Nikola Vasilj

Nikola Vasilj

Vasilj with Bosnia and Herzegovina U21 in 2014
Personal information
Date of birth	(1995-12-02) 2 December 1995 (age 29)
Place of birth	Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Height	1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)[1]
Position(s)	Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team	FC St. Pauli
Number	22
Youth career
	HNK Međugorje
2010–2013	Zrinjski Mostar
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2013–2017	Zrinjski Mostar	17	(0)
2014–2015	→ Igman Konjic (loan)	24	(0)
2015–2016	→ Branitelj (loan)	13	(0)
2017–2019	1. FC Nürnberg II	42	(0)
2019–2021	Zorya Luhansk	20	(0)
2021–	FC St. Pauli	110	(0)
International career^‡
2013–2014	Bosnia and Herzegovina U21	3	(0)
2021–	Bosnia and Herzegovina	14	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21 December 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 16 November 2024

Nikola Vasilj (pronounced [nǐkola ʋǎsiʎ]; born 2 December 1995) is a Bosnian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Bundesliga club FC St. Pauli and the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team.

Vasilj started his professional career at Zrinjski Mostar, who loaned him to Igman Konjic in 2014 and to Branitelj in 2015. In 2017, he joined 1. FC Nürnberg II. Two years later, he moved to Zorya Luhansk. He signed with FC St. Pauli in 2021.

A former youth international for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Vasilj made his senior international debut in 2021, earning 14 caps since.

Club career

Early career

Vasilj started playing football at a local club, before joining the youth academy of his hometown team Zrinjski Mostar in 2010.^[2] He made his professional debut against Željezničar on 10 April 2013 at the age of 17.^[3] In July 2014, he was sent on a season-long loan to Igman Konjic.^[4] In July 2015, he was loaned to Branitelj until the end of the season.^[5]

In July 2017, Vasilj signed with German side 1. FC Nürnberg.^[6]

In July 2019, he joined Ukrainian outfit Zorya Luhansk.^[7]

FC St. Pauli

In May 2021, Vasilj moved to FC St. Pauli on a three-year deal.^[8] He made his official debut for the team on 25 July against Holstein Kiel and kept a clean sheet.^[9]

In January 2024, he signed a new long-term contract with the squad.^[10]

Vasilj was an important piece in FC St. Pauli's conquest of the 2. Bundesliga title, his first trophy with the club, which was sealed on 19 May and earned them promotion to the Bundesliga.^[11]

He played his 100th game for the side against FC Augsburg on 15 September.^[12]

International career

Vasilj was a member of the Bosnia and Herzegovina under-21 team under coach Vlado Jagodić.^[13]

In March 2021, he received his first senior call-up, for 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Finland and France and a friendly game against Costa Rica.^[14] He debuted against Costa Rica on 27 March.^[15]

Personal life

Vasilj's father Vladimir was also a goalkeeper, as is his younger brother Filip.^[16]

He married his long-time girlfriend Sara in May 2021.^[17]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 21 December 2024^[18]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National cup[a]		Continental		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Zrinjski Mostar	2012–13	Bosnian Premier League	10	0	0	0	–		10	0
	2013–14	Bosnian Premier League	2	0	1	0	0	0	3	0
	2015–16	Bosnian Premier League	4	0	–		–		4	0
	2016–17	Bosnian Premier League	1	0	4	0	0	0	5	0
	Total		17	0	5	0	0	0	22	0
Igman Konjic (loan)	2014–15	First League of the FBiH	24	0	1	0	–		25	0
Branitelj (loan)	2015–16	First League of the FBiH	13	0	–		–		13	0
1. FC Nürnberg II	2017–18	Regionalliga Bayern	15	0	–		–		15	0
	2018–19	Regionalliga Bayern	27	0	–		–		27	0
	Total		42	0	–		–		42	0
Zorya Luhansk	2019–20	Ukrainian Premier League	4	0	0	0	0	0	4	0
	2020–21	Ukrainian Premier League	16	0	3	0	2[b]	0	21	0
	Total		20	0	3	0	2	0	25	0
FC St. Pauli	2021–22	2. Bundesliga	33	0	0	0	–		33	0
	2022–23	2. Bundesliga	28	0	1	0	–		29	0
	2023–24	2. Bundesliga	34	0	0	0	–		34	0
	2024–25	Bundesliga	15	0	2	0	–		17	0
	Total		110	0	3	0	–		113	0
Career total			226	0	12	0	2	0	240	0

