Full name Igor Duljaj Years Team Weight 72 kg 1990–1997 Partizan Height 1.75 m | Role Footballer Name Igor Duljaj Position Midfielder | |
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Date of birth (1979-10-29) 29 October 1979 (age 36) | ||
Playing position Place of birth Topola, SFR Yugoslavia | ||
Igor Duljaj (Serbian Cyrillic: Игор Дуљај; born 29 November 1979) is a retired Serbian professional footballer.
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Club career
Igor Duljaj is one of the most notable defensive midfielders to come out of FK Partizan's youth school in the 1990s. Duljaj joined the club in 1990 at the age of eleven and made his first-team debut in 1998. An important figure in Partizan's league success in 1999 since then has developed into a mature, imposing central midfield player and was of the best players in Partizan's side that won the titles in 2002 and 2003. Hard-working Duljaj has already made more than 150 league appearances for Partizan and in the end of 2003 he was allowed to leave club.
Once admired by many European giants Duljaj did not get good offers and decided to stay in Partizan to help them reach the UEFA Champions League group stage for the first time in the history of Serbian football. A crucial protection in front of defense Duljaj possesses unbelievable stamina and strength that left people with the impression he could play two successive games in a row.
Personal life
Duljaj was born in Topola, SR Serbia, at the time part of Yugoslavia. His family owns a bakery, and still lives in Topola. His nickname is Duki. He has two younger brothers, Joakim and Nenad, who are in charge of a football academy in Topola.
In 2003, he was awarded the best athlete of JSD Partizan, voted by the fans. In 2007, he was awarded the Golden Ball by the Football Association of Serbia for playing 50 matches for the national team. In 2009, he founded the Duljaj Football Academy. After winning the UEFA Cup 08–09, Duljaj and his fellow team members were awarded the Order of Courage III by Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko.