Milan Borjan

Milan Borjan
Personal information
Full name Milan Borjan
Date of birth (1987-10-23) 23 October 1987
Place of birth Knin, SFR Yugoslavia
Height 195 cm (6 ft 5 in)[1]
Playing position Goalkeeper
Club information
Current team
 Ludogorets Razgrad
Number 1
Youth career
2001–2002 Radnički Jugopetrol
2004 Mount Hamilton
2004–2005 Boca Juniors
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2006 Nacional Montevideo 0 (0)
2006–2007 River Plate 0 (0)
2007–2009 Quilmes 0 (0)
2009–2011 Rad 36 (0)
2011–2014 Sivasspor 43 (0)
2012 → Vaslui (loan) 16 (0)
2014 Ludogorets Razgrad 2 (0)
2015 Radnički Niš 15 (0)
2015 Ludogorets Razgrad II 2 (0)
2015– Ludogorets Razgrad 15 (0)
National team‡
2011– Canada 32 (0)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of October 28, 2016.

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of October 11, 2016

Milan Borjan (Serbian Cyrillic: Mилaн Бopjaн; born 23 October 1987) is a Serbian Canadian soccer player who is currently a goalkeeper for Bulgarian A Football Group side Ludogorets Razgrad and the Canadian national team.

Career

Youth

Borjan was born in Knin, SR Croatia (while still a part of SFR Yugoslavia) to Serb parents Mirjana and Boško. He lived in Knin until the end of the war.[2] He found refuge in Belgrade where he began playing football with FK Radnički Beograd before emigrating with his family to Hamilton, Ontario, Canada where his family still resides.[2] He was spotted there by Boca Juniors who brought him in 2005 to their youth squad, having moved 2 years later to their greatest rivals, Club Atlético River Plate, having played for their second team. In between, he also had a spell in Uruguay with Club Nacional de Football from Montevideo, where he played for their youth and B teams. When River Plate's main team manager chose Vega over him to join the first team, Borjan did not want to wait any longer, and he chose to join another top-flight team from Buenos Aires, Quilmes Atlético Club where he became part of their first team squad.[3]

Serbia

After several years in South America, in January 2009 he returned to Serbia and signed with SuperLiga club FK Rad from Belgrade.[4] Borjan had trouble breaking into the first team since he was the 3rd string keeper from the first day signing with the team. However, due to the starters trouble with work permits and the second strings injury it left Milan has the only available keeper on the roster. Milan made his debut on 16 August 2009 in a 3–2 victory over FK Smederevo. Milan continued to impress at every given opportunity and by Fall of 2010 Milan had taken hold of the starting spot with an unbeaten streak of nine games.[5] Borjan proved to be one of the top keepers in Serbian SuperLiga taking FK Rad to fourth in the league with 52 points gaining them a birth in the 2011–12 UEFA Europa League Qualifying Round.[6]

Turkey

Milan Borjan with Sivasspor.

Following the 2011 Gold Cup and much speculation Borjan completed a move to Sivasspor, for an undisclosed fee.[7] Borjan made his debut in Turkey on 11 September in a 2–1 loss against Karabükspor.[8] After becoming the regular keeper Borjan had several impressive results including a clean sheet against Fenerbahçe. On 27 November during a 2–1 loss to Galatasaray Borjan was headbutted by Engin Baytar, who was shown a red card in the 81st minute.[9]

After returning from a successful stint in Romania, Borjan made his return to the starting line up in the 3rd match of the 2012/13 season, in a 0–0 draw against Fenerbahçe on 2 September.[10] In early February 2014 Borjan's contract with Sivasspor was terminated following a decrease in playing time under new manager Roberto Carlos.[11] Following the termination reports emerged from Italy and Serbia that a deal had been put in place to join Napoli in June since the Turkish Football Association blocked a January move.[11][12]

Romania

Following a lack of playing time in Turkey in late February it was announced that Borjan had been loaned to Romanian first division side Vaslui, that deal will keep him in Romania until the end of the season with an option to purchase the player for an undisclosed transfer fee.[13] After joining the club on loan Borjan took the starting keeping position immediately and started the remaining 16 league games with 7 clean sheets, he was able to help Vaslui secure second place in the league guaranteeing them a spot in UEFA Champions League.[14]