1. Includes Bosnian Cup, Ukrainian Cup, DFB-Pokal
2. Appearances in UEFA Europa League

International

As of match played 16 November 2024^[19]

Appearances and goals by national team and year

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Bosnia and Herzegovina
	2021	4	0
	2022	2	0
	2023	2	0
	2024	6	0
Total		14	0

Honours

Zrinjski Mostar^[18]

• Bosnian Premier League: 2013–14, 2015–16

FC St. Pauli^[18]

• 2. Bundesliga: 2023–24

References

1. "Nikola Vasilj". fcstpauli.com (in German). Retrieved 1 January 2022.
2. "Vasilj: Uskoro ću otkriti zašto je Vinko Marinović nekorektan prema mom sinu Nikoli". sportske.ba (in Bosnian). 18 August 2016. Retrieved 18 August 2016.
3. "Teška povreda Zolotića, Zrinjskom bod na Grbavici". sportsport.ba (in Bosnian). 10 April 2013. Retrieved 11 April 2013.
4. "Igman se pojačava". sportsport.ba (in Bosnian). 19 July 2014. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
5. "Branitelj počeo sa pripremama, brojni odlasci i dolasci". sportsport.ba (in Bosnian). 5 July 2015. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
6. "Nikola Vasilj potpisao za Nürnberg". oslobodjenje.ba (in Bosnian). 1 July 2017. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
7. "Bivši golman Zrinjskog karijeru nastavlja u Ukrajini". sportsport.ba (in Bosnian). 16 July 2019. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
8. "Nikola Vasilj karijeru nastavlja u Njemačkoj". faktor.ba (in Bosnian). 24 May 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
9. "St. Pauli sigurnom pobjedom otvorio sezonu, uspješan debi Vasilja". sportsport.ba (in Bosnian). 25 July 2021. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
10. "Nikola Vasilj produžio saradnju sa St. Paulijem, direktor i trener ga posebno hvalili". reprezentacija.ba (in Bosnian). 24 January 2024. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
11. "Bh. reprezentativac i njegov St. Pauli prvi put osvojili 2. Bundesligu, navijači uletjeli na teren". n1info.ba (in Bosnian). 19 May 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
12. "Nikola Vasilj branio 100. utakmicu za St. Pauli". reprezentacija.ba (in Bosnian). 15 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
13. "Nikola Vasilj: Naravno da imam reprezentativne ambicije a ukrajinska liga jača je nego ljudi misle". sportsport.ba (in Bosnian). 22 July 2020. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
14. "Petev objavio spisak za martovske utakmice, jedno novo ime". avaz.ba (in Bosnian). 11 March 2021. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
15. "BiH i dalje bez pobjede: Remi sa Kostarikom na Bilinom Polju". sportske.ba (in Bosnian). 27 March 2021. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
16. "Vratarska obitelj Vasilj: Filip ponajbolji vratar Prve lige, kuca na vrata mlade reprezentacije". hercegovina.info (in Croatian). 9 September 2019. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
17. "U Čitluku se oženio golman Zmajeva Nikola Vasilj". klix.ba (in Bosnian). 27 May 2021. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
18. "N. Vasilj". soccerway.com. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
19. "Nikola Vasilj". eu-football.info. Retrieved 17 November 2024.

External links

• Nikola Vasilj at National-Football-Teams.com
• Nikola Vasilj – UEFA competition record (archive)