Etien Velikonja

[juanes]

Club:SloveniaND Gorica

Nationality:SloveniaSlovenia

Age:21

Height:1.77 m / 5.81 ft

Weight:72 kg / 158 lbs

Position:Striker

http://www.prvaliga.si/Slike/klubi/igralci/GORICA%202008/23.JPG

Etien Velikonja is one of the most talented young strikers in Europe today. Despite his young age he finished season 2008/2009 as the top goal scorer in the Slovenian league, playing 32 games this season for ND Gorica and scoring 17 goals.

 

Such has been Velikonja's quality this season that he came joint fourth in the IMScouting Special Report on the top Under-21 goal scorers in Europe alongside such famous names as Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuain, Sergio Aguero and Karim Benzema.

 

Club career: Velikonja was born in December 26, 1988 in the town of Sempeter, close to Nova Gorica (Slovenia) and started to play football at ND Gorica which is a club well known for their excellent youth system that sees them produce a large number of talented players.

 

Etien Velikonja has played his entire career up until now at ND Gorica , coming through their youth system and improving seasons by season until 2006/2007 when he was promoted to the senior squad.

 

In his first season he took part in seven matches, scoring one goal. Last year during season 2007/2008 the managerial staff already understood that he is an enormous talent and Velikonja played 31 matches, scoring seven goals and winning the "Breakout Player of the Year award."

 

During the 2008/2009 campaign Velikonja exploded, the young striker played 32 matches, scoring an amazing total of 17 goals. Finishing the campaign as the top goal scorer in the Slovenian 1.SNL and he was also awarded the "Young Player of the Year award."

 

International career: Etien Velikonja was a member of all the Slovenian youth national teams. He is now playing for the Under-21 national team where he has played 12 matches so far, scoring seven goals and playing in the starting line up in every match. Football professionals in Slovania feel that it's just a matter of time before he will receive his first call up to the senior national team.

 

Technical skills: Etien Velikonja has all the makings to be a great striker. He posseses incredible pace and accelaration and some Slovenian defenders have commented after facing Velikonja that he is one of the hardest players to mark due to his movement. He also has fantastic dribbling skills and a superb shot with both feet (he is naturally left-footed) and has scored many goals from distance.

 

Velikonja is also very dangerous to an opposition defence due to his high technical ability which can see him take on, and beat defenders, which he makes look easy.  In terms of weaknesses, Velikonja needs to imrove his jumping and heading ability if he is to play at the highest level of European football.

 

Personality: Etien Velikonja has proved himself to be a very ambitious and serious young man who has a hard working mentality. He is a true professional in his attitude towards the game; he doesn’t go to nightclubs that often and is known to train very hard every day. Velikonja also recently said that whilst he was proud of the way he played at ND Gorcia over the last season, he is aiming to improve in the future.

 

Value: According to the IMScouting database Etien Velikonja is currently valued at close to 500k euros and Velikonja is known to be eager to move to a bigger club. Media reports in Slovenia claim that there is a lot of interest in him from French Ligue 1 teams and Slovenian scouts believe he will play in a top European league within the coming years.