Igor Budan

{{short description|Croatian footballer (born 1980)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Igor Budan | image = Igor Budan.JPG | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1980|4|22}} | birth_place = Rijeka, SFR Yugoslavia | height = 1.85 m | position = Forward | currentclub = | years1 = 1997–1999 | caps1 = 33 | goals1 = 3 | clubs1 = Rijeka | years2 = 1999–2002 | caps2 = 19 | goals2 = 2 | clubs2 = Venezia | years3 = 2000–2001 | caps3 = 5 | goals3 = 1 | clubs3 = → Empoli (loan) | years4 = 2001 | caps4 = 1 | goals4 = 0 | clubs4 = → Bellinzona (loan) | years5 = 2002–2003 | caps5 = 0 | goals5 = 0 | clubs5 = Palermo | years6 = 2002–2003 | caps6 = 7 | goals6 = 1 | clubs6 = → Venezia (loan) | years7 = 2003 | caps7 = 15 | goals7 = 3 | clubs7 = → Ancona (loan) | years8 = 2003–2006 | caps8 = 51 | goals8 = 16 | clubs8 = Atalanta | years9 = 2006 | caps9 = 11 | goals9 = 4 | clubs9 = → Ascoli (loan) | years10 = 2006–2008 | caps10 = 50 | goals10 = 20 | clubs10 = Parma | years11 = 2008–2013 | caps11 = 63 | goals11 = 12 | clubs11 = Palermo | years12 = 2010–2011 | caps12 = 17 | goals12 = 1 | clubs12 = → Cesena (loan) | years13 = 2013 | caps13 = 2 | goals13 = 0 | clubs13 = → Atalanta (loan) | totalcaps = 274 | totalgoals = 63 | nationalyears1 = 1998–1999 | nationalcaps1 = 8 | nationalgoals1 = 0 | nationalteam1 = Croatia U-18<ref name=HNZ>{{cite web|url=http://www.hns-cff.hr/?ln=hr&w=statistike&repka=A&id=116250|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120917053648/http://www.hns-cff.hr/?ln=hr&w=statistike&repka=A&id=116250|title=HNS &#124; CFF :. Statistike - Nastupi: Igor Budan|archive-date=17 September 2012|publisher=Croatian Football Federation (HNS)|language=hr}}</ref> | nationalyears2 = 1999 | nationalcaps2 = 4 | nationalgoals2 = 0 | nationalteam2 = Croatia U-20<ref name=HNZ/> | nationalyears3 = 2007–2008 | nationalcaps3 = 6 | nationalgoals3 = 0 | nationalteam3 = Croatia<ref name=HNZ/> }}

'''Igor Budan''' (born 22 April 1980) is a Croatian former professional footballer who played as a forward. He also represented the Croatia national football team at UEFA Euro 2008. Since leaving hometown club NK Rijeka, Budan spent most of the rest of his career playing for football clubs across Italy.

==Club career==

===Early career=== Budan played for his native NK Rijeka for two seasons before moving to Italy in 1999. At that time Serie A imposed non-EU quota per team that each team could be used in the field. Budan spent 2000–01 season with Empoli as well as Swiss club Bellinzona (in Italian speaking region of Switzerland) in order to free the quota for other players. Budan was one of the players transferred to Palermo from Venezia in 2002. The ex-owner of Venezia, Maurizio Zamparini, had bought Palermo in July 2002.

===Atalanta=== He spent two very good seasons between 2003 and 2005 with Atalanta, where he was a regular. Atalanta excised the option to sign Budan in June 2004 but Palermo also excised the counter-option,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://palermocalcio.it/it/0304/news/scheda.php?id=1804|title=IL PALERMO ESERCITA LA CONTRO-OPZIONE, BUDAN TORNA IN ROSANERO|date=24 June 2004|access-date=13 July 2013|publisher=US Città di Palermo|language=it}}</ref> however, the loan later extended. Atalanta signed Budan in co-ownership deal in summer 2005 for €1 million.<ref>US Città di Palermo Report and Accounts on 30 June 2006 {{in lang|it}}</ref> Along with Adriano, they were part of the deal of Stephen Makinwa.

