 Lovren playing for Lyon in 2010 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Dejan Lovren | ||
| Date of birth | 5 July 1989 | ||
| Place of birth | Zenica, SFR Yugoslavia | ||
| Height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||
| Playing position | Defender | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Southampton | ||
| Number | 5 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Karlovac | |||
| 2004–2006 | Dinamo Zagreb | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2006–2010 | Dinamo Zagreb | 37 | (1) |
| 2006–2008 | → Inter Zaprešić (loan) | 50 | (1) |
| 2010–2013 | Lyon | 73 | (2) |
| 2013– | Southampton | 16 | (1) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2004–2005 | Croatia U17 | 18 | (2) |
| 2006 | Croatia U18 | 2 | (0) |
| 2006–2008 | Croatia U19 | 10 | (1) |
| 2007–2009 | Croatia U20 | 5 | (0) |
| 2007–2010 | Croatia U21 | 20 | (3) |
| 2009– | Croatia | 22 | (2) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 22 December 2013.
† Appearances (Goals).
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 9 November 2013 | |||
Dejan Lovren (pronounced [loʋrêːn]; born 5 July 1989) is a Croatian footballer who plays as a centre-back for Southampton in the Premier League and for the Croatia national team.[1]
Lovren has previously played for GNK Dinamo Zagreb and Olympique Lyonnais, where he won the Coupe de France. He signed for Southampton in 2013.
Although born in Bosnia, Lovren has represented Croatia at many levels and has been a full international since 2009. He has gone on to make 19 appearances and score 2 goals for his country although he is yet to represent them in the finals of a major tournament.
Early life
When the war began, Lovren's family made the decision to escape to Munich, but eventually had to go back because they did not have the right papers. They settled in Karlovac in Croatia (50 kilometres southwest of Zagreb), where Lovren grew up.[3]
Club career
GNK Dinamo Zagreb
Dejan Lovren started his career in the youth teams of NK Karlovac. He joined top flight club GNK Dinamo Zagreb in 2004. On 10 June 2006 he debuted for the senior squad of Dinamo in Prva HNL match against Inter Zaprešić. On 17 July 2007 he was loaned to Zaprešić club for two seasons in which he featured in 50 league matches and scored a goal against NK Osijek in Inter's 2–1 loss on 10 May 2008. Following his return from loan, Lovren regularly featured in Dinamo's first eleven, appearing in 38 matches throughout 2008–09 season, bagging three goals. In 2009–10 he featured in all 4 UEFA Champions League qualifiers, against Pyunik Yerevan and Red Bull Salzburg, respectively, also managing to score a close–range header against Pyunik.[4]
Olympique Lyon
In January 2010, Lovren signed for French Ligue 1 club Olympique Lyonnais for €8 million plus €1.5 million in incentives, on a four-and-a-half-year contract.[5][6] He made his competitive debut on 24 January 2010 in their 2–1 defeat at Monaco in the Coupe de France, playing the full match. His Ligue 1 debut came on 31 January 2010 in Lyon's 2–1 win at home to Paris Saint-Germain, once again completing the full 90 minutes. During the second half of the season he made 10 appearances, mostly as a substitute. He was not allowed to participate in Lyon`s matches in the UEFA Champions League, because he had already played in the competition for Dinamo Zagreb.
Lovren's playing time increased during the 2010–11 season, following the departure of two other defenders, Jean-Alain Boumsong and Mathieu Bodmer, in the summer of 2010. During the season, he gradually established himself as the first team regular starter, playing as a centre-back alongside Cris. In some games during the season he was also used as a right or left full-back, demonstrating himself as a versatile defender.[citation needed]
In November 2010, Lovren was listed in the Don Balón list of the 100 best young players in the world.[7]
On 23 January 2012, the Croatian defender extended his contract with Olympique Lyonnais for two more seasons, signing with the French club until 2016.[8] However on 14 June 2013, Lovren left Lyon to sign for Southampton. He won the Coupe de France in his time at Lyon.[9]
Southampton
On 14 June 2013, Lovren signed for Southampton on a four-year contract for an undisclosed fee,[10] which was estimated at £8.5 million.[11] He made his debut on 17 August 2013, in 1–0 win against West Bromwich Albion.[12] He scored his first goal for Southampton against Liverpool at Anfield on 21 September 2013, a goal which proved to be the winner.[13]
National team
Lovren was first called–up to Croatia national team in 2009 by manager Slaven Bilić who included the player in his match squad against Belarus on 12 August. He was an unused substitute, but still was delighted with the new experience.[14] Lovren was also capped 48 times in the various Croatia youth national teams and scored four goals.[15]
On 2 September 2011, he scored his first international goal, against Malta in a Euro 2012 qualifier. He was included by manager Slaven Bilić in a preliminary 23-man squad for UEFA Euro 2012 but had to withdraw because of injury, just a week before the tournament.[16]
He scored his second goal for Croatia on 26 March 2013, in a 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification match against Wales on Liberty Stadium. It was an equaliser for 1–1, after Gareth Bale had given Wales the lead from a penalty conceded when Lovren brought down Joe Ledley. Croatia eventually won the game 2–1
