Mario Stanić

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Mario Stanić (born April 10, 1972 in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina) is a former Bosnian-born Croatian football midfielder.

He started his career with FK Željezničar Sarajevo. He was considered to be one of the most talented young players in former Yugoslavia. In 1992, war began and he went to Croatia, where he played for Dinamo Zagreb. After only one season, he moved to Spanish Sporting de Gijón, and year later to SL Benfica in Portugal. In 1995 he arrived at Club Brugge and was top scorer of the Jupiler League that year with 20 goals. Then Parma bought him in 1997 and he played four seasons with that side. He was then transferred to Chelsea in 2000.

Since it was uncertain what will happen to his homecountry, he accepted a call to play for Croatian national football team. He made his international debut in 1995. and was capped 49 times, scoring 7 international goals, and played during Euro 96. He helped Croatia reach the semi-finals of the 1998 World Cup, scoring Croatia's first goal ever in the World Cup during his countries opening game against Jamaica, a game that the World Cup first timers went on to win 3-1. Stanić also played in the 2002 World Cup only to see Croatia fall short of qualifying for the second stages of the tournament.

He was forced to retire at the age of 32 after sustaining a serious knee injury during the 2003-04 league season.

Perhaps his most memorable goal was on his Chelsea debut. The athletic midfielder nochalantly juggled the ball on his knee before smashing an unstoppable volley in the top corner of the net. This goal was later nominated as goal of the season for 2000-2001 English Premier League.

	Croatia squad - 1996 European Championship
1 Ladić \| 2 Jurčević \| 3 Jarni \| 4 Štimac \| 5 Jerkan \| 6 Bilić \| 7 Asanović \| 8 Prosinečki \| 9 Šuker \| 10 Boban \| 11 Bokšić \| 12 Mrmić \| 13 Stanić \| 14 Soldo \| 15 Pavličić \| 16 Mladenović \| 17 Pamić \| 18 Brajković \| 19 Vlaović \| 20 Šimić \| 21 Cvitanović \| 22 Gabrić \| Coach: Blažević

	Croatia squad - 1998 FIFA World Cup Third Place
1 Ladić \| 2 Krpan \| 3 Šerić \| 4 Štimac \| 5 Jurić \| 6 Bilić \| 7 Asanović \| 8 Prosinečki \| 9 Šuker \| 10 Boban \| 11 Marić \| 12 Mrmić \| 13 Stanić \| 14 Soldo \| 15 Tudor \| 16 Kozniku \| 17 Jarni \| 18 Mamić \| 19 Vlaović \| 20 Šimić \| 21 Jurčić \| 22 Vasilj \| Coach: Blažević

	Croatia squad - 2002 FIFA World Cup
1 Pletikosa \| 2 Šerić \| 3 Šimunić \| 4 Tomas \| 5 Rapaić \| 6 Živković \| 7 Vugrinec \| 8 Prosinečki \| 9 Šuker \| 10 N. Kovač \| 11 Bokšić \| 12 Butina \| 13 Stanić \| 14 Soldo \| 15 Šarić \| 16 Vranješ \| 17 Jarni \| 18 Olić \| 19 Vlaović \| 20 Šimić \| 21 R. Kovač \| 22 Balaban \| 23 Vasilj \| Coach: Jozić