===Parma=== The co-ownership deal with Atalanta being terminated in June 2006 for €1 million,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://palermocalcio.it/it/0506/news/scheda.jsp?id=5443|title=Ceduti Gasbarroni e Modesto, riscattato Budan, alle buste Bovo, Virga e Raimondi|date=20 June 2006|access-date=13 July 2013|publisher=US Città di Palermo|language=it}}</ref><ref name=Palermo2007bilancio/> Budan was then loaned to Parma F.C. with a co-ownership option (€1.25 million),<ref name=Palermo2007bilancio>US Città di Palermo Report and Accounts on 30 June 2007 {{in lang|it}}</ref> That season Palermo signed Mark Bresciano (€2.5 million) and Fábio Simplício (€4.6 million); Budan and Maurizio Ciaramitaro were the possible alternative compensation other than cash in the deals to Parma. Parma excised the option in June 2007<ref>{{cite news|url=http://palermocalcio.it/it/0607/news/scheda.php?id=7249|title=Esercitate le opzioni su Andrea Bovo e Budan|date=21 June 2007|access-date=13 July 2013|publisher=US Città di Palermo|language=it}}</ref> and bought Davide Matteini (50% for €900,00) and Francesco Parravicini (€950,000 to Palermo and €950,000 to Fiorentina)<ref name=Palermo2008bilancio>US Città di Palermo Report and Accounts on 30 June 2008 {{in lang|it}}</ref> Budan scored a lesser goal in 2007–08 Serie A but with a better goal per game, Palermo bought back Budan for €4.5 million from relegated Parma in June 2008.<ref name=Palermo2009bilancio/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://palermocalcio.it/it/0708/news/scheda.php?id=9040|title=Riscattati Bovo, Budan, Çani e Di Matteo. Biava al Genoa, rinnovata la comproprietà di Matteini |date=19 June 2008|access-date=10 March 2014|work=palermocalcio.it|publisher=US Città di Palermo|language=it}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://palermocalcio.it/it/0809/news/scheda.php?id=9777|title=DICHIARAZIONE DI ZAMPARINI|date=2 September 2008|access-date=13 July 2013|work=palermocalcio.it|publisher=US Città di Palermo|language=it|archive-date=7 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131007042613/http://palermocalcio.it/it/0809/news/scheda.php?id=9777|url-status=dead}}</ref> Budan also signed a new five-year contract.<ref name=Palermo2009bilancio>US Città di Palermo Report and Accounts on 30 June 2009 {{in lang|it}}</ref>

===Return to Palermo=== At Palermo, Budan opportunities to play were limited in the first season because of knee injuries and a surgery on his left knee.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://palermocalcio.it/it/0809/news/scheda.php?id=12329|title=COMUNICAZIONE SULLE CONDIZIONI FISICHE DI IGOR BUDAN |date=4 December 2008|access-date=13 July 2013|publisher=US Città di Palermo|language=it}}</ref>

However, he was confirmed to the Palermo squad for the 2009–10 season, and he started the new season by coming on as a substitute in the first two league games, against Napoli and Fiorentina. In the third game of the 2009–10 season, Budan scored his first goal for Palermo, a late injury-time equalizer in a 1–1 home tie against Bari. His new season with Palermo was then later stopped by another serious knee injury that kept him out of action for the remained of the tournament.

On 31 August 2010, he was loaned out to newly promoted Serie A club Cesena until the end of the season.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.ilpalermocalcio.it/it/0910/news_scheda.jsp?id=21438 |publisher=US Città di Palermo |language=it |access-date=31 August 2010 |date=31 August 2010 |title=MOVIMENTI IN USCITA DEL PALERMO |archive-date=3 September 2010 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20100903005238/http://www.ilpalermocalcio.it/it/0910/news_scheda.jsp?id=21438 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He returned to Palermo by the end of the season and remained in Sicily due to the club failing to find a team for him. Initially kept off the first team squad, he was subsequently re-included due to an injury crisis and featured in a number of league games under head coach Devis Mangia, and then gaining a starting lineup spot under new boss Bortolo Mutti. His improved condition, together with the sale of Mauricio Pinilla to Cagliari, turned him into a starter and gave him the opportunity to play more continuously; he scored his first goal of the season on 22 January 2012, netting the 1–1 equalizer in a 5–3 home win against Genoa, that was followed by him scoring both goals in a 2–0 victory against Novara one week later. During 2011–12 season Budan also extended his contract with the club to 30 June 2015.<ref>US Città di Palermo SpA Report and Accounts on 30 June 2012 {{in lang|it}}</ref>

In January 2013 he moved on loan to Atalanta.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://palermocalcio.it/it/1213/news/scheda.php?id=27919 |publisher=US Città di Palermo |language=it |access-date=21 January 2013 |date=21 January 2013 |title=BUDAN CEDUTO ALL'ATALANTA |archive-date=22 January 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130122213658/http://palermocalcio.it/it/1213/news/scheda.php?id=27919 |url-status=dead }}</ref> After his loan expired, Budan confirmed his retirement in June 2013.

