at Raymond James Stadium.[47] He also recorded his first national team game on home soil at BMO Field on 1 June 2011 in an exhibition against Ecuador that ended in a 2–2 draw.

Due to the suspension of first choice goalkeeper Lars Hirschfeld, Borjan started in the 0:0 home draw against Honduras in a 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier on 12 June 2012. Since the end of 2012, Borjan has been Canada's starting goalkeeper, named to the final squad in the 2013,[48] 2017,[49] and 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup.[50] He earned his first red card for Canada on 11 June 2015 in a 2018 World Cup qualifying match, handling the ball outside the box after a mistake from Julian de Guzman.[51]

Borjan remained Canada's starting goalkeeper for the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. During this campaign, he played a crucial role in one of Canada's best ever results, making a goal-line save to keep Canada in the lead during stoppage time in a 2–1 victory over Mexico in Edmonton, Canada's first win against Mexico in 21 years.[52] He also kept a clean sheet against the United States in a 2–0 victory in Hamilton, Ontario, after which he was named by Canada Soccer as Canada's player of the month for January.[53] On November 13, 2022, Borjan was named to Canada's squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.[54] In Canada's second match against Croatia, Borjan was the target of verbal taunts and abuse from Croatian supporters, with Canada Soccer filing a formal complaint with FIFA post-game.[55]

In June 2023, Borjan was named to Canada's final squad for the 2023 CONCACAF Nations League Finals.[56] He played in both the Semi-final and Final as Canada finished runners-up to the United States.[57] On June 19 Borjan was named to the final squad for the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup.[58] He departed the team prior to their third match of the tournament against Cuba due to injury.[59]

Personal life

Borjan is married to Snežana Filipović, a former marketing director of FK Partizan and sister of Nenad Filipović.[60][61] He has a younger brother, Nikola, who is also a goalkeeper in the Red Star system.[62] Borjan speaks fluent English, Bulgarian, Spanish and Serbian.

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 17 December 2023[33]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[lower-alpha 1] Europe Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Rad 2009–10 Serbian SuperLiga 13000130
2010–11 23000230
Total 36000360
Sivasspor 2011–12 Süper Lig 10000100
2012–13 29080370
2013–14 405090
Total 430130560
Vaslui (loan) 2011–12 Liga I 16030190
Ludogorets Razgrad 2014–15 Bulgarian First League 20101[lower-alpha 2]040
2015–16 90000090
2016–17 70201[lower-alpha 2]0100
Total 1803020230
Radnički Niš (loan) 2014–15 Serbian SuperLiga 15000150
Ludogorets Razgrad II 2015–16 Bulgarian Second League 2020
Korona Kielce (loan) 2016–17 Ekstraklasa 14000140
Red Star Belgrade 2017–18 Serbian SuperLiga 3103012[lower-alpha 3]0460
2018–19 2804014[lower-alpha 2]0460
2019–20 2602014[lower-alpha 2]0420
2020–21 3203012[lower-alpha 4]0470
2021–22 3014013[lower-alpha 5]0471
2022–23 3304010[lower-alpha 6]0470
Total 18012007502751
Slovan Bratislava (loan) 2023–24 Slovak First League 1400014[lower-alpha 7]0280
Career total 33813909104691
  1. Includes Turkish Cup, Romanian Cup, Bulgarian Cup, Serbian Cup
  2. 1 2 3 4 Appearance(s) in UEFA Champions League
  3. Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  4. Three appearances in UEFA Champions League, nine appearances in UEFA Europa League
  5. Four appearances in UEFA Champions League, nine appearances in UEFA Europa League
  6. Four appearances in UEFA Champions League, six appearances in UEFA Europa League
  7. Six appearances in UEFA Champions League, two appearances in UEFA Europa League, six appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League

International

As of match played 21 November 2023[63]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Canada 201150
201240
201370
201450
201570
201650
201750
201830
201990
202000
202190
2022120
202390
Total800

