Stipe Pletikosa is a Croatian goalkeeper who recently completed his career in the national team, but so far does not want to end with the club. He has a rather interesting life, at one time the Croat performed in some clubs in Russia and Ukraine. Well, it's all worth talking about.
Carier start
Stipe Pletikosa was born in 1979 in the city of Split (Croatia). The craving for football and goalkeeping was manifested in him from childhood. The boy’s parents didn’t hesitate for a long time and gave him up for education in Hajduk FC. There, a future famous football player began to learn how to professionally control the ball and play real football. Stipe Pletiks until the age of 17 (until 1996, to be more precise) played for FC “Hajduk” (Split) in his homeland for the youth squad, and then, until 2003, and basically. The goalkeeper showed a good game and quick reaction, rarely let the team down and tried his best to help the club win trophies. For this, he was recognized as the best football player in Croatia in 2002.
Career in Russia
A lot of time played by Stipe Pletikos for the Moscow “Spartak”. But before that, he played for Shakhtar Donetsk, who outbid the Croat with his teammate named Dario Srna. Goalkeeper purchased for two million euros. However, the next season, the coach put him on the bench, and Stipe, without thinking twice, returned to Croatia, in his native “Hajduk”.
In Moscow “Spartak” Pletikosa moved in 2007. The Russians bought it on the last day of the transfer window. In theory, Stipe signed a contract for three years. But he stayed longer - until 2011. By the way, when the contract was terminated, the goalkeeper lost a rather large sum of money. Stipe risked because he had the prospect of playing in Celtic, but the club, which seemed to show genuine interest in the goalkeeper, let him down and refused to sign a contract with the Croat.
Prospects at Tottenham Hotspur and Rostov
In 2009, Stipe almost moved to the English “Tottenham Hotspur”, but here, too, Fate got the Croats intrigued, giving him an injury, and very serious one. So the goalkeeper didn’t get into the transfer window of 2009. But in 2010, everything turned out. Fortunately, the English have not lost their interest in the goalkeeper. Already in September, the Croat was in the application for a match with FC West Bromwich Albion, in which the teams played a draw in 1: 1. True, he still did not go out onto the field, remaining on the bench. His first full-fledged match was held against Arsenal (London). It was a match held as part of the English League Cup. True, “Tottenham Hotspur” lost with a score of 4: 1.
Stipe Pletikos did not stay long in England. “Rostov” invited him to his place in 2011, and the Croat immediately agreed. That's where, where, but in Rostov-on-Don the goalkeeper all went perfectly. At the end of the 2012/13 season, fans of the club recognized him as the best player of the season. For such services, the Croat was awarded the corresponding prize. Indeed, in “Rostov” he revealed. However, in the 2014/15 match, for the first time in his long career, he conceded as many as seven goals that were scored by Muscovites, Dynamo players, into the goal of “Rostov”. Perhaps it was because of this failure that Stipe Pletikos was no longer seen in the club. Where is he playing now? So far, nowhere. At the moment, that is, at the beginning of October 2015, he is a free agent.
Stipe Pletikosa: personal life and professional achievements
The chosen one, the lawful wife of Horvat, is called Angela - before the wedding they were familiar for a long time, were friends at first, and then were in a relationship. They met in 2008, in a cafe in the city of Split, where the players went to relax, and the girls to get acquainted with the athletes. And so it happened. Although it’s interesting that Angela does not like football, for which Stipe respects her (being a goalkeeper and hearing conversations about this sport at home is not a thing, as the Croat believes). The couple has a son who is five years old. His Pletikosa was named Franco - in honor of the father of the Croatian goalkeeper, who died a year earlier.
Achievements in personal life are good, but what about professional ones? There are a lot of them. Champion of Croatia and holder of the Country Cup, silver and bronze medalist of the Croatian Championship ... and this is only in his homeland! He also became the champion of Ukraine and the owner of the Cup and Super Bowl of the country. While in Russia, he won not so many titles. With Spartak he twice became the silver champion of the Championship, and with Rostov he got the Country Cup. A lot of achievements. One can only hope that Pletikosa will soon find a new club and continue his professional career.