Mijo Caktaš (born 8 May 1992) is a Croatian professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for TFF First League club Kocaelispor.
.jpg) Caktaš with Hajduk Split | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 8 May 1992 | ||
| Place of birth | Split, Croatia | ||
| Height | 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Attacking midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Kocaelispor | ||
| Number | 11 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Dugopolje | |||
| 2004–2007 | Omladinac Vranjic | ||
| 2007–2008 | Dugopolje | ||
| 2009–2011 | Hajduk Split | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2008–2009 | Dugopolje | 21 | (1) |
| 2011–2016 | Hajduk Split | 95 | (27) |
| 2011–2012 | → Dugopolje (loan) | 14 | (4) |
| 2016–2018 | Rubin Kazan | 38 | (5) |
| 2018–2021 | Hajduk Split | 90 | (54) |
| 2021–2022 | Damac | 16 | (4) |
| 2022–2024 | Osijek | 59 | (20) |
| 2024 | Sivasspor | 13 | (1) |
| 2024– | Kocaelispor | 2 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2010 | Croatia U19 | 2 | (0) |
| 2012–2013 | Croatia U20 | 4 | (1) |
| 2012–2014 | Croatia U21 | 5 | (0) |
| 2019 | Croatia | 1 | (0) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18 August 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 16 June 2020 | |||
Club career
editA native of Dugopolje, Mijo Caktaš started training with his hometown club NK Dugopolje, moving to the "NK Omladinac Vranjic" youth team when he was 14. After two seasons there he returned to Dugopolje, debuting for the senior team in the 2008–09 season of the Treća HNL South, at only 16 years old, he drew the attention of Hajduk Split scouts.[1]
Hajduk
editHe was integrated in the Hajduk U19 team the following season. In summer 2011, he was sent to Dugopolje on loan, and his performances in the autumn Druga HNL leader earned him a call back to the Hajduk first team. In February 2012, he signed a four-and-a-half-year contract with the club. He made his debut for the first team in a 1–1 draw against Istra 1961 on 25 February 2012.[2] The following month, he scored his first goal in Prva HNL in a 3–0 win against Rijeka and also provided two assists for Ante Vukušić.[3] In the next game, he scored the only goal in a 1–0 victory over Cibalia.[4]
In the 2012/13 season, Caktaš had an explosion of form as he became a main member of the first team at Poljud. He scored nine goals and assisted six more in 30 league games. The 2013/14 season started similarly well, with the player scoring two in his first seven games, but suffered a cruciate ligament rupture in round 5 and didn't return until the closing phase of the season, making just three more appearances that season.
With a full pre-season, Mijo Caktaš returned stronger than ever for the 2014-15 season. Good performances followed and the player captained his side for the first time against RNK Split in a round 9 encounter. Caktaš finished the season with 11 goals in 42 games.
Caktaš scored four goals in the Europa League Qualifiers in the 2015/16 season as Hajduk bowed out to Slovan Liberec in the final qualifying round. After good early performances in the league as well, Caktaš was handed an improved contract on 21 September 2015, ending in mid-2018.[5]
Rubin Kazan
editOn 21 January 2016 he was transferred to Rubin Kazan for €1m. He signed a contract until 2019. In January 2018, Caktaš terminated his contract with Rubin Kazan due to the non-payment of wages.[6] Rubin disputed his decision to terminate his contract and entered legal proceedings against the player. In total, Caktaš made 38 appearances for the club over two years, scoring five goals and making six assists.
Return to Hajduk
editAfter terminating his contract with Rubin, Caktaš returned to Hajduk, signing a three-and-a-half-year deal.[7] In July 2018, he made his 150th Hajduk appearance in a 1-0 win over PFC Slavia Sofia.[8]
Caktaš finished the 2018-19 season as the league's top-scorer with 19 goals, and as the second best scorer of all midfielders in Europe, just behind Sporting's Bruno Fernandes that scored 20.[9] He also won the Sportske novosti Yellow Shirt award for the best player in the league that season.
He maintained the goalscoring form in the following season, netting 20 matches in 32 games, just like the Rijeka striker Antonio Čolak who won the top scorer award due to a smaller play-time.
Damac FC and NK Osijek
editAfter being sidelined for half a season in 2020-21, on 17 July 2021, Caktaš signed a two year long contract with Damac FC.[10] The contract was terminated after just 6 months, having scored 4 goals in 16 games.[11] On 21 January 2022, it was confirmed that Caktaš would continue his career in NK Osijek.[12]
Sivasspor
editOn 7 February 2024, Caktaš signed a 1.5-year contract with the Turkish club Sivasspor.[13]
International career
editIn August 2015, he received a first call-up for the senior national team for the Euro 2016 qualifying matches against Azerbaijan and Norway, but remained an unused substitute in both matches.[14]
On 27 May 2019, Croatian manager Zlatko Dalić activated Caktaš's stand-by call up for matches against Wales and Tunisia.[15] He debuted in the friendly against Tunisia.
