Erik Janža

Slovenian footballer

Erik Janža
Janža with Górnik Zabrze in 2023
Personal information
Date of birth (1993-06-21) 21 June 1993 (age 31)
Place of birth Murska Sobota, Slovenia[1]
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)[2]
Position(s) Left-back
Team information
Current team
 Górnik Zabrze
Number 64
Youth career
Puconci[3]
2007–2012 Mura 05
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010–2013 Mura 05 76 (1)
2013–2015 Domžale 66 (4)
2015–2016 Maribor 33 (0)
2017–2018 Viktoria Plzeň 3 (0)
2017–2018 → Pafos (loan) 33 (2)
2018–2019 Osijek 19 (0)
2019– Górnik Zabrze 151 (3)
International career‡
2009 Slovenia U16 1 (0)
2010 Slovenia U18 4 (0)
2011–2012 Slovenia U19 18 (1)
2011–2013 Slovenia U20 3 (0)
2013–2014 Slovenia U21 9 (0)
2014– Slovenia 13 (3)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 4 June 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 25 June 2024

Erik Janža (born 21 June 1993) is a Slovenian professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Górnik Zabrze, which he captains, and the Slovenia national team.

Club career

Janža started his senior career with Mura 05 in 2010. With Mura 05, he reached the play-off round of the 2012–13 UEFA Europa League, where the club were eliminated by Lazio.[4] In January 2013, he joined Domžale,[5] followed by Maribor in January 2015,[6] with whom he won both the Slovenian League and Slovenian Cup titles.[2]

In January 2017, Janža moved abroad to join Czech side Viktoria Plzeň,[7] and was subsequently loaned out to Cypriot club Pafos.[8] In July 2018, he transferred to Croatian side Osijek.[9]

On 28 June 2019, he signed a two-year contract with Polish Ekstraklasa club Górnik Zabrze.[10] On 21 November 2021, he scored his first goal for the club in a 3–2 win over Legia Warszawa.[11] He became the club's captain ahead of the 2022–23 season. On 15 June 2024, Janža extended his contract with Górnik Zabrze until 2026.[12]

International career

Janža represented Slovenia at youth international levels from under-16 to under-21.

He made his debut for the senior national team on 18 November 2014, in a 1–0 friendly defeat against Colombia.[13] On 14 October 2023, he scored his first international goal in a 3–0 victory over Finland during the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying.[14]

On 7 June 2024, he was selected in the 26-man squad for the UEFA Euro 2024.[15] In the opening match, Janža scored the equalizer in a 1–1 draw against Denmark, which was Slovenia's first goal at the European Championship since their last participation 24 years ago.[16]

Career statistics

International

Scores and results list Slovenia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Janža goal.[17]
List of international goals scored by Erik Janža
No. Date Venue Cap Opponent Score Result Competition
1 14 October 2023 Stožice Stadium, Ljubljana, Slovenia 4  Finland 3–0 3–0 UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying
2 17 November 2023 Parken Stadium, Copenhagen, Denmark 6  Denmark 1–1 1–2 UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying
3 16 June 2024 MHPArena, Stuttgart, Germany 11  Denmark 1–1 1–1 UEFA Euro 2024

Honours

Maribor

References

  1. ^ "#5 Erik Janža". FC Viktoria Plzeň. Archived from the original on 28 March 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d "Slovenia – E. Janža – Soccerway". Soccerway. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
  3. ^ "Mitja Lotrič - Murin nogometni dragulj, ki si ga želi pol Evrope". pomurec.com (in Slovenian). 4 May 2011. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
  4. ^ Virag, Gregor (14 April 2020). "Avgust 2012: Lazio ter velik uspeh "evropske" Mure". Sportklub (in Slovenian). Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  5. ^ "Domžale so bile najbolj poštene" (in Slovenian). Nogomania. 1 February 2013. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  6. ^ Viškovič, Rok (9 January 2015). "Erik Janža: najprej reprezentanca, zdaj še Maribor" (in Slovenian). Siol. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  7. ^ "Erik Janža: Jsem šťastný, že jsem ve Viktorii" (in Czech). FC Viktoria Plzeň. 4 January 2017. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  8. ^ "Erik Janža bude hostovat na Kypru" (in Czech). FC Viktoria Plzeň. 13 July 2017. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  9. ^ "10 stvari koje trebaš znati: Erik Janža" (in Croatian). NK Osijek. 31 July 2018. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  10. ^ "Erik Janża piłkarzem Górnika!" (in Polish). Górnik Zabrze. 28 June 2019. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  11. ^ "Górnik Zabrze – Legia Warszawa 3:2, 21.11.2021". Łączy nas piłka (in Polish). 21 November 2021. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  12. ^ "Erik Janża zostaje w Zabrzu!" (in Polish). Górnik Zabrze. 15 June 2024. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  13. ^ Plestenjak, Rok (19 November 2014). "Ko ti tvoj sostanovalec prepreči, da bi debitiral za reprezentanco" (in Slovenian). Siol. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  14. ^ Rijavec, Matej (15 October 2023). "Nepričakovani strelec z golom navdušil mamo in soigralce na Poljskem" (in Slovenian). RTV Slovenija. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  15. ^ "Kek izbral šestindvajseterico za Evropsko prvenstvo" [Kek selected twenty-six players for the European Championship] (in Slovenian). Football Association of Slovenia. 7 June 2024. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  16. ^ "Erik Janža je zabil prvi slovenski gol na Euru: 'Igramo lahko proti vsakemu, ampak o evforiji ni govora'" (in Slovenian). Nogomania. 16 June 2024. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  17. ^ "Erik Janža, international football player". eu-football.info. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
  • Erik Janža at NZS (in Slovene)
  • Erik Janža at Soccerway
  • v
  • t
  • e
Górnik Zabrze – current squad
  • v
  • t
  • e
Slovenia squad – UEFA Euro 2024
Slovenia