Ivan Buljan

Ivan Buljan ( born December 11, 1949 in Runovici, Yugoslavia, now Croatia), Ivica Buljan also, nicknamed Iko, is a former Croatian football player. He was a defender with offensive drive and belonged to the so-called " golden generation " of the 1970s the club Hajduk Split.

Career

Association

Ivan Buljan played in youth at NK Mracaj ( Livno ) and then moved in 1967 to the first Yugoslav League to Hajduk Split, where he was three times Yugoslav champion and four times Yugoslav Cup winner. In 1975 he was elected by the Croatian daily newspaper Vecernji list for player of the year. From 1977 to 1981 he was at Hamburg under contract, for whom he scored 22 goals in 103 Bundesliga games and in 1979 won the German championship title. He then played one last year for New York Cosmos and ended his active career in 1982.

National

Buljan played 36 times for the Yugoslav national football team. The first game he completed on 26 September 1973 in Belgrade against Hungary, the last on 29 November 1981 in Athens against Greece.

He participated in the Soccer World Cup 1974 in Germany and at the European Football Championship 1976 in Yugoslavia.

Achievements

• Yugoslav champion in 1971, 1974 and 1975
• Yugoslavian Cup Winner 1972, 1973, 1974 and 1976
• German Champion 1979
• Yugoslavia Footballer of the Year 1975

After the career

After the end of the active career was Buljan coach of Hajduk, NK Imotski and NK Primorje Ajdovščina. In Hajduk Split, he was also sports director. He held this last from 25 May 2008 until 21 August 2009.