Balažic represented Slovenia at all youth levels, and made his senior debut in 2013.
Club career
Early career
Born in Murska Sobota, Balažic came through the youth academy of Mura, who went defunct in 2005. He made his first-team debut at the age of 17 in a 2–1 home league win against Zagorje on 30 April 2005, during the club's last competitive season.
In the summer of 2005, Balažic was transferred to Benfica of Portugal. Until his departure two years later, he played exclusively for their youth sides.[3][4]
Balažic suffered a knee injury early into the campaign,[7] which resulted in the termination of his contract in December 2007.[8]
Gorica
In the winter transfer window of 2008, Balažic returned to his country and signed for Gorica of the Slovenian PrvaLiga. He scored his first goal as a senior on 5 December 2009, helping to a 1–1 home draw against Olimpija Ljubljana.
In January 2011, Balažic signed with Karpaty Lviv in the Ukrainian Premier League, penning a four-year deal for €400,000 in what was the club's most expensive transfer ever.[9] On 6 March he made his competitive debut, netting in a 2–2 draw at Arsenal Kyiv.[10]
In the first round of 2014–15, Balažic scored in a 2–2 away draw to Hoverla Uzhhorod.[11] He scored a career-best four goals during that season, in only 13 matches.
Partizan
On 4 February 2015, Balažic signed a two-year contract with Partizan.[12] On 28 February he made his first appearance, featuring the full 90 minutes in a 0–0 home draw against Radnički Niš.
On 25 April 2015, during the Eternal derby against Red Star Belgrade, Balažic was fouled in the area by Vukašin Jovanović in what should have been a penalty for Partizan, but referee Milorad Mažić did not concede it.[13] A week later, against Vojvodina, this time it was Balažic who brought down an opponent but, again, nothing was awarded; later, he admitted he did commit the infraction.[14][15]
During his debut campaign, Balažic partnered his compatriot Branko Ilić as a central defender.[16] After the departure of the latter in the summer, he started alongside Brazilian Fabrício. He scored his first official goal for the team on 22 August 2015, helping to a 3–1 away victory over Borac Čačak.[17]
Balažic made his senior debut for Slovenia on 19 November 2013, in a 1–0 friendly win against Canada in Celje.[20] His second cap came on 7 June of the following year in another friendly, a 2–0 loss to Argentina in La Plata.[21]
Style of play
Balažic is a quick and strong player, technically gifted and with passing ability.[22]Oleg Kononov, his coach at Karpaty, described him as a "very intelligent player" with a "great potential".[23]
^"Eslovenos a caminho" [Slovenes on their way]. Record (in Portuguese). 26 June 2005. Archived from the original on 27 March 2020. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
^"Anderson de volta aos treinos" [Anderson back to training]. Record (in Portuguese). 15 November 2006. Archived from the original on 27 March 2020. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
^"Balazic, última incorporación" [Balazic, last addition] (in Spanish). La Actualidad. 30 August 2007. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
^"Balazic lesionado" [Balazic injured] (in Spanish). Águilas Noticias. 19 October 2007. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
^"Balazic se marcha del Águilas CF" [Balazic leaves Águilas CF] (in Spanish). Águilas Noticias. 20 December 2007. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
^Карпаты спасаются в Киеве [Carpathians flee in Kiev] (in Ukrainian). Football UA. 6 March 2011. Archived from the original on 27 August 2011. Retrieved 16 July 2015.
^"Gregor Balažic stigao u Humsku" [Gregor Balažic arrived at Humsku] (in Serbian). FK Partizan. 4 February 2015. Archived from the original on 30 June 2015. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
^"Balažic: Bio je penal, priznajem" [Balažic: It was a penalty, I admit it] (in Serbian). Vesti Online. 3 May 2015. Archived from the original on 1 October 2015. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
^«Урал» покинули три футболиста [Three footballers left Ural] (in Russian). Ural Yekaterinburg. 7 June 2019. Archived from the original on 7 June 2019. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
.jpg)