==International career== Budan was capped for the Croatian U-18 team at the 1998 UEFA European Under-18 Football Championship (now U-19 event) and the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship (now FIFA U-20 World Cup). Budan also played in 1999 UEFA European Under-18 Football Championship qualification.

On 7 February 2007, Budan made his international debut for Croatia in a 2–1 friendly win against Norway, coming on as a 62nd-minute substitute for Boško Balaban.<ref>[http://www.sportsline.com/soccer/story/9981392 Croatia beats Norway 2–1 in international friendly]{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} ''AP News'', 7 February 2007</ref>

Budan was selected for Croatia's Euro 2008 campaign, where he came on as a substitute in the second half against Austria. This would be Budan's final cap for Croatia.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://eu-football.info/_player.php?id=2822|title=Player Database|accessdate=25 June 2022|website=EU-football}}</ref>

==Post-playing career==

After his retirement, Budan returned to Palermo with his family and successively confirmed he was about to join the ''rosanero'' staff as a team manager starting from the 2013–14 season, accepting an offer from president Maurizio Zamparini who had already regularly stated this intention in the past.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://palermo.repubblica.it/cronaca/2013/07/17/news/la_nuova_vita_di_budan_io_padre_felice_e_manager-63162079/ |publisher=La Repubblica Palermo |language=it |access-date=17 July 2013 |date=17 July 2013 |title=La nuova vita di Budan "Io, padre felice e manager" |trans-title=Budan's new life "I, happy father and manager"}}</ref>

He left Palermo after one season to pursue a career as a director of football, accepting an offer to work as Guido Angelozzi's deputy at Serie B club Spezia.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.calciomercato.com/news/palemo-ufficiale-budan-va-allo-spezia-813596 |publisher=Calciomercato.com |language=it |access-date=14 October 2014 |date=8 July 2014 |title=Palemo, UFFICIALE: Budan va allo Spezia}}</ref> In July 2015 he was promoted as director of football,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.speziacalcio.com/news/igor-budan-il-nuovo-direttore-sportivo-dello-spezia-calcio.12283.html |publisher=Spezia Calcio |language=it |access-date=16 October 2023 |date=9 July 2015 |title=IGOR BUDAN È IL NUOVO DIRETTORE SPORTIVO DELLO SPEZIA CALCIO}}</ref> but on 17 November 2015, he relinquished his role as director of football for personal reasons.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.speziacalcio.com/news/spezia-calcio-avanti-tutti-insieme.13162.html |publisher=Spezia Calcio |language=it |access-date=16 October 2023 |date=17 November 2015 |title=SPEZIA CALCIO: AVANTI TUTTI INSIEME!}}</ref>

