1. Playing Career
Ivica Olić's playing career spanned over two decades, during which he became known for his tireless work rate, strong attacking presence, and ability to score in high-stakes matches. He played for several clubs in Croatia, Russia, and Germany, achieving significant success both domestically and in European competitions.
1.1. Club Career
Olić's club career began in his native Croatia before taking him to Germany and Russia, where he achieved his greatest successes.
1.1.1. Early Croatian Clubs
Olić was born and raised in the village of Davor, near Slavonski Brod, Croatia. He began his football journey at the local club NK Marsonia in 1996, spending two successful seasons there. In 1998, he was acquired by German club Hertha BSC, but he saw limited playing time, making only two appearances for the first team and 30 for the reserve team, scoring 10 goals. He returned to Marsonia in 1999, helping them earn promotion to the top flight after winning the Croatian Second League. During the 2000-01 season, he had another successful spell at Marsonia, scoring 17 goals in 29 games.
In 2001, Olić moved to NK Zagreb on loan, where he scored 21 goals in 28 appearances, playing a crucial role in helping his team win the Croatian First League. The following season, he transferred to Dinamo Zagreb, where he continued his impressive goal-scoring form with 16 goals in 27 games, solidifying his reputation as the best striker in the Croatian First League. With Dinamo Zagreb, he also won the Croatian First League in 2002-03 and the Croatian Football Super Cup in 2003.
1.1.2. CSKA Moscow
In 2003, Olić made a significant move to Russian club CSKA Moscow. His form gradually improved, and by the 2005 season, he contributed ten goals in 20 games. During his tenure with CSKA Moscow, he achieved considerable success, winning the UEFA Cup in 2005, the Russian Premier League three times (in 2003, 2005, and 2006), the Russian Cup twice (in 2005 and 2006), and the Russian Super Cup twice (2004 and 2006). Following the UEFA Cup victory, Olić was awarded the Order of Friendship by the Russian Federation.
1.1.3. Hamburger SV
In January 2007, Olić transferred to Hamburger SV, making his Bundesliga debut against Energie Cottbus on 31 January. He was signed during a difficult period for Hamburg, who were in the relegation zone before the winter break. His arrival proved instrumental as Hamburg recovered to finish seventh, securing a spot in the UEFA Intertoto Cup, which they subsequently won. He scored two goals in the final match of the 2006-07 Bundesliga season against Alemannia Aachen in a 4-0 victory. In October 2007, Olić scored a hat-trick in a Bundesliga match against VfB Stuttgart, which Hamburg won 4-1. This achievement made him the first player in the club's history to score three successive goals in one half.
Olić was highly effective in securing the 2008 Emirates Cup for Hamburg, scoring two injury-time goals against Juventus that propelled the team to an unassailable lead due to the tournament's points-for-goals system. He became a fan favorite at Hamburg due to his unwavering commitment and consistent work rate on the pitch. In his final game for the club, he wore a T-shirt with the words "Danke fans" ("Thank you, fans") as a farewell gesture.
1.1.4. Bayern Munich
On 3 January 2009, Olić signed a three-year contract with Bundesliga rivals Bayern Munich, joining the club on a free transfer on 1 July 2009. Initially brought in as a backup to players like Miroslav Klose and Mario Gómez, Olić quickly became a preferred starter due to injuries and fitness issues among his teammates. On his Bayern debut on 8 August, he scored the opening goal against 1899 Hoffenheim in a 1-1 draw, quickly endearing himself to the Bayern fans.
He reached new heights in the 2009-10 UEFA Champions League, scoring a crucial injury-time goal in the quarter-final first leg against Manchester United, giving Bayern a narrow 2-1 lead. He also scored the first goal in the second leg, which Bayern lost 3-2 but advanced on away goals. On 27 April 2010, Olić scored his first hat-trick for Bayern against Lyon in the Champions League semi-final second leg, scoring with his left foot, right foot, and head. This victory secured Bayern's place in the final against Internazionale, which they ultimately lost 2-0.
