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Mate Bilić

Mate Bilić
Personal information
Full name Mate Bilić
Date of birth (1980-10-23) 23 October 1980 (age 36)
Place of birth Split, SFR Yugoslavia
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing position Striker
Youth career
Hajduk Split
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1998–2001 Hajduk Split 66 (19)
1999 Mosor (loan)
2001–2004 Zaragoza 18 (1)
2002–2003 Almería (loan) 31 (9)
2003–2004 Sporting Gijón (loan) 41 (15)
2004–2005 Córdoba 31 (3)
2005–2006 Lleida 40 (18)
2006–2008 Rapid Wien 54 (17)
2008–2013 Sporting Gijón 160 (42)
2013–2015 RNK Split 39 (13)
Total 480 (137)
National team
1996 Croatia U17 2 (0)
1998–1999 Croatia U19 6 (2)
2000–2001 Croatia U21 8 (4)
2009–2010 Croatia 6 (3)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

Mate Bilić (born 23 October 1980) is a Croatian retired footballer who played as a striker.

During his professional career he played mainly in Spain – where he arrived at the age of 21 – representing five different clubs. He amassed La Liga totals of 124 games and 22 goals over the course of five seasons in representation of Sporting de Gijón and Zaragoza, adding 197/66 in Segunda División.

Born in Split, Croatia, Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Bilić began his professional career in 1997 at hometown club HNK Hajduk Split, and went on to establish himself as a regular during the 1999–2000 season, after a season-long loan spell with NK Mosor in the Croatian second division. In two separate campaigns he scored 15 league goals for Hajduk, including nine in 2000–01 as the side won their fourth Prva HNL title.

At the end of August 2001, Bilić transferred to La Liga with Real Zaragoza, but failed to impress as he only netted once in 18 league appearances. Between 2002 and 2006 he would represent, one season each, UD Almería, Sporting de Gijón, Córdoba CF and UE Lleida (all clubs playing in the second level).


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