Davor Vugrinec

Davor Vugrinec (born March 24, 1975 in Varaždin) is a Croatian people football (soccer)er who plays as an attacking midfielder or striker, currently with NK Zagreb.

Club career

Vugrinec started his professional career at local club NK Varteks in 1992, becoming a regular at the club in his second professional season and playing for them until June 1997, when he started an abroad career, first in Turkish Super League with Trabzonspor, then in Serie A with US Lecce (two and a half seasons), Atalanta Bergamo (one and 1/2) and Calcio Catania (in Serie A 2004-05). On November 12, 2000 he scored as Lecce clinched historic victory over FC Internazionale in Stadio Giuseppe Meazza.

After five years in Italy, Vugrinec returned to Croatia by signing with NK Rijeka in the summer of 2005 and subsequently played a very successful season with the club. Together with Ahmed Sharbini, he was the club's top goalscorer with 15 goals in 2005-2006's Croatian First League, and also helped the team to win the Croatian Cup by scoring the crucial goal in the second-leg match against his first club Varteks Varaždin (Rijeka lost 5-1 after winning 4-0 in the first leg and won the Cup on away goals rule).

Vugrinec went on to sign with Dinamo Zagreb in early June 2006 and made his official debut for the club on July 19, in the Croatian Supercup against his previous club Rijeka, assisting for two goals in Dinamo's 4-1 victory. He went on to score his first goals for Dinamo as he was on target once in both their first UEFA Champions League qualifier against FK Ekranas and their first domestic league match of the 2006-07 season against NK Slaven Belupo. He subsequently suffered an injury in the club's second domestic league match of the season, at home against HNK Šibenik on August 4, 2006. He nevertheless started the club's first-leg third-round Champions League qualifier against Arsenal F.C. four days later, but was forced off the pitch in the first 30 minutes and subsequently missed the second-leg, as well as three domestic league matches before making his comeback in Dinamo's home match against NK Kamen Ingrad on September 9, 2006.

In 2007, Vugrinec ranked eighth best all-time goalscorer in the Croatian First League with a total of 84 goals scored (56 for Varteks, 15 for Rijeka and 13 for Dinamo).

International career

Vugrinec made his debut for the Croatia national football team on April 10, 1996 in their friendly match against Hungary national football team at home in Osijek, but subsequently had to wait for two and half years to win his second international cap, in the nation's second 2000 European Football Championship qualifier, away against Malta national football team on October 10, 1998. He entered the match as an early substitute after injury forced off Jurica Vučko in the 16th minute and went on to score two goals in the second half, as Croatia came from behind to take it 4-1. At the time, he also made two appearances and scored one goal for the Croatian national B-team, playing in friendly matches against Romania national football team on March 17, 1998 and France national football team on January 19, 1999.

In 2000, he became a regular in the main squad, and went on to appear in seven out of possible eight qualifying matches for the 2002 FIFA World Cup. He also scored two goals during the qualifying as he was on target once in Croatia's home matches against Latvia national football team and San Marino national football team respectively. He was subsequently part of the final stages squad, and appeared in two group matches before the team was eliminated from the tournament in the first round after finishing third in their group. He started the second match against Italy national football team, but was substituted in the 57th minute. He also played in the final group match against Ecuador national football team, entering as a substitute in the 52nd minute.

After the 2002 World Cup, Vugrinec only appeared in one friendly match and two 2004 European Football Championship qualifiers before being uncapped for more than three years, until January 2006. He made his international comeback by appearing in two matches at the 2006 Carlsberg Cup in Hong Kong, thus applying for a spot in the final squad of 23 at the 2006 FIFA World Cup finals, especially after scoring a hat-trick in Rijeka's 4-0 league victory away against Hajduk Split, but was eventually omitted.