In the 2011-12 UEFA Champions League, he scored a brace in a 2-0 win against Marseille in the quarter-finals on 3 April 2012. Olić played his final game for Bayern in the 2012 UEFA Champions League Final against Chelsea, coming on as a 97th-minute substitute for the injured Franck Ribéry. Bayern lost the game in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw in extra time, with Olić missing the team's fourth penalty.
1.1.5. VfL Wolfsburg
Olić joined VfL Wolfsburg at the start of the 2012-13 season. He scored his first Bundesliga goal for Wolfsburg against Greuther Fürth and followed it with another against Fortuna Düsseldorf. He began the season with a hat-trick against Schönberg 95 in the 2012-13 DFB-Pokal. He scored another goal in the DFB-Pokal quarter-final against Kickers Offenbach on 26 February 2013, helping Wolfsburg reach the semi-finals. In March 2013, he scored an "acrobatic overhead kick" as part of a brace in a 5-2 win against SC Freiburg. He finished the season as the club's first-choice striker, with 15 goals and 6 assists. On 24 April 2014, Olić signed a new two-year deal with Wolfsburg. In the opening match of the 2014-15 Bundesliga season, he scored a spectacular goal against his former club, Bayern Munich.
1.1.6. Later Career
Olić returned to Hamburger SV on 30 January 2015, signing an 18-month contract. He was initially given kit number 8, but later reclaimed number 11, which he had worn during his first spell at Hamburg and also at Bayern and Wolfsburg. His return stint at Hamburg lasted until the end of the 2015-16 season.
On 26 July 2016, Olić signed a one-year deal with 2. Bundesliga side 1860 Munich. He played 30 league matches and scored 5 goals for the club. On 25 June 2017, Olić announced his retirement from professional football, though he later clarified that he would continue playing if a suitable offer arose. However, he did not sign with another club and effectively concluded his playing career.
1.2. International Career
Olić had a distinguished international career, representing the Croatia national team for over a decade and participating in multiple major tournaments.
1.2.1. National Team Debut and Early Tournaments
Olić was a member of the Croatia national team at the 2002 FIFA World Cup, where he played in two games. He scored a significant equalizing goal against Italy in a 2-1 victory for Croatia. After scoring, Olić famously revealed a picture of his newborn child under his jersey, struggling to put his shirt back on in the excitement of the celebration. He also played three games for Croatia at UEFA Euro 2004 and two games at the 2006 FIFA World Cup. In September 2006, Olić was temporarily dropped from the Croatian squad for a Euro 2008 qualifying match due to a late-night partying incident with teammates Darijo Srna and Boško Balaban.
1.2.2. Major Tournaments and Key Matches
Olić was named man of the match in the final qualifier of their group, where Croatia defeated England 3-2 at Wembley Stadium, a result that prevented England from qualifying for the tournament. He was included in Croatia's 23-man squad for the final tournament and scored in their second Group B match against pre-tournament favorites Germany, contributing to a surprising 2-1 victory for the Croats.
He was recalled for the 2010 World Cup qualifiers, contributing three goals in eight games, but Croatia narrowly missed out on a play-off spot. Olić suffered an injury in a friendly match against Norway, which unfortunately led to his last-moment absence from UEFA Euro 2012. On 22 March 2013, Olić scored his first international goal since November 2011 and assisted Mario Mandžukić in a qualifier for the 2014 FIFA World Cup against Serbia. In the opening game of the finals on 12 June, his left-wing cross led to the first goal of the tournament, an own goal deflected into the net by Marcelo of Brazil. In the second group game against Cameroon on 18 June, Olić opened the scoring in the 11th minute in an eventual 4-0 win. This goal marked his first World Cup goal in 12 years, a gap only previously matched by Denmark's Michael Laudrup, and made him his country's oldest World Cup goal-scorer.
