Dario Melnjak (born 31 October 1992) is a Croatian professional footballer who plays as a left back for Prva HNL club Hajduk Split.

Dario Melnjak
Personal information
Full name Dario Melnjak
Date of birth (1992-10-31) 31 October 1992 (age 32)
Place of birth Varaždin, Croatia
Height 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Left back
Team information
Current team
Hajduk Split
Number 17
Youth career
0000–2005 Nedeljanec [hr]
2005–2007 Varteks
2007–2010 Nedeljanec [hr]
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010 Nedeljanec [hr]
2011–2013 Zelina 63 (1)
2013–2015 Slaven Belupo 40 (3)
2015–2017 Lokeren 16 (0)
2016Neftçi (loan) 10 (0)
2017Slaven Belupo (loan) 13 (1)
2017–2019 Domžale 43 (8)
2019–2021 Çaykur Rizespor 79 (7)
2021– Hajduk Split 76 (6)
International career
2019–2024 Croatia 8 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 26 May 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 30 March 2021

Club career

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Melnjak started his career in the lower tier Nedeljanec [hr], spending most of his youth career there, apart from two seasons at Varteks at under-15 level. After debuting for his club in the 2010–11 season, he moved on to the Treća HNL West team Zelina, where he achieved promotion to Druga HNL in the 2011–12 season. He remained a first team player in the following season, and moved on to the Prva HNL team Slaven Belupo at the beginning of the 2013–14 season.

On 2 February 2015, Melnjak signed a contract with Belgian side Sporting Lokeren for three-and-a-half seasons.[1]

On 20 June 2016, Melnjak signed for Azerbaijan Premier League side Neftçi on loan.[2] On 10 November 2016, Neftçi and Lokeren mutually agreed to the early termination of Melnjak's loan.[3]

On 23 September 2021, Melnjak signed a one-year contract with Croatian club HNK Hajduk Split, with an option for a further two years.[4] On 19 January 2022, Melnjak extended his contract for two years, with the new deal ending in mid-2024.[5] On 2 March 2022, Melnjak scored two goals against HNK Gorica in the 2021–22 Croatian Football Cup semi-final, taking Hajduk to the final in a 2–1 win.[6] On 26 May 2022, in the 2022 Croatian Football Cup Final, Melnjak again scored twice, this time in a 3–1 win against HNK Rijeka, to give Hajduk its seventh cup win and first since 2012–13.[7]

International career

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He made his Croatia national team debut on 11 June 2019 in a friendly against Tunisia, as a starter.[8][9]

Honours

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Hajduk Split

References

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  1. ^ Dario Melnjak Archived 3 February 2015 at archive.today at Sporting Lokeren official website
  2. ^ ""Neftçi"də 4 yeni futbolçu". neftchipfk.com. Neftchi Baku. 20 June 2016. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  3. ^ "Neftçi PFK Dario Melnyakla müqaviləyə xitam verdi". neftchipfk.com (in Azerbaijani). Neftchi Baku. 10 November 2016. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
  4. ^ "Dario Melnjak novi je igrač Hajduka!". hajduk.hr (in Croatian). Retrieved 6 August 2022.
  5. ^ "Dario Melnjak potpisao s Bijelima do ljeta 2024. godine!". hajduk.hr (in Croatian). Retrieved 6 August 2022.
  6. ^ "Hajduk - Gorica 2:1 - Hrvatski nogometni savez". hns-cff.hr. Retrieved 6 August 2022.
  7. ^ "Rijeka - Hajduk 1:3 - Croatian Football Federation". hns-cff.hr. Retrieved 6 August 2022.
  8. ^ "Croatia v Tunisia game report". ESPN. 11 June 2019.
  9. ^ "Player Database". EU-football. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  10. ^ "Rijeka - Hajduk 1:3". HNS-CFF (in Croatian). 26 May 2022. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
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