Bulgaria

On 12 September 2014, he reportedly signed for Bosnian Premier League club FK Sarajevo as a free agent, but at the last minute accepted an offer from Bulgarian club Ludogorets Razgrad who qualified for the 2014-15 UEFA Champions League group stage.[15] Four days after signing Borjan made his club debut in the Champions League in a 2-1 away defeat to Liverpool. This was the first time that a Canadian international played in the group stage of the competition since Lars Hirschfeld played with Rosenborg in 2007.[16] Although Ludogorets had equalised in added time, Borjan then gave away a penalty with a foul on Javi Manquillo, which Steven Gerrard converted to give Liverpool the victory.[17] Borjan was released by Ludogorets Razgrad, after Razgrad secured first-choice goalkeeper Vladislav Stoyanov till the summer of 2015.[18]

Return to Serbia

On 15 February 2015, Borjan signed a one-year contract with Serbian SuperLiga club FK Radnički Niš,[19] spurning interest from FK Sarajevo of the Bosnian Premier League.[20] At Radnički he will not count as a foreigner due to him holding a Serbian passport.[21] Borjan made his debut for his new club against Red Star Belgrade in a 0-0 draw on 23 February.[22] Borjan earned three straight clean sheets to start his time with the club.

Return to Bulgaria

After an excellent season in the Serbian SuperLiga, Borjan turned down a contract to return to FK Radnički Niš opting to return to the Bulgarian A Football Group club of Ludogorets, where he signed a three-year deal on 2 June 2015.[23] He has remained the second choice goalkeeper for the team.

International career

In November 2010, Milan said he had decided to represent Canada internationally, despite interest from the higher-ranked Serbia.[24] On 3 February 2011 Borjan was called up to the Canadian Senior team for their friendly against Greece on 9 February.[25] Milan made his debut for Canada in the friendly against Greece played in Larissa, the game ended in a 1–0 loss. Borjan was one of three Canadian players to make their international senior debut against Greece, Tosaint Ricketts and David Edgar were the other two.[26] That summer Milan was called up to the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup roster becoming his first ever international tournament participation. Borjan played his first national team game on home soil at BMO Field on 1 June 2011 during a friendly against Ecuador that ended as a 2–2 draw. Milan made his Gold Cup debut on 11 June in a 1–0 victory over Guadeloupe at Raymond James Stadium.[27] On 12 June 2012, he played as a starter in the 0:0 home draw with Honduras in a 2014 World Cup qualifier due to the suspension of first choice goalkeeper Lars Hirschfeld.

Since the end of 2012, Borjan has emerged as Canada's starting goalkeeper. He was the starter for Canada at the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup, and backstopped Canada to their first win since 2012 against Jamaica on 9 September 2014 in a 3-1 victory.[28] Borjan earned his first red card for Canada on 11 June 2015 when he handled the ball outside of the box against Dominica after a mistake from Julian de Guzman in a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying match.[29]

Career Statistics

As of match played 1 November 2016[30]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club League Season League League Cup Domestic Cup Continental Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
FK Rad Serbian SuperLiga 2009-10 130000000130
2010-11 230000000230
Total 360000000360
Sivasspor Süper Lig 2011-12 100000000100
2012-13 290008000370
2013-14 4000500090
Total 4300013000560
FC Vaslui (loan) Liga I 2011-12 160003000190
Total 160003000190
Ludogorets Razgrad First League 2014-15 2000101040
2015-16 9000000090
2016-17 6000201090
Total 170003020220
FK Radnički Niš Serbian SuperLiga 2014-15 150000000150
Total 150000000150
Ludogorets Razgrad II Second League 2015-16 2000000020
Total 2000000020
Career Totals 129000190201500

International statistics

Canada national team
YearAppsGoals
201150
201240
201370
201440
201570
201650
Total320

Statistics as of 11 October 2016

Personal life

Borjan is married to Snežana (née Filipović), a former marketing director of FK Partizan.[31][32]