1.2.3. Centenary Cap and Retirement
On 16 November 2014, in a Euro 2016 qualifying match against Italy at the San Siro, Olić earned his 100th cap in a 1-1 draw. His final international appearance was an October 2015 European Championship qualification match away against Malta. On 2 March 2016, Olić officially retired from international football, announcing his decision in an open letter to the public. He concluded his international career with 20 goals in 104 appearances for Croatia.
2. Managerial Career
After retiring as a player, Ivica Olić transitioned into football management, primarily serving as an assistant coach for the Croatian national team.
2.1. Croatia National Team Assistant Coach
On 23 October 2017, Olić was appointed as an assistant coach to the newly appointed Croatia head coach Zlatko Dalić. His first assignment was ahead of a World Cup qualifier against Greece. In this role, he contributed to the team's historic achievement of reaching the 2018 FIFA World Cup Final, where they finished as runners-up. He also helped the team qualify for UEFA Euro 2020. He briefly interrupted his tenure with the national team to take on a head coaching role at his former club, CSKA Moscow, but later returned to Dalić's staff for the UEFA Euro 2020 tournament and subsequently helped Croatia achieve a third-place finish at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
2.2. CSKA Moscow Head Coach
In late March 2021, reports emerged about Olić succeeding Viktor Goncharenko as head coach of his former club, CSKA Moscow. These rumors were confirmed by Croatia head coach Dalić. The appointment was made official on 23 March 2021. The move was met with some skepticism due to Olić's limited experience in a head coaching role. Contrary to initial rumors, Miloš Krasić and Elvir Rahimić were not hired as assistant coaches; instead, Ilija Aračić, Aleksei Berezutski, and Dmitry Kramarenko joined his coaching staff.
Olić made his head coaching debut on 4 April 2021, securing a 2-1 league victory over Tambov. After two more consecutive victories, Olić suffered his first defeat in his fourth match, a 2-1 loss to Sochi on 18 April. On 25 April, he experienced his third consecutive defeat, a 1-0 loss to Spartak Moscow in his first Main Moscow derby, a match where CSKA's Ilzat Akhmetov received a red card in the 37th minute. After losing 3-2 to Dynamo Moscow on 16 May, Olić finished the season in sixth place, which meant CSKA missed out on European competitions for the first time in 20 years. He was unexpectedly sacked on 15 June 2021, after only two months in charge, and was succeeded by Berezutski. Following his departure from CSKA, Olić returned to Zlatko Dalić's coaching staff for the upcoming UEFA Euro 2020 tournament.
3. Personal Life
Ivica Olić is married to Natalie, and together they have two sons, Luka and Antonio, and a daughter, Lara. Unlike many of his football counterparts, Olić prefers to maintain a low media profile and generally leads a quiet private life.
4. Statistics
This section provides comprehensive statistical data for Ivica Olić's playing and managerial careers.
