Matej_Poplatnik
Matej Poplatnik
Slovenian footballer
Matej Poplatnik (born 15 July 1992) is a Slovenian footballer who plays as a forward for Slovenian PrvaLiga club Bravo and the Slovenia national team.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | (1992-07-15) 15 July 1992 (age 31) | ||
| Place of birth | Ljubljana, Slovenia[1] | ||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Bravo | ||
| Number | 15 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 0000–2005 | Domžale | ||
| 2006–2008 | Slovan | ||
| 2008–2009 | Olimpija Ljubljana | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2010–2012 | Zarica Kranj | 45 | (31) |
| 2012–2015 | Triglav Kranj | 75 | (24) |
| 2013 | → Zarica Kranj (loan) | 3 | (1) |
| 2015 | Montana | 14 | (0) |
| 2016–2018 | Triglav Kranj | 68 | (46) |
| 2018–2020 | Kerala Blasters | 16 | (4) |
| 2019–2020 | → Kaposvári Rákóczi (loan) | 6 | (0) |
| 2020–2022 | Livingston | 19 | (0) |
| 2021–2022 | → Raith Rovers (loan) | 31 | (7) |
| 2022–2023 | Ilirija 1911 | 24 | (24) |
| 2023– | Bravo | 25 | (10) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2013 | Slovenia U20 | 1 | (0) |
| 2013 | Slovenia U21 | 1 | (0) |
| 2024– | Slovenia | 1 | (0) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 26 March 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 20 January 2024 | |||
Poplatnik started his senior career with Zarica Kranj, before joining Triglav Kranj in 2012. He made his Slovenian PrvaLiga debut for Triglav in a 1–0 away loss against Celje on 15 July 2012, coming on as a second-half substitute. Poplatnik scored his first goal for Triglav a week later in a 1–0 win over Aluminij at Stanko Mlakar Stadium. In the 2014–15 season, he finished as Slovenian Second League top scorer with 18 goals.
On 20 June 2015, Poplatnik signed a two-year contract with Bulgarian side Montana, after a successful trial period with the club.[2]
On 8 July 2018, Poplatnik joined Indian Super League club Kerala Blasters.[3] He scored on his debut, in a 2–0 league away victory against ATK on 29 September 2018.[4]
On 30 July 2019, Poplatnik joined Hungarian club Kaposvári Rákóczi on a season-long loan.[5]
On 8 July 2020, Poplatnik signed for Scottish Premiership club Livingston.[6] He would join Scottish Championship side Raith Rovers on a season-long loan.[7] For Raith Rovers, Poplatnik scored eleven goals in all competitions, including two goals in a victory in the 2022 Scottish Challenge Cup final.[8]
Poplatnik made his debut for the senior Slovenia national team on 20 January 2024 in a friendly against the United States.[9]
His older brother, Aleš Poplatnik, is also a professional footballer.[10]
Triglav Kranj
Raith Rovers
- "Slovenia – M. Poplatnik – Profile with news, career statistics and history". soccerway.com. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
- "Монтана привлече още трима". novsport.com (in Bulgarian). 20 June 2015.
- Nisanth V Easwar (8 July 2018). "ISL 2018-19: Kerala Blasters sign Slovenian striker Matej Poplatnik". goal.com. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
- "Indian Super League: Kerala Blasters beat ATK in season five opener". India Today. 29 September 2018. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
- "Szlovén centert igazolt a Rákóczi". SONLINE (in Hungarian). 30 July 2019. Retrieved 30 July 2019.
- "Double delight as duo put pen to paper". livingstonfc.co.uk. 8 July 2020. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
- "Matej Poplatnik On Loan Raith Rovers | Raith Rovers FC". raithrovers.net. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
- Wilson, Fraser (3 April 2022). "Raith Rovers win Spfl Trust Trophy Final against Queen of the South". Daily Record. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
- "Matej Poplatnik, international football player". eu-football.info. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
- Dominko, Peter (14 October 2014). "Brata Poplatnik: "S sodelovanjem sva močnejša!"". Slovenski nogometni portal (in Slovenian). Retrieved 5 August 2022.
- Matej Poplatnik at NZS (in Slovene)
- Matej Poplatnik at Soccerway
- Matej Poplatnik at WorldFootball.net