Nikola_Tkalčić

Nikola Tkalčić

Nikola Tkalčić

Croatian footballer

Nikola Tkalčić (born 3 December 1989) is a Croatian football defender who plays for Swedish club Sylvia.[1] He started his senior career in 2008 with NK Varteks, which changed its name to Varaždin during his tenure, before folding in 2015 (no relation to his current club).

Quick Facts Personal information, Date of birth ...

Career

Tkalčić started his football career in his native Konjščina, playing for the local football club NK Sloga Konjščina.[2] At the age of 10 he moved to the Varteks academy.[3] During his first senior season he was loaned out to their fourth-tier feeder team Sloboda Varaždin, which emerged as champions of their league, before returning to Varteks to play in the top-tier Prva HNL.[4]

A first-team regular in the 2009/2010 season, Tkalčić was sidelined for a large part of the 2010/2011 season after rupturing his frontal cruciate ligaments in the first game of the season, returning only in March 2011.[5]

Tkalčić moved to the Swedish team IFK Norrköping on the last day of the 2011 summer transfer window, missing all but two of the remaining matches of the 2011 season, the first and the last. He stated Armin Tanković was of great help for him while he was adapting to life in Sweden.[6] His following three seasons at the club would be marked by ups and downs, partly due to injury problems. He played both as full-back and winger during this period. In the 2015 season, however, Tkalčić missed only 4 matches and was a regular in the side that became the 2015 Allsvenskan champions.[7] During that period, he was IFK Norrköping's fastest player[8] and had the strongest shot with his right foot.[9] In 2016, he was thought of as the most underestimated player of the Allsvenskan.[10][11]

Transferring to Sarpsborg 08 FF, he only featured in three cup matches and fared somewhat better during a loan to Aalesund in late 2018.[12] On 28 February 2019, Tkalčić left Sarpsborg 08 by mutual consent.[13] On 17 May, he then signed a contract with Jönköpings Södra IF until 30 November 2019 after a trial at the club.[14]

On 20 January 2022, Tkalčić signed with Sylvia in the Swedish third-tier Ettan.[15]

International career

Tkalčić was capped once for the Croatia U19 team in a 16.4.2008 friendly with Hungary U19, coming in the 59th minute of the 1–0 away win for Ivan Tomečak.[16]

Personal life

Tkalčić is an avid fan of fishing[17] and plays tennis for recreation.[18]

References

  1. [1]
    Player profile - IF Sylvia
  2. [2]
    Lacković, Elvis (20 August 2013). "Limači varaždina osvojili 11. "Dečec kup"". Zagorski List, no. 509. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
  3. [3]
    Tkalčić: Trebalo se riješiti straha at Sportnet.hr
  4. [4]
    Nikola Tkalčić preko Švedske do hrvatske reprezentacije at eVaraždin
  5. [5]
    Tkalčić: Trebalo se riješiti straha at Sportnet.hr
  6. [6]
    Nikola Tkalčić preko Švedske do hrvatske reprezentacije at eVaraždin
  7. [7]
    Nikola Tkalčić at IFK Norrköping official site
  8. [8]
    Nicola Tkalčić at svenskafans.com
  9. [9]
    Nikola Tkalčić at IFK Norrköping official site
  10. [10]
    Allsvenskans mest underskattade slog till igen – nu vill han stanna: ”Känner mig bekväm här” at fotbolldirekt.se
  11. [11]
    Nicola Tkalčić at svenskafans.com
  12. [12]
    Nikola Tkalčić at the Norwegian Football Federation (in Norwegian)
  13. [13]
    NIKOLA TKALCIC FERDIG I SARPSBORG 08, sarpsborg08.no, 28 February 2019
  14. [14]
    NIKOLA TKALCIC ANSLUTER TILL JÖNKÖPINGS SÖDRA IF, jonkopingssodra.se, 17 May 2019
  15. [15]
    "Välkommen Nikola Tkalcic!" (Press release) (in Swedish). Sylvia. 20 January 2022. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  16. [16]
    Nikola Tkalčić at Croatian Football Federation official site
  17. [17]
    Tkalčić: Trebalo se riješiti straha at Sportnet.hr
  18. [18]
    Nikola Tkalčić at IFK Norrköping official site
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