Ivan Sesar

Ivan Sesar
	Sesar playing for Inter Turku in 2018
Personal information
Full name	Ivan Sesar
Date of birth	29 August 1989 (age 35)
Place of birth	Mostar, SFR Yugoslavia
Height	1.82 m (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Youth career
0000–2006	Široki Brijeg
2006–2008	Zagreb
Senior career*
Years	Team
2008–2009	Zagreb
2009–2010	Koper
2010–2011	Lokomotiva Zagreb
2011–2013	Sarajevo
2013	→ Elazığspor (loan)
2013–2014	Akhisar Belediyespor
2015	Dunajská Streda
2015–2017	Široki Brijeg
2017	Juventus București
2018	Inter Turku
2018	Voluntari
2019–2020	Tuzla City
2020	Solin
2020	Rudeš
2021	Kvik Halden
International career
2009–2010	Bosnia and Herzegovina U21
2012	Bosnia and Herzegovina
2011	Bosnia and Herzegovina XI
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20 May 2024

Ivan Sesar (born 29 August 1989) is a Bosnian former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.

Club career

NK Zagreb

Sesar made his senior debut for NK Zagreb on 31 August 2008 in a 1–1 draw against HNK Sibenik^[1] He would only play one match for the club before joining FC Koper.

FC Koper

After being released by NK Zagreb, Ivan Sesar signed for FC Koper in the Slovenian Prva Liga on 1 July 2009 as a free agent. It wouldn't be until 8 August 2009 that he would be substituted in the 77th minute in a 2–1 win against ND Gorica. Sesar also bagged his first assist for an equalising goal in a 1–1 draw against NK Domzale. Koper would win the league by 9 points with Sesar making 23 league appearances. In the subsequent season, he faced his old rivals Dinamo Zagreb in a Champions League Qualifying match losing 5–4 on aggregate.^[2]

Lokomotiva Zagreb

Sesar returned to Croatia joining Lokomotiva Zagreb on a free transfer on 1 August 2010. He netted his first career goal with Lokomotiva in a league match against Hrvatski Dragovoljac in the form of an equaliser. The match would end 3–2 in favor of Lokomotiva Zagreb.

Sarajevo

Ivan Sesar joined Premijer Liga side FK Sarajevo for free exactly a year after joining Lokomotiva Zagreb. Sesar played 34 league matches for the side in the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons bagging six assists. Sesko also participated in Sarajevo's UEFA Europa League qualification run making it to the third round of the tournament where he would assist another two times.

Elazığspor

About a year and a half into his time with Sarajevo, he was sent out on loan to Turkish side Elazığspor. He contributed two assists to the side in 14 appearances.

Akhisar Belediyespor

Shortly after returning from his loan spell, Ivan Sesar remained in Croatia for Akhisarspor. He assisted two more goals in Turkey before leaving the club on a free transfer.

Dunajská Streda

Sesar joined Dunajská Streda on a free transfer. He would play eight games for the side in a campaign that saw Dunajska finish in 7th.

Široki Brijeg

Sesar returned to Široki Brijeg, a club where he had spent most of his youth career. He would net a goal in a 3–0 win against relegation-battling Velez Mostar. Although having zero goal contributions in 22 league appearance in the subsequent season, Široki Brijeg would end up winning the Primijer Liga in the 2016-17 campaign.

Juventus București

He joined the newly promoted, second division side Juventus București for free on 25 July 2017. He made 16 league appearances for the club in Liga II.

Inter Turku

After a season in Romania, Sesar joined Inter Turku for an undisclosed amount. He won the 2018 Finnish Cup and finished mid-table in the 2018 campaign.

Voluntari

Ivan Sesar returned to Romania a year later, this time for first division side FC Voluntari. Voluntari would see themselves in a relegation battle in a campaign where Sesar played seven matches.

Tuzla City

Sesar then joined Bosnian side Tuzla City. He scored the winning goal in a 1–0 win versus Velez Mostar in the Kup BiH in match that would see them avoid relegation by 3 points. He also bagged four assists in the 19/20 campaign.

NK Solin

Sesar joined Croatian side NK Solin in 2020. He would assist and score against NK Croatia Zmijavci to win the game 3–1 away from home. He played eight matches in a campaign where the side would finish four points above relegation.

Rudeš

After playing only eight matches for Solin, Sesar would join NK Rudeš making four appearances.

Kvik Halden

He joined Kvik Halden in 2021 making 2 appearances.^[3] Ivan Sesar retired at the end of the 2021 campaign.

International career

Sesar made his international debut for Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team in an unofficial friendly against Poland in Antalya on 16 December 2011.^[4] His official debut came on 15 August 2012 against Wales.^[5]

International appearances

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Result	Competition
1	16 December 2011	Mardan Sports Complex, Antalya	Poland	0–1	Friendly
2	15 August 2012	Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli	Wales	2–0	Friendly
3.	14 November 2012	Stade 5 Juillet 1962, Algiers	Algeria	1–0	Friendly

Career statistics


Club	Season	League			Cup		Continental		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
NK Zagreb	2008-09	Prva HNL	1	—	—		—		1	—
NK Zagreb	Total		1	—	—		—		1	—
FC Koper	2009-10	Prva Liga	23	—	3	—	2	—	28
	2010-11	Prva Liga	3	—	—		—		3	—
	Total		26	—	3	—	2	—	31	—
Lokomotiva Zagreb	2010-11	Prva HNL	17	1	—		—		17	1
Lokomotiva Zagreb	Total		17	1	—		—		17	1
FK Sarajevo	2011-12	Premijer Liga	23	—	—		—		23	—
	2012-13	Premijer Liga	11	—	3	—	6	—	20	—
	Total		34	—	3	—	6	—	43	—
Elazigspor	2012-13	Süper Lig	14	—	—		—		14	—
Akhisarspor	2013-14	Süper Lig	12	—	8	—	—		20
Akhisarspor	Total		26	—	8	—	6	—	34	—
Dunajská Streda	2014-15	Fortuna Liga	8	—	2	—	—		10	—
Dunajská Streda	Total		8	—	2	—	—		10	—
Siroki Brijeg	2015-16	Premijer Liga	25	1	4	—	—		29	1
	2016-17	Premijer Liga	22	—	4	—	2	—	28	—
	Total		47	1	2	—	2	—	57	1
FC Juventus Bucharest	2017-18	Liga II	16	—	2	—	—		18	—
FC Juventus Bucharest	Total		16	—	2	—	—		18	—
FC Inter Turku	2018	Veikkausliiga	13	—	8	—	—		21	—
FC Inter Turku	Total		13	—	8	—	—		21	—
FC Voluntari	2018-19	Liga I	6	—	1	—	—		7	—
FC Voluntari	Total		6	—	1	—	—		7	—
FK Tuzla City	2018-19	Premijer Liga	7	—	2	1	—		7	1
	2019-20	Premijer Liga	21	—	—		—		21	—
	Total		28	—	2	1	—		28	1
NK Solin	2020-21	2. HNL	8	1	—		—		8	1
NK Rudes	2020-21	2. HNL	4	—	—		—		4	—
NK Rudes	Total		12	—	—		—		12	1
Kvik Halden	2021	Norsk Tipping-Ligaen	1	—	1	—	—		2	—
Kvik Halden	Total		1	—	1	—	—		2	—
Career Total			235	—	32	1	16	—	283	4