Career statistics
edit- As of match played 28 August 2023
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Dugopolje | 2008–09 | Croatian Third Football League | 21 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 21 | 1 | ||
| 2011–12 | Croatian Second Football League | 14 | 4 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 14 | 4 | |||
| Total | 35 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 5 | ||
| Hajduk Split | 2011–12 | Croatian First Football League | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 11 | 2 | ||
| 2012–13 | 30 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 4[b] | 0 | – | 42 | 10 | |||
| 2013–14 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4[b] | 1 | 1[c] | 1 | 11 | 3 | ||
| 2014–15 | 31 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 6[b] | 2 | – | 42 | 11 | |||
| 2015–16 | 17 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 8[b] | 4 | – | 28 | 10 | |||
| Total | 95 | 27 | 16 | 1 | 22 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 134 | 36 | ||
| Rubin Kazan | 2015–16 | Russian Premier League | 11 | 1 | – | – | – | 11 | 1 | |||
| 2016–17 | 17 | 2 | 4 | 0 | – | – | 21 | 2 | ||||
| 2017–18 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 10 | 2 | ||||
| Total | 38 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 5 | ||
| Hajduk Split | 2017–18 | Croatian First Football League | 13 | 6 | 2 | 0 | – | – | 15 | 6 | ||
| 2018–19 | 28 | 19 | 2 | 0 | 4[b] | 2 | – | 34 | 21 | |||
| 2019–20 | 32 | 20 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 33 | 20 | |||
| 2020–21 | 17 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 2[b] | 1 | – | 20 | 12 | |||
| Hajduk Split total | 185 | 81 | 22 | 3 | 28 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 236 | 95 | ||
| Damac | 2021–22 | Saudi Pro League | 16 | 4 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 17 | 4 | ||
| Osijek | 2021–22 | Croatian First Football League | 13 | 5 | 1 | 1 | – | – | 14 | 6 | ||
| 2022–23 | 29 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 2[d] | 0 | – | 34 | 9 | |||
| 2023–24 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 4[d] | 1 | – | 9 | 8 | |||
| Total | 47 | 20 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 57 | 23 | ||
| Career total | 319 | 113 | 30 | 5 | 35 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 385 | 130 | ||
- ^ Includes Croatian Cup, Russian Cup, King Cup
- ^ a b c d e f Appearances in UEFA Europa League
- ^ Appearance in Croatian Football Super Cup
- ^ a b Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League
Honours
editHajduk Split
Individual
- Croatian First League Top Scorer: 2018–19
- Sportske novosti Yellow Shirt award: 2018–19
References
edit- ^ Alfirević, Slaven (6 February 2012). "Caktaš: Potpisao sam, važno je igrat pa će sve drugo doć samo od sebe!". Slobodna Dalmacija (in Croatian). Retrieved 19 March 2012.
- ^ Jurišić, Bernard (25 February 2012). "Vukušić spasio bod Hajduku protiv Istre". Sportnet.hr (in Croatian). Retrieved 19 March 2012.
- ^ Filipović, Vedran (21 March 2012). "Hajduku uvjerljiv trijumf na Kantridi". Sportnet.hr (in Croatian). Retrieved 25 March 2012.
- ^ Jurišić, Bernard (25 March 2012). "Caktaš donio nove bodove Hajduku". Sportnet.hr (in Croatian). Retrieved 25 March 2012.
- ^ "Mijo Caktaš potpisao novi ugovor do ljeta 2018. Godine".
- ^ "Prodali su ga za milijun eura, a on se sad besplatno vratio na Poljud". tportal.hr. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
- ^ "Mijo Caktas back in Hajduk!". hajduk.hr (in Croatian). Retrieved 26 January 2018.
- ^ "Mijo Caktaš upisao 150. službeni nastup za Hajduk". hajduk.hr (in Croatian). Retrieved 27 July 2018.
- ^ "Mijo Caktaš top HT First League goalscorer!". hajduk.hr (in Croatian). Retrieved 5 June 2019.
- ^ Karlo Propadalo. "Mijo Caktaš karijeru nastavlja u Saudijskoj Arabiji". nogometplus (in Croatian). nogometplus. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
- ^ "Bivši kapetan Hajduka raskinuo s klubom nakon 16 odigranih utakmica: 'Okrećem novu stranicu'". sportske novosti. Jutarnji. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
- ^ "Mijo Caktaš novi igrač NK Osijek!". Nogometni klub Osijek Official Website. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
- ^ "Mijo Caktas EMS Yapı Sivasspor'umuzda" [Mijo Caktas is in our EMS Yapı Sivasspor] (in Turkish). Sivasspor. 7 February 2024. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
- ^ "Mijo Caktas, Lovre Kalinic to make Croatia squad for Euro 2016 qualifiers". internationalsoccerteams.com. 20 August 2015. Archived from the original on 29 May 2017. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
- ^ "Mijo Caktaš i službeno pozvan u reprezentaciju Hrvatske". dalmatinskiportal.hr. 27 May 2019. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
External links
edit- Mijo Caktaš at the Croatian Football Federation
- Mijo Caktaš at hajduk.hr
- Mijo Caktaš at Soccerway
- Mijo Caktaš at National-Football-Teams.com