Honours

SC Vaslui

Ludogorets

Red Star Belgrade

Individual

References

  1. "40-Player National Team Roster: 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup: Canada" (PDF). CONCACAF. p. 2. Retrieved 20 May 2019 via Bernews.
  2. "Milan Borjan". Canada Soccer. 28 January 2020. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  3. 1 2 SportKlub (25 December 2017). "Borjan, Knin i Zvezda - ima neka tajna veza" (in Serbian). Retrieved 20 October 2018.
  4. "Borjanova baba nije ni čula uvrede na račun golmana: "Zato sam rekla j**ala ga Krajina"". B92 (in Serbian). 1 December 2022. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
  5. https://total-croatia-news.com/news/politics/canadian-goalkeeper-croatia/. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  6. 1 2 The Globe and Mail (24 August 2012). "Milan Borjan happy to pay his dues". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
  7. 1 2 Milton, Steve (13 June 2016). "National team keeper Milan Borjan is paying back Canada". The Hamilton Spectator.
  8. Bedakian, Armen (12 September 2018). "Milan Borjan: CPL was a long-time coming for Hamilton, Canada". Canadian Premier League.
  9. 1 2 Davidson, Neil (3 September 2019). "Canadian goalkeeper Borjan savours life in Belgrade, looks to lift up Canada". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  10. Ole.com.ar (28 July 2007). "Ataja en todos los idiomas" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 20 October 2018. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  11. "Con calor y con Batalla". elsolnoticias.com. Archived from the original on 7 September 2017. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  12. "Quilmes vuelve al trabajo en una semana donde habrá novedades". perspectivasur.com. Archived from the original on 7 September 2017. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
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  14. Borjan grateful for opportunity Canada presents Archived 25 February 2011 at the Wayback Machine; Red Nation Online, 24 January 2011
  15. Canadian Exports: Hoilett helps keep Blackburn from drop Archived 7 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine; Major League Soccer, 23 May 2011
  16. Milan Borjan u Sivasporu Archived 29 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine; FK Rad, 23 June 2011
  17. Shelton scores on debut in Turkey Archived 19 August 2012 at the Wayback Machine; Jamaica Observer, 12 September 2011
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  19. "Across the Pong: May 21, 2012". Rednationonline.ca. 23 May 2012. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
  20. "Sivas'ta kör dövüşü!". sporx.com. 2 September 2012.
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  28. "Nišlije se baš pojačale". Mondo.rs. 15 February 2015.
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  42. "Борјан у Звезди до краја каријере!". 27 July 2022.
  43. Stamenić, Nikola (1 June 2023). "Борјан: Нисам заслужио да ме тренер који је два дана у клубу позове и саопшти такву информацију". Sportski žurnal.
  44. "Brankárskou posilou účastník posledných majstrovstiev sveta". 4 July 2023.
  45. Srbin iz Superlige na golu Kanade!; mondo.rs, 23 November 2010 (in Serbian)
  46. Canada announces roster for Greece friendly Archived 9 March 2011 at the Wayback Machine; Canadasoccer.com, 3 February 2011
  47. Canada edges Guadeloupe Archived 9 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine; Calgary Herald, 12 June 2011
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  52. "Match Analysis: CanMNT 2-1 Mexico -- World Cup Qualifying". Canadian Premier League. 17 November 2021. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
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  55. "FIFA opens disciplinary case against Croatia for fan taunts of Canadian goalkeeper Milan Borjan". CBC Sports. 29 November 2022.
  56. Tierney, Mitchell (7 June 2023). "Former CPLers Loturi, Zator called up by Canada for 2023 Concacaf Nations League Finals". Canadian Premier League.
  57. Gangué-Ruzic, Alexandre. "ANALYSIS + HIGHLIGHTS: USMNT claim Kings of Concacaf crown as CanMNT fall flat". OneSoccer.
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  59. "BORJAN TO MISS REMAINDER OF 2023 CONCACAF GOLD CUP". 3 July 2023.
  60. "Топла връзка между Лудогорец и Партизан (СНИМКА). Канадският страж призна любовта си" (in Bulgarian). topsport.bg. 7 July 2015. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  61. Mozzart Sport (26 September 2015). "Udaje se direktorka Partizana: Snežana Filipović postaje gospođa Borjan!" (in Serbian). Archived from the original on 7 September 2017. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  62. "Priče iz škole - I Zvezdina škola ima svog Borjana". YouTube. 25 August 2021.
  63. Milan Borjan at National-Football-Teams.com
  64. "Idealni tim Mozzart Bet Superlige: Petorica iz Zvezde, trojica iz TSC-a". mozzartsport.com. 2 June 2023. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
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