Elvir Bolić


Elvir Bolić is a Bosnian former professional footballer who played as a striker.
He spent most of his 18-year professional career in Turkey, appearing for seven clubs including Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe. He also played three years in Spain, with Rayo Vallecano.
Bolić represented Bosnia and Herzegovina during one full decade.

Club career

Čelik and Red Star

Born in Zenica, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina, SFR Yugoslavia, Bolić started playing with local NK Čelik, being one of the players in the club that would later represent the independent Bosnian national team, including Senad Brkić, Mirsad Hibić and Nermin Šabić.
In December 1991, Bolić was acquired by Yugoslav powerhouse Red Star Belgrade—European Cup defending champions—after impressing club management, general-secretary Vladimir Cvetković and technical director Dragan Džajić. He scored two goals in 11 games in the Yugoslav First League in his only season. In May 2024, he expressed extreme regret for the events that happened and which made him not stay longer in Red Star in that glorious period of the club.
While at the Yugoslav national side's training camp in France, in June of the following year, 21-year-old Bolić received bad news from his family about the deteriorating situation in Bosnia and the start of the military conflict. He informed the club's directors that he would not be coming back to Belgrade, and he left to Turkey to meet with his agent; Red Star respected his wish, and he subsequently signed with Galatasaray SK.

Turkey

Bolić moved to Turkey in the summer of 1992, and remained in the nation and its Süper Lig for the following eight years. He started with Galatasaray, going on to represent Gaziantepspor and Fenerbahçe SK, winning the national championship in his first season with the latter team and also reaching the final of the Turkish Cup.
On 30 October 1996, Bolić broke Manchester United's 40-year unbeaten home record playing for Fenerbahçe in Europe when he scored the game's only goal at Old Trafford in the season's UEFA Champions League group stage, where he also netted against SK Rapid Wien.

Late career

Bolić started the 2000s in Spain with Rayo Vallecano, spending three seasons in La Liga with the club and at times forming part of a forward line with another Bosnian and a Basque who all had similar names: 'Baljić, Bolić and Bolo'. In his first year he scored eight in 32 matches, adding seven in the campaign's UEFA Cup to help the Madrid outskirts side reach the quarterfinals, even though four of those came in a 10–0 away routing of amateurs Constel·lació Esportiva.
In 2003, Bolić returned to Turkey for another lengthy spell, joining Istanbulspor in late July. At the end of the season he left for Gençlerbirliği SK, finishing his second stint in the country with Malatyaspor and İstanbulspor.
Bolić started 2006–07 in Croatia with NK Rijeka, but left in September 2006, retiring shortly after at the age of 35.

International career

Bolić earned 51 caps for Bosnia and Herzegovina, scoring 22 goals. He made his debut in 1996 against Greece and, at the time of his retirement, ranked third in international goals for his country, only trailing Edin Džeko and Zvjezdan Misimović.
On 8 September 2004, Bolić netted the equalizer in a 1–1 home draw with Spain for the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. His final international was a September 2006 European Championship qualification match against Hungary.
He later briefly worked as assistant coach to the national team, being part of Meho Kodro's coaching staff and leaving his post on 17 May 2008.

Career statistics

No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
16 November 1996Asim Ferhatović Hase, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina2–12–1Friendly
210 November 1996Bežigrad, Ljubljana, Slovenia1–02–11998 World Cup qualification
35 November 1997El Menzah, Tunis, Tunisia1–21–2Friendly
420 August 1997Asim Ferhatović Hase, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina2–03–01998 World Cup qualification
520 August 1997Asim Ferhatović Hase, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina3–03–01998 World Cup qualification
610 September 1997Asim Ferhatović Hase, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina1–01–01998 World Cup qualification
75 June 1999Asim Ferhatović Hase, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina2–02–0Euro 2000 qualifying
89 June 1999Svangaskarð, Toftir, Faroe Islands1–02–2Euro 2000 qualifying
99 June 1999Svangaskarð, Toftir, Faroe Islands2–22–2Euro 2000 qualifying
104 September 1999Asim Ferhatović Hase, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina1–11–2Euro 2000 qualifying
1116 August 2000Asim Ferhatović Hase, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina1–02–0Friendly
1227 March 2002Grbavica, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina1–04–4Friendly
1327 March 2002Grbavica, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina4–24–4Friendly
1429 March 2003Bilino Polje, Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina1–02–0Euro 2004 qualifying
1511 October 2003Asim Ferhatovic Hase, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina1–11–1Euro 2004 qualifying
1631 March 2004?, Luxembourg, Luxembourg2–02–1Friendly
178 September 2004Bilino Polje, Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina1–11–12006 World Cup qualification
182 February 2005?, Teheran, Iran1–01–2Friendly
1930 March 2005Asim Ferhatović Hase, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina1–01–12006 World Cup qualification
208 October 2005Bilino Polje, Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina1–03–02006 World Cup qualification
218 October 2005Bilino Polje, Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina2–03–02006 World Cup qualification
228 October 2005Bilino Polje, Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina3–03–02006 World Cup qualification

Honours

Galatasaray
Fenerbahçe