Honours

Ludogorets

References

  1. ↑ "Milan Borjan". canadasoccer.com. Canadian Soccer Association. Retrieved 17 January 2014.
  2. 1 2 The Globe and Mail (24 August 2012). "Milan Borjan happy to pay his dues". Retrieved 27 May 2013.
  3. ↑ Sultan Borjan u latino ritmu interview at FK Rad official website, 15 January 2012 (Serbian)
  4. ↑ B92 Sport (18 September 2012). "Borjan za B92: Kanada može na SP" (in Serbian). Retrieved 19 September 2012.
  5. ↑ Borjan grateful for opportunity Canada presents; Red Nation, 24 January 2011
  6. ↑ Canadian Exports: Hoilett helps keep Blackburn from drop; Major League Soccer, 23 May 2011
  7. ↑ Milan Borjan u Sivasporu; FK Rad, 23 June 2011
  8. ↑ Shelton scores on debut in Turkey; Jamaica Observer, 12 September 2011
  9. ↑ "Lions can also have 9 lives: Galatasaray Lions subdue Sivas with 9 men at Arena". mlssoccer.com. Sunday's Zaman. 27 November 2011. Retrieved 1 December 2011.
  10. ↑ "Sivas'ta kör dövüşü!". sporx.com.
  11. 1 2 "Milan Borjan linked with Napoli of Serie A". rednationonline.ca.
  12. ↑ "Milan Borjan ipak ne ide u Napoli". B92.net.
  13. ↑ "Borjan positive on loan to FC Vaslui". 23 February 2012. Retrieved 25 February 2012.
  14. ↑ "Across the Pong: May 21, 2012". 23 May 2012. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
  15. ↑ "Ništa od dolaska na Koševo: Borjan ide u Ludogorets: September 12, 2014". 12 September 2014. Retrieved 12 September 2014.
  16. ↑ "Milan Borjan set to face Liverpool in Champions League". 16 September 2014. Retrieved 16 September 2014.
  17. ↑ "Liverpool 2-1 Ludo Razgd". BBC Sport. 16 September 2014. Retrieved 16 September 2014.
  18. ↑ "Милан Борян си тръгна от Лудогорец Прочети повече на: http://www.sportal.bg/news.php?news=528625". http://www.sportal.bg/ (in Bulgarian). Sportal. 21 January 2015. Retrieved 27 January 2015. External link in |website=, |title= (help)
  19. ↑ "Nišlije se baš pojačale". 15 February 2015.
  20. ↑ "Ništa od Sarajeva: Borjan potpisao za Radnički iz Niša". sportsport.ba. 15 February 2015. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
  21. ↑ Radnički dobio veliko pojačanje na golu, Borjan godinu dana u Nišu at FK Radnički Niš official website, 15-2-2015 (Serbian)
  22. ↑ "Звезда однела бод са "Чаира"". 23 February 2015.
  23. ↑ "Borjan u starom jatu". 2 June 2015.
  24. ↑ (Serbian)Srbin iz Superlige na golu Kanade!; mondo.rs, 23 November 2010
  25. ↑ Canada announces roster for Greece friendly; Canadasoccer.com, 3 February 2011
  26. ↑ Canada vs. Greece stats; Canadasoccer.com, 9 February 2011
  27. ↑ Canada edges Guadeloupe; Calgary Herald, 12 June 2011
  28. ↑ Bedakian, Armen (9 September 2014). "Canada 3, Jamaica 1 - International Friendly Match Recap".
  29. ↑ "Dominica 0, Canada 2 - World Cup Qualifying Match Recap". 11 June 2015.
  30. ↑ "Milan Borjan Profile". Soccerway. Retrieved Nov 1, 2016.
  31. ↑ "Топла връзка между Лудогорец и Партизан (СНИМКА). Канадският страж призна любовта си" (in Bulgarian). topsport.bg. 7 July 2015. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  32. ↑ http://www.mozzartsport.com/iz-drugog-ugla/udaje-se-direktorka-partizana-snezana-filipovic-postaje-gospodja-borjan/116555

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