4.1. Club Career Statistics
| Club | Season | League | National cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Marsonia | 1996-97 | Prva HNL | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 9 | 0 | ||
| 1997-98 | Druga HNL | 24 | 9 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 25 | 9 | |||
| 1998-99 | Treća HNL | 9 | 8 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 10 | 8 | |||
| Total | 42 | 17 | 2 | 0 | - | - | 44 | 17 | ||||
| Hertha BSC | 1998-99 | Bundesliga | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 3 | 0 | ||
| Hertha BSC II | 1998-99 | NOFV-Oberliga | 15 | 9 | - | - | - | 15 | 9 | |||
| 1999-2000 | Regionalliga - Süd | 15 | 1 | - | - | - | 15 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 30 | 10 | 0 | 0 | - | 30 | 10 | |||||
| Marsonia | 1999-2000 | Druga HNL | 13 | 4 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 13 | 4 | ||
| 2000-01 | Prva HNL | 29 | 17 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 29 | 17 | |||
| Total | 42 | 21 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 43 | 21 | ||||
| NK Zagreb (loan) | 2001-02 | Prva HNL | 28 | 21 | 2 | 0 | - | - | 30 | 23 | ||
| Dinamo Zagreb | 2002-03 | Prva HNL | 27 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 34 | 20 |
| CSKA Moscow | 2003 | Russian Premier League | 10 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | 12 | 8 | |
| 2004 | 24 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 43 | 10 | ||
| 2005 | 20 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | 25 | 11 | |||
| 2006 | 24 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 38 | 14 | ||
| Total | 78 | 35 | 15 | 5 | 23 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 118 | 43 | ||
| Hamburger SV | 2006-07 | Bundesliga | 15 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 15 | 5 | |
| 2007-08 | 32 | 14 | 4 | 2 | 14 | 2 | - | 50 | 18 | |||
| 2008-09 | 31 | 10 | 5 | 6 | 14 | 9 | - | 50 | 25 | |||
| Total | 78 | 29 | 9 | 8 | 28 | 11 | - | 115 | 48 | |||
| Bayern Munich | 2009-10 | Bundesliga | 29 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 7 | - | 41 | 19 | |
| 2010-11 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 0 | ||
| 2011-12 | 20 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 2 | - | 29 | 4 | |||
| Total | 55 | 13 | 7 | 1 | 17 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 80 | 23 | ||
| VfL Wolfsburg | 2012-13 | Bundesliga | 32 | 9 | 5 | 4 | - | - | 37 | 13 | ||
| 2013-14 | 32 | 14 | 5 | 1 | - | - | 37 | 15 | ||||
| 2014-15 | 14 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | - | 20 | 5 | |||
| Total | 78 | 28 | 11 | 5 | 5 | 0 | - | 94 | 33 | |||
| Hamburger SV | 2014-15 | Bundesliga | 16 | 2 | 0 | 0 | - | 2 | 0 | 18 | 2 | |
| 2015-16 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 10 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 25 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | 2 | 0 | 28 | 3 | |||
| 1860 Munich | 2016-17 | 2. Bundesliga | 30 | 5 | 1 | 0 | - | 2 | 0 | 33 | 5 | |
| Career total | 515 | 197 | 51 | 21 | 77 | 26 | 8 | 0 | 651 | 244 | ||
4.2. International Career Statistics
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Croatia | 2002 | 9 | 2 |
| 2003 | 9 | 2 | |
| 2004 | 10 | 2 | |
| 2005 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2006 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2007 | 8 | 3 | |
| 2008 | 12 | 2 | |
| 2009 | 6 | 2 | |
| 2010 | 5 | 1 | |
| 2011 | 3 | 1 | |
| 2012 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 9 | 1 | |
| 2014 | 11 | 3 | |
| 2015 | 4 | 1 | |
| Total | 104 | 20 | |
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 17 April 2002 | Maksimir Stadium, Zagreb, Croatia | 3 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1-0 | 2-0 | Friendly |
| 2 | 8 June 2002 | Kashima Soccer Stadium, Kashima, Japan | 5 | Italy | 1-1 | 2-1 | 2002 FIFA World Cup |
