Biography
Who is Zvonimir Soldo?
Early life and career beginnings
Zvonimir Soldo was born in Zagreb, Croatia, on November 2, 1967. Before turning his attention fully to professional sports, he studied law for six semesters at the University of Zagreb. His family eventually encouraged him to focus entirely on his football career. He started his professional path with GNK Dinamo Zagreb.
After two years with Dinamo, he moved to NK Zadar. Between 1991 and 1994, he played for NK Inter Zaprešić. He then returned to his first club, which was renamed NK Croatia Zagreb during his second stint. In the 1995/96 season, the team secured a domestic double, winning both the league and the cup.
Time with VfB Stuttgart
In 1996, Zvonimir signed with the German club VfB Stuttgart. He made his Bundesliga debut on August 17, 1996, in a match against FC Schalke 04. This began a ten-year period in Germany, during which he served as team captain nearly 200 times.
Throughout his decade in Stuttgart, he appeared in 300 Bundesliga matches and 47 European competition games. His team won the German cup in 1997 and reached the European Cup Winners' Cup final in 1998. He also finished as a runner-up in the 2002–03 Bundesliga campaign. He played his final league match for the club on May 6, 2006. For his contributions to the club and the region, he received the Staufer medal from the state of Baden-Württemberg.
International appearances
Zvonimir was a long-standing member of the Croatia men's national football team. He made his international debut during an April 1994 friendly match against Slovakia, entering the game as a substitute in the 46th minute. Over his career, he earned 61 caps and scored 3 goals for his country.
He was a key part of the squad that finished in third place at the 1998 World Cup. Also, he participated in Euro 96 and the 2002 FIFA World Cup. His final international appearance occurred during the 2002 FIFA World Cup against Italy, after which he retired from international duty.
Coaching roles
After his playing career, Zvonimir transitioned into management. He initially managed the youth team at Dinamo Zagreb before being appointed head coach of the senior team on January 14, 2008. He led the club to a Prva HNL Championship and a Croatian Cup victory. He stepped down following the cup final.
From June 2009 until October 2010, he managed the German club 1. FC Köln. Later, he took on the role of manager at Admira Wacker in February 2020, but he resigned in September 2020 following a loss to Rapid Wien. Most recently, he was appointed as the coach of Tractor S.C. On November 14, 2021.
Birthday and age
Zvonimir Soldo was born on November 2, 1967, which makes Zvonimir 59 years old today. That birthday falls under the Scorpio sign. Zvonimir shares the date with 56 other famous people.
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