Handball playerQatariMontenegrinMedalist

Goran Stojanović

Goran Stojanović is a Montenegrin-Qatari handball goalkeeper who played in Europe and Qatar, winning a World Championship silver and multiple Asian titles with Qatar.

1. Overview

Goran Stojanović (Горан СтојановићGoran StojanovićSerbian, غوران ستويانوفيتشGuran StuyanuvishArabic), born on February 24, 1977, is a Montenegrin-Qatari handball player who primarily plays as a goalkeeper. Standing at 6.3 ft (1.92 m), his extensive career spans various clubs across Yugoslavia, Switzerland, Germany, and Qatar, culminating in his current affiliation with Al Rayyan. Stojanović holds dual nationality, having represented both the Montenegro and Qatar national teams, achieving significant success on the international stage, including a silver medal at the World Championship and multiple gold medals at the Asian Championship and Asian Games with Qatar.

2. Early Life and Career

2.1. Birth and Early Life

Goran Stojanović was born on February 24, 1977, in Bar, a coastal town in Montenegro, which was then part of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

2.2. Youth Career

Stojanović began his handball journey in his hometown, joining the youth team of Mornar Bar. This period marked the formative stages of his development as a goalkeeper, laying the foundation for his professional career.

3. Club Career

Stojanović's club career saw him play for numerous teams across different leagues in Europe before moving to Qatar.

3.1. Early Clubs and European League Activity

After starting his professional career with the senior team of Mornar Bar, Stojanović continued to play for several clubs within the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (later Serbia and Montenegro), including Epoksid Priboj, Crvena zvezda from 2000 to 2002, and Lovćen (also known as RK Lovćen Cetinje) from 2002 to 2004. With Lovćen, he notably won the Serbia and Montenegro Handball Cup in the 2002-03 season.

In 2004, Stojanović moved abroad for the first time, joining Grasshopper Club Zürich in the Swiss National League A, where he played for one year. His career then took him to Germany in 2005, where he entered the German Bundesliga with VfL Pfullingen for the 2005-2006 season. After a year, he transferred to VfL Gummersbach in 2006, establishing himself as a key goalkeeper for five years until 2011. During his tenure with VfL Gummersbach, he achieved significant European success, winning the EHF Cup in the 2008-09 season and consecutive EHF Cup Winners' Cup titles in 2009-10 and 2010-11.

In 2011, Stojanović moved to another prominent Bundesliga club, Rhein-Neckar Löwen. While playing for Rhein-Neckar Löwen, he contributed to the team's success, including another EHF Cup victory in the 2012-13 season. However, in 2013, he sustained a knee injury, which briefly impacted his playing time.

3.2. Qatar League Activity

Following his extensive career in Europe, Stojanović moved to Qatar. On June 30, 2014, he signed a three-year contract with El Jaish SC in the Qatar Handball League. He played for El Jaish from 2014 to 2017, during which he helped the team secure the Asian Club League Handball Championship title in 2014. After a period away, he later joined Al Rayyan in 2022, where he continues his club career.

4. International Career

Stojanović's international career is marked by his representation for three different national teams: Serbia and Montenegro, Montenegro, and Qatar.

4.1. Serbia and Montenegro and Montenegro National Teams

Stojanović first represented the national handball team of Yugoslavia (later known as Serbia and Montenegro) in 2003, making 10 appearances. Following Montenegro's independence, he chose to represent his birth country, becoming a goalkeeper for the Montenegro national team. He played in 43 international matches for Montenegro, including the nation's debut appearance in a major tournament at the 2008 European Championship and participating in the qualifiers for the 2012 European Men's Handball Championship.

4.2. Qatar National Team

In late 2013, Stojanović accepted a request to become a naturalized citizen of Qatar, allowing him to represent the Qatar national handball team. This move was significant as Qatar was preparing to host the 2015 World Men's Handball Championship.

He made his debut for Qatar in January 2014 at the Asian Handball Championship held in Manama, Bahrain. Qatar emerged victorious in the tournament, defeating the host nation Bahrain in the final. Later that year, in September, Stojanović participated in the 2014 Asian Games held in Incheon, South Korea. The Qatari team won all their matches, securing the gold medal by defeating host South Korea in the final.

Stojanović was a crucial member of the Qatar team that achieved a historic silver medal at the 2015 World Championship, held in Qatar. He continued his success with Qatar, helping them win the 2016 Asian Championship and subsequently participating in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. His international career with Qatar also includes another gold medal at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta-Palembang.

Stojanović in 2007
Stojanović in 2007

5. Achievements and Awards

Goran Stojanović has accumulated numerous honors throughout his club and international career.

5.1. Club Honours

  • Serbia and Montenegro Handball Cup:
    • Winner: 2002-03 (with Lovćen)
  • EHF Cup:
    • Winner: 2008-09 (with VfL Gummersbach), 2012-13 (with Rhein-Neckar Löwen)
  • EHF Cup Winners' Cup:
    • Winner: 2009-10, 2010-11 (with VfL Gummersbach)
  • Asian Club League Handball Championship:
    • Winner: 2014 (with El Jaish)

5.2. International Honours

  • World Championship:
    • Silver Medal: 2015 Qatar (with Qatar)
  • Asian Championship:
    • Gold Medal: 2014 Bahrain, 2016 Bahrain (with Qatar)
  • Asian Games:
    • Gold Medal: 2014 Incheon, 2018 Jakarta-Palembang (with Qatar)