Hrvoje Čale (born 4 March 1985) is a Croatian former professional footballer who played as a left-back.

Hrvoje Čale
Personal information
Date of birth (1985-03-04) 4 March 1985 (age 39)
Place of birth Zagreb, SR Croatia, Yugoslavia
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Left-back
Youth career
1994–2003 Dinamo Zagreb
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2003–2008 Dinamo Zagreb 83 (4)
2004–2005Inter Zaprešić (loan) 13 (0)
2008–2011 Trabzonspor 79 (1)
2011–2013 VfL Wolfsburg 1 (0)
2013–2015 Waasland-Beveren 47 (0)
2015–2016 Olimpija Ljubljana 13 (0)
2017 Inter Zaprešić 7 (0)
International career
2000–2006 Croatia U21 14 (0)
2009–2010 Croatia 5 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

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Čale began his career at age nine in the youth ranks of Dinamo Zagreb.[1] He made his break into the first team in 2003. However, he was mostly used as a substitute when starters were injured. After his loan to Inter Zaprešić in 2004–05, Čale became a starter for Dinamo, where he played until the end of the 2007–08 season.

In May 2008, Čale was transferred to Trabzonspor for a fee of €2.5 million. He signed a four-year contract. Before the move, Čale called Davor Vugrinec and asked him about his experience with the club. Vugrinec talked very positively about the club, which Čale said contributed to his decision.[1] He became Trabzonspor's 68th foreigner, and the second Croatian, after Davor Vugrinec.[2]

In his first season with Trabzonspor, Čale participated in 36 total matches and cemented his place as the starting left-back.[3] Čale was the starting left-back for the Turkish Cup winning side in 2010,[4] and also started in the 2010 Turkish Super Cup final against league champions Bursaspor. Čale received a yellow card in a three nil victory for the Black Sea-based Trabzonspor.[5]

On 19 July 2011, Čale's contract with Trabzonspor was terminated by mutual consent.[6][7]

Čale moved to Bundesliga side VfL Wolfsburg but failed to become regular first team member. After almost two seasons of struggling, Čale finally left Wolfsburg in May 2013 and signed for Belgian club Waasland-Beveren.

After two seasons for Waasland-Beveren, he left Belgium and signed for Olimpija Ljubljana. He left Ljubljana after only one season in summer of 2016. On 15 February 2017, after being free agent for more than half season he signed with Inter Zaprešić for the rest of the season.[8]

International career

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Čale represented Croatia at youth level. He made his senior international debut in a friendly victory against Romania on 11 February 2009 and earned a total of 5 caps, scoring no goals. His final international was a May 2010 friendly away against Estonia.[9]

Honours

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Dinamo Zagreb

Trabzonspor

Olimpija

References

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  1. ^ a b Tozar, Türker (1 August 2008). "Hrvoje Cale: "Baskı altında oynamaya alışkınım"" (in Turkish). tff.org. Retrieved 9 July 2013.
  2. ^ "Cale Trabzon'un 68. yabancısı" (in Turkish). sporx.com. Archived from the original on 4 January 2013. Retrieved 12 July 2010.
  3. ^ "HRVOJE CALE" (in Turkish). tff.org. Retrieved 9 July 2013.
  4. ^ "Hrvoje Čale i Drago Gabrić pobjednici Kupa Turske!" (in Croatian). jutarnji.hr. Archived from the original on 26 July 2011. Retrieved 10 August 2010.
  5. ^ "'Trio'filo!" (in Turkish). ligtv.com.tr. Retrieved 9 July 2013.
  6. ^ "Trabzonspor'da Cale defteri kapandı" (in Turkish). Ntvspor.net. 19 July 2011. Retrieved 21 July 2011.
  7. ^ "Profesyonel Futbolcu Hrvoje Cale'nin Sözleşmesinin Karşılıklı Olarak Fesih Edilmesi". Trabzonspor (in Turkish). Turkish Public Disclosure System (KAP). 19 July 2011. Retrieved 23 September 2011.
  8. ^ "Inter doveo bivšeg hrvatskog reprezentativca Hrvoja Čalu..." (in Croatian). 24sata.hr. 15 February 2017. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
  9. ^ "Player Database". EU-football. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
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