Nikola Soldo
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 25 January 2001 | ||
| Place of birth | Stuttgart, Germany | ||
| Height | 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2006–2010 | Dinamo Zagreb | ||
| 2010–2011 | Lokomotiva Zagreb | ||
| 2011–2013 | Zagreb | ||
| 2013–2014 | HAŠK | ||
| 2014–2015 | Tekstilac Ravnice | ||
| 2015–2019 | Inter Zaprešić | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2019–2021 | Inter Zaprešić | 55 | (3) |
| 2021–2022 | Lokomotiva Zagreb | 37 | (2) |
| 2022–2025 | 1. FC Köln | 7 | (0) |
| 2023–2024 | → 1. FC Kaiserslautern (loan) | 15 | (0) |
| 2024–2025 | 1. FC Köln II | 16 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2019 | Croatia U18 | 3 | (0) |
| 2019–2020 | Croatia U19 | 3 | (0) |
| 2023 | Croatia U20 | 2 | (0) |
| 2021–2023 | Croatia U21 | 10 | (1) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 7 April 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 7 June 2023 | |||
Nikola Soldo (born 25 January 2001) is a Croatian professional footballer who plays as a defender.
Club career
[edit]He began his career in the Dinamo Zagreb youth system, joining the club in 2008 during his father Zvonimir's managerial spell with the first team.[1] He was recognized as a promising talent, even before his teenage years.[2] He bounced around with several clubs before settling at Inter Zaprešić in 2015.
Soldo made his professional debut on 16 August 2019 as a member of the starting lineup during a 2–1 loss to Dinamo Zagreb.[3] Three months later, he scored his first goal in the final minutes of a defeat to Rijeka.[4]
On 15 June 2021, Soldo joined Lokomotiva Zagreb.[5]
On 1 September 2022, the last day of the German transfer window, Soldo was transferred to Bundesliga club 1. FC Köln. He signed a contract until 2025 with the club.[6]
On 16 August 2023, Soldo moved on loan to 1. FC Kaiserslautern in 2. Bundesliga.[7]
On 18 February 2025, Soldo's contract with Köln was terminated by mutual consent.[8]
Personal life
[edit]His father Zvonimir was a long-time member of the Croatia national team, notably playing at the UEFA Euro 1996, and the 1998 and 2002 FIFA World Cups.[3] At the club level, he played with Dinamo Zagreb, Zadar and Inter Zaprešić in his native country before finishing his career with a ten-year spell at VfB Stuttgart. Nikola was born in Stuttgart in 2001, midway through his father's fifth season in Germany.
His older brothers, Matija and Filip, are footballers as well, with Filip currently representing Inter Zaprešić.[3]
Career statistics
[edit]Club
[edit]- As of 7 April 2025[9]
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Inter Zaprešić | 2019–20 | Prva HNL | 27 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 28 | 1 | |
| 2020–21 | Prva NL | 28 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | 29 | 2 | ||
| Total | 55 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 57 | 3 | ||
| Lokomotiva Zagreb | 2021–22 | Prva HNL | 31 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | 33 | 2 | |
| 2022–23 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 6 | 0 | |||
| Total | 37 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 2 | ||
| Köln | 2022–23 | Bundesliga | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| Kaiserslautern (loan) | 2023–24 | 2. Bundesliga | 15 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 17 | 0 | |
| Köln II | 2024–25 | Regionalliga | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 16 | 0 | |
| Career total | 117 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 140 | 5 | ||
References
[edit]- ^ "Nikola Soldo: Bit ću bolji nogometaš od tate Zvone" (in Croatian). 24sata. 13 February 2008. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
- ^ Groninger, Detlef (21 May 2012). "Soldos Sohn ragt bei Mini Masters heraus" (in German). Südwest Presse. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
- ^ a b c Mrvec, Damir (19 August 2019). "Tata me savjetuje, vozi na treninge, volio bih ponoviti njegov uspjeh" (in Croatian). Večernji list. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
- ^ "Rijeka nadigrala Inter, Osijek do pobjede u 94. minuti" (in Croatian). HRT Sport. 24 November 2019. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
- ^ "Nikola Soldo novi je igrač Lokomotive". nklokomotiva.hr (in Croatian). 11 June 2021. Retrieved 7 April 2025.
- ^ "FC verpflichtet Nikola Soldo". 1. FC Köln (in German). Retrieved 2 September 2022.
- ^ "FCK LEIHT NIKOLA SOLDO VOM 1. FC KÖLN AUS" [FCK LOANS NIKOLA SOLDO FROM 1. FC KÖLN] (in German). 1. FC Kaiserslautern. 16 August 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
- ^ "FC und Nikola Soldo lösen Vertrag auf" [FC and Nikola Soldo terminate contract] (in German). 1. FC Köln. 18 February 2025. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
- ^ Nikola Soldo at Soccerway
External links
[edit]- Nikola Soldo at Soccerway.com
- Nikola Soldo at WorldFootball.net
- Nikola Soldo at kicker (in German)
- Nikola Soldo at FBref.com
- Nikola Soldo at the Croatian Football Federation
- 2001 births
- Living people
- Footballers from Stuttgart
- Men's association football defenders
- Croatian men's footballers
- Croatia men's youth international footballers
- Croatia men's under-21 international footballers
- NK Inter Zaprešić players
- NK Lokomotiva Zagreb players
- 1. FC Köln players
- 1. FC Kaiserslautern players
- 1. FC Köln II players
- First Football League (Croatia) players
- Croatian Football League players
- Bundesliga players
- 2. Bundesliga players
- Regionalliga players
- Croatian expatriate men's footballers
- Expatriate men's footballers in Germany
- Croatian expatriate sportspeople in Germany
- 21st-century Croatian sportsmen