==Career statistics== ===Club=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition<ref name="Igor Budan HNL statistics">{{cite news|url=https://hrnogomet.com/hnl/igrac.php?id=1229&lang=en&stranica=1|title=Igor Budan HNL statistics |publisher=hrnogomet.com |access-date= 2 November 2018}}</ref>{{citation needed|date=January 2025}} |- !rowspan="2"|Club !rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|Cup !colspan="2"|Europe !colspan="2"|Total |- !Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals |- |rowspan="3"|HNK Rijeka |1997–98 |rowspan="2"|Prva HNL |10||2||0||0||colspan="2"|–||10||2 |- |1998–99 |23||1||2||1||colspan="2"|–||25||2 |- !colspan="2"|Total !33!!3!!2!!1!!0!!0!!35!!4 |- |rowspan="4"|Venezia |1999–2000 |Serie A |16||2||4||0||colspan="2"|–||20||2 |- |2001–02 |Serie A |3||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||3||0 |- |2002–03 |Serie B |7||1||0||0||colspan="2"|–||7||1 |- !colspan="2"|Total !26!!3!!4!!0!!0!!0!!30!!3 |- |Empoli (loan) |2000–01 |Serie B |5||1||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||5||1 |- |Bellinzona (loan) |2000–01 |Nationalliga B |1||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||1||0 |- |Palermo |2002–03 |Serie A |0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|–||0||0 |- |Ancona (loan) |2002–03 |Serie B |15||3||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||15||3 |- |rowspan="4"|Atalanta |2003–04 |Serie B |23||11||0||0||colspan="2"|–||23||11 |- |2004–05 |Serie A |28||5||4||1||colspan="2"|–||32||6 |- |2005–06 |Serie B |8||0||1||0||colspan="2"|–||9||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !59!!16!!5!!1!!0!!0!!64!!17 |- |Ascoli (loan) |2005–06 |Serie A |11||4||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||11||4 |- |rowspan="3"|Parma |2006–07 |rowspan="2"|Serie A |35||13||0||0||3||3||38||16 |- |2007–08 |15||7||1||0||colspan="2"|–||16||7 |- !colspan="2"|Total !50!!20!!1!!0!!3!!3!!54!!23 |- |rowspan="6"|Palermo |2008–09 |rowspan="5"|Serie A |5||0||0||0||colspan="2"|–||5||0 |- |2009–10 |30||5||1||2||colspan="2"|–||31||7 |- |2010–11 |0||0||colspan="2"|–||0||0||0||0 |- |2011–12 |22||6||1||0||colspan="2"|–||23||6 |- |2012–13 |6||1||1||0||colspan="2"|–||7||1 |- !colspan="2"|Total !63!!12!!3!!2!!0!!0!!66!!14 |- |Cesena (loan) |2010–11 |Serie A |17||1||0||0||colspan="2"|–||17||1 |- |Atalanta (loan) |2012–13 |Serie A |2||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||2||0 |- !colspan="3"|Career total !274!!63!!15!!4!!3!!3!!292!!70 |}

===International === {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+ Appearances and goals by national team and year<ref>{{cite web |title=Igor Budan |url=https://hns-cff.hr/players/116250/igor-budan/ |website=Hrvatski nogometni savez}}</ref> |- !National team!!Year!!Apps!!Goals |- |rowspan="2"|Croatia |2007||3||0 |- |2008||3||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total!!6!!0 |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{FIFA player|194165}} * {{NFT player|17232}} * [http://www.legaseriea.it/it/serie-a-tim/calciatore?p_p_id=BDC_dettaglio_calciatore_WAR_LegaCalcioBDC&p_p_lifecycle=0&p_p_state=normal&p_p_mode=view&p_p_col_id=column-1&p_p_col_pos=1&p_p_col_count=2&_BDC_dettaglio_calciatore_WAR_LegaCalcioBDC_idPersona=16445 Lega Serie A profile (data by Panini Digital)] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130713045731/http://www.legaseriea.it/it/serie-a-tim/calciatore?p_p_id=BDC_dettaglio_calciatore_WAR_LegaCalcioBDC&p_p_lifecycle=0&p_p_state=normal&p_p_mode=view&p_p_col_id=column-1&p_p_col_pos=1&p_p_col_count=2&_BDC_dettaglio_calciatore_WAR_LegaCalcioBDC_idPersona=16445 |date=13 July 2013 }} {{in lang|it}}

{{Croatia Squad 2008 Euro Cup}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Budan, Igor}} Category:1980 births Category:Living people Category:Footballers from Rijeka Category:Men's association football forwards Category:Croatian men's footballers Category:Croatia men's youth international footballers Category:Croatia men's international footballers Category:UEFA Euro 2008 players Category:HNK Rijeka players Category:Venezia FC players Category:Empoli FC players Category:AC Bellinzona players Category:Palermo FC players Category:AC Ancona players Category:Atalanta BC players Category:Ascoli Calcio 1898 FC players Category:Parma Calcio 1913 players Category:AC Cesena players Category:Croatian Football League players Category:Serie A players Category:Serie B players Category:Challenge League (Switzerland) players Category:Croatian expatriate men's footballers Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Italy Category:Croatian expatriate sportspeople in Italy Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Switzerland Category:Croatian expatriate sportspeople in Switzerland Category:21st-century Croatian sportsmen