| 3 | 30 April 2003 | Råsunda Stadium, Stockholm, Sweden | 12 | Sweden | 1-0 | 2-1 | Friendly |
| 4 | 11 October 2003 | Maksimir Stadium, Zagreb, Croatia | 17 | Bulgaria | 1-0 | 1-0 | UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying |
| 5 | 29 May 2004 | Kantrida Stadium, Rijeka, Croatia | 22 | Slovakia | 1-0 | 1-0 | Friendly |
| 6 | 5 June 2004 | Parken Stadium, Copenhagen, Denmark | 23 | Denmark | 2-0 | 2-1 | Friendly |
| 7 | 16 October 2007 | Kantrida Stadium, Rijeka, Croatia | 48 | Slovakia | 1-0 | 3-0 | Friendly |
| 8 | 3-0 | ||||||
| 9 | 21 November 2007 | Wembley Stadium, London, England | 50 | England | 2-0 | 3-2 | UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying |
| 10 | 12 June 2008 | Hypo-Arena, Klagenfurt, Austria | 56 | Germany | 2-0 | 2-1 | UEFA Euro 2008 |
| 11 | 15 October 2008 | Maksimir Stadium, Zagreb, Croatia | 62 | Andorra | 2-0 | 4-0 | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 12 | 12 August 2009 | Dinamo Stadium, Minsk, Belarus | 65 | Belarus | 1-0 | 3-1 | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 13 | 3-1 | ||||||
| 14 | 3 September 2010 | Skonto Stadium, Riga, Latvia | 71 | Latvia | 2-0 | 3-0 | UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying |
| 15 | 11 November 2011 | Türk Telekom Arena, Istanbul, Turkey | 75 | Turkey | 1-0 | 3-0 | UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying |
| 16 | 22 March 2013 | Stadion Maksimir, Zagreb, Croatia | 82 | Serbia | 2-0 | 2-0 | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 17 | 5 March 2014 | AFG Arena, St. Gallen, Switzerland | 90 | Switzerland | 1-1 | 2-2 | Friendly |
| 18 | 2-2 | ||||||
| 19 | 18 June 2014 | Arena da Amazônia, Manaus, Brazil | 94 | Cameroon | 1-0 | 4-0 | 2014 FIFA World Cup |
| 20 | 28 March 2015 | Stadion Maksimir, Zagreb, Croatia | 101 | Norway | 3-0 | 5-1 | UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying |
4.3. Managerial Statistics
| Team | From | To | Record | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Games managed | Games won | Games drawn | Games lost | Goals for | Goals against | Goal difference | Winning percentage | |||
| CSKA Moscow | 23 March 2021 | 15 June 2021 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 13 | 13 | 0 | 44.44 |
| Career totals | 9 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 13 | 13 | 0 | 44.44 | ||
5. Honours
Ivica Olić received numerous team trophies and individual accolades throughout his distinguished playing career and also achieved success as an assistant manager.
5.1. Player Honours
Olić's playing career was marked by significant club and individual achievements.
5.1.1. Club Honours
- Hertha BSC II
- NOFV-Oberliga: 1998-99
- Marsonia
- Croatian Second League: 1999-2000
- NK Zagreb
- Croatian First League: 2001-02
- Dinamo Zagreb
- Croatian First League: 2002-03
- Croatian Super Cup: 2003
- CSKA Moscow
- Russian Premier League: 2003, 2005, 2006
- Russian Cup: 2004-05, 2005-06
- Russian Super Cup: 2004, 2006
- UEFA Cup: 2004-05
- Hamburger SV
- UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2007
- Bayern Munich
- Bundesliga: 2009-10
- DFB-Pokal: 2009-10
- DFL-Supercup: 2010
- UEFA Champions League runner-up: 2009-10, 2011-12
5.1.2. Individual Honours
- Croatian Football Hope of the Year: 2001
- SN Yellow Shirt Award: 2002, 2003
- Prva HNL Player of the Year: 2002
- Croatian First League top scorer: 2001-02, 2002-03
- Bundesliga Player of the Month: October 2007
- ARD Goal of the Month: November 2008, March 2013
- DFB Pokal Top scorer: 2008-09
- Croatian Footballer of the Year: 2009, 2010
5.2. Assistant Manager Honours
- Croatia
- FIFA World Cup runner-up: 2018
- FIFA World Cup third place: 2022
5.3. State Decorations
- Order of Friendship by Russia: 2005
- Order of Danica Hrvatska with face of Franjo Bučar: 2018
- Order of the Croatian Trefoil: 2018
- Order of the Croatian Interlace: 2018