Teddy Lučić

Teddy Mark Šime Lučić (Swedish pronunciation: [ˈtɛdʏ ˈlʊt͡ɕɪt͡ɕ], Croatian: [lûːt͡ʃit͡ɕ]; born 15 April 1973 in Biskopsgården, Gothenburg) is a Swedish footballer and manager who currently manages KF Velebit in Division 4. He plays as a centre-back.^[2]

Lučić made his debut for Sweden in 1995, and competed at three FIFA World Cups and two European Championships, earning a total of 86 caps.

Early years

Lučić was born on 15 April 1973 in Biskopsgården, Gothenburg to Croatian father, Krešimir, and Finnish mother, Annis. His father Krešimir was also a football player. In 1966, Krešimir moved to Sweden where he played football. In 1971, his father was offered to play for Halmstads BK but declined because he thought he was too old, at age 27.^[3] The Lučić family decided to live in Sweden but visited Croatia and Finland often.

As a boy, Lučić attended the Bjurslätt School in Hisingen, which is only 500 meters from where BK Häcken have their exercise equipment. Due to his parents' heritage, Lučić had Yugoslavian passport rather than a Swedish one, which prevented him from playing in the Swedish Junior Team.^[3]

Club career

Sweden

He began playing for Lundby IF as an 18-year-old for whom he played 44 times in the Swedish league and scored 10 goals from fullback. He moved to Västra Frölunda IF in 1993 for a two-year spell in which he played 68 matches. In 1996 he moved on to IFK Göteborg, landing the Swedish championship in his first season.

Bologna

Lučić went abroad to Italy upon leaving IFK Göteborg in 1998. However, he found his opportunities limited at his new club and consequently made just nine league appearances in the Serie A in a two-year spell.^[4]

AIK Fotboll

Lučić returned to Sweden in 2000, signing for AIK Fotboll. He made 58 appearances and scored four times. He left the club in 2003 to move to Germany.

Leeds United

Lučić's period at AIK Fotboll was broken up by a loan spell at English club Leeds United, starting in 2002.^[5] During his time in England, he made a total of 17 league appearances and scored one goal, in a 3–2 defeat at Chelsea in January 2003.^[6] His loan spell ended in 2003 after Leeds decided not to sign him on a permanent deal. AIK had offered Lučić to a number of clubs.^[7]

Bayer Leverkusen

Lučić signed for Bayer Leverkusen directly from Leeds in May 2003.^[8] In two years between 2003 and 2005 he played 11 times for the club.

Return to Sweden

Lučić went back to Sweden for a second time to sign for BK Häcken, where he made 70 appearances and scored 8 goals. In 2008, Lučić moved again to the ninth club of his career, IF Elfsborg where he was a regular in the starting eleven until the end of his career.^[9] After IF Elfsborgs last game of the season, on 7 November 2010, Lucic officially ended his career as a player.^[10][11]

International career

Lučić played 86 times for the Swedish national team, mostly as a full back. He was handed his debut against Brazil in June 1995.^[12]

Since 2004, he played as centre back. Lučić played in Euro 2004, and the 2002 and 2006 World Cups (in 1994 he was unused substitute having been called up to replace Jan Eriksson).^[13] Against Germany, in what turned out to be Sweden's final 2006 World Cup match, he was given two yellow cards by Brazilian referee Carlos Eugênio Simon, and sent off in the 35th minute.^[14]

Statistics

^[15]

^[16]

Personal life

Due to his multinational background, Lučić had the option to play for two other countries—his mother is Finnish and his father Croatian. He is fluent in Croatian and also speaks some Finnish. He has a summer cottage in Lappeenranta, Finland, and is a fan of Lappeenranta-based first division football team Rakuunat and ice hockey team SaiPa.^[17]

References

External links

• Teddy Lučić at Leverkusen who's who
• Teddy Lučić at National-Football-Teams.com

Sweden squads
Sweden squad – 1994 FIFA World Cup Third Place 1 Ravelli 2 R. Nilsson 3 P. Andersson 4 Björklund 5 Ljung 6 Schwarz 7 Larsson 8 Ingesson 9 Thern (c) 10 Dahlin 11 Brolin 12 Eriksson 13 M. Nilsson 14 Kåmark 15 Lučić 16 Limpar 17 Rehn 18 Mild 19 K. Andersson 20 Erlingmark 21 Blomqvist 22 Hedman Coach: Svensson Sweden squad – UEFA Euro 2000 1 Hedman 2 Nilsson 3 P. Andersson (c) 4 Björklund 5 Lučić 6 Sundgren 7 Mild 8 Gustafsson 9 Ljungberg 10 Pettersson 11 Alexandersson 12 Kihlstedt 13 Svensson 14 Mellberg 15 D. Andersson 16 A. Andersson 17 Mjällby 18 Osmanovski 19 K. Andersson 20 Larsson 21 Allbäck 22 Asper Coach: Lagerbäck & Söderberg Sweden squad – 2002 FIFA World Cup 1 Hedman 2 Mellberg 3 P. Andersson 4 Mjällby (c) 5 Michael Svensson 6 Linderoth 7 Alexandersson 8 A. Svensson 9 Ljungberg 10 Allbäck 11 Larsson 12 Kihlstedt 13 Antonelius 14 Edman 15 Jakobsson 16 Lučić 17 Magnus Svensson 18 Jonson 19 Farnerud 20 D. Andersson 21 Ibrahimović 22 A. Andersson 23 Isaksson Coach: Lagerbäck & Söderberg Sweden squad – UEFA Euro 2004 1 Isaksson 2 Lučić 3 Mellberg (c) 4 Mjällby 5 Edman 6 Linderoth 7 Nilsson 8 Svensson 9 Ljungberg 10 Ibrahimović 11 Larsson 12 Hedman 13 Hansson 14 Östlund 15 Jakobsson 16 Källström 17 Andersson 18 Jonson 19 Farnerud 20 Allbäck 21 Wilhelmsson 22 Wahlstedt 23 Kihlstedt Coach: Lagerbäck & Söderberg Sweden squad – 2006 FIFA World Cup 1 Isaksson 2 Nilsson 3 Mellberg (c) 4 Lučić 5 Edman 6 Linderoth 7 Alexandersson 8 A. Svensson 9 Ljungberg 10 Ibrahimović 11 Larsson 12 Alvbåge 13 Hansson 14 Stenman 15 K. Svensson 16 Källström 17 Elmander 18 Jonson 19 Andersson 20 Allbäck 21 Wilhelmsson 22 Rosenberg 23 Shaaban Coach: Lagerbäck