Ivan Stevanović (handballer)

Ivan Stevanović (born 18 May 1982) is a retired Croatian handball player.

Ivan Stevanović
Stevanović with RK Zagreb in 2015
Personal information
Born (1982-05-18) 18 May 1982
Rijeka, SR Croatia, SFR Yugoslavia
Nationality Croatian
Height 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Playing position Goalkeeper
Youth career
Years Team
1995–1999
 RK Trsat
Senior clubs
Years Team
1998–1999
 RK Trsat
1999–2000
 RK Pećine
2000–2007
 RK Zamet
2007–2009
 RK Poreč
2009–2010
 RD Krško
2010–2012
 RK Zamet
2012–2017
 RK Zagreb
2017–2019
 Kadetten Schaffhausen
2019–2021
 Wisła Płock
National team
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2007–2019
 Croatia 68 (2)
Teams managed
2022–2023
 RK Podravka Koprivnica (GK coach)
Medal record
European Championship
Bronze medal – third place2016 Poland
Mediterranean Games
Silver medal – second place2013 MersinTeam

He is one of the oldest players to debut for a national team at a major competition. He debuted at the 2016 European Championship in Poland as the second choice goalkeeper to Mirko Alilović, but he ended up being the biggest reason for his country winning the bronze medal.[1]

Early life

Stevanović was born 18 May 1982 in Rijeka.

Stevanović grew up in the neighborhood of Trsat across the street from Dvorana Mladosti then the venue of RK Zamet.

At the age of eight Stevanović started to train swimming with Bistra Gospodinova as his coach.

At the end of the eight grade Stevanović was a goalkeeper for his schools handball team. Later he would train swimming and handball at the same time while opting for handball in the end.[2]

Club career

Stevanović began his youth career in hometown club Trsat in which he played for five years in youth selection before playing as a senior at the age of 16. He also spent a year playing for Pećine in the then 1.B league before joining RK Zamet. During his early years at the club he was mostly coached by his colleague Valter Matošević.[3]

He played for the club for seven years. He went from being third to first choice goalkeeper. With the club he played in EHF Cup Winners' Cup and EHF Cup, also coming to the finals of the Croatian Cup two times and keeping a position in the top 6 in the league.

In 2007 Stevanović moved to Poreč where he maintained a vital role in the clubs great results and qualification for the Challenger Cup.[4] Even though there was talk of a transfer to Slovenia he opted for the Istrian side.[5] In 2009 Stevanović received an award from the city of Poreč for being their best male sportsperson for the year of 2008.[6]

He also spent a season in Slovenian club RD Krško where he was trained by head coach Željko Babić.[7]

Stevanović returned to Zamet in 2010. The next season Zamet came into the finals of the Croatian Cup, Stevanoviće's goalkeeping gave interest to Croatian champions Croatia Osiguranje Zagreb.[8] Zagreb bought Stevanović in the summer of 2012. In his first season with the club Stevanović won the SEHA League. The next four seasons with Zagreb saw Stevanović winning domestic competitions and cups while reaching EHF Champions League quarter-finals and finishing third in the SEHA League.

On 5 December 2016 it was confirmed that Stevanović had signed a three-year contract with Swiss club Kadetten Schaffhausen stating that he would be leaving RK Zagreb at the end of the season.[9]

International career

Stevanović was first called up for the Croatian national team by Lino Červar in 2007 for national team preparations in Poreč.[10]

He was called up again in 2013 by coach Slavko Goluža to play at the 2013 Mediterranean Games in Mersin. Croatia lost in the finals against Egypt and got a silver medal.[11]

2016 Marrane Challenge
US Dunkerque vs RK Zagreb. 4 September 2016.

He competed at the 2016 European Men's Handball Championship as a replacement for Filip Ivić who was injured.[12] At the beginning of the tournament Stevanović was second choice to Mirko Alilović but soon he became first choice and saved Croatia from being knocked out of the group stage. He had a very big role in Croatia winning the bronze medal.[13] In August of the same year he played for the national team at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro where Croatia finished in fifth place.[14] Stevanović was 7th best goalkeeper at the tournament with 35 save and a 31% percentage.

Stevanović was called up once again to train with the national team for the 2017 World Championship in France.[15]

During a group stage match against Chile at the 2017 World Championship Stevanović scored from his goal post to an empty goal.[16] He played a vital role in the quarter-final match against Spain getting some crucial saves. Croatia finished in fourth place losing to Slovenia in the third place match.[17] Stevanović had 47 saves at the end of the tournament with 31%.[18]

On 26 January 2019 he confirmed he is going to retirement of the Croatian national team after 2019 World Men's Handball Championship.

Personal life

Stevanović is married, his wife's name is Irena. The couple have a son named Vigo. Stevanović has stated that he spends most of his free time with his son.[19]

Honours
Club
Zamet
PPD Zagreb
Kadetten Schaffhausen
International
Croatia
Individual

References
  1. "Ivan Stevanović – junak čudesne pobjede Hrvatske nad Poljskom..." gol.dnevnik.hr (in Croatian).
  2. "Ivan Stevanović nemam face ne izlazim van samo se igram sa sinom". večernji.hr (in Croatian).
  3. "SEZONA ZA PAMĆENJE Ivan Stevanović: Transfer u Kadetten Schaffhausen donosi sigurnost mojoj obitelji". SportCom.hr (in Croatian).
  4. "Stevanović zaključao vrata, porečki rukometaši protutnjali Kozalom". porečki-vjesnik.com (in Croatian). Archived from the original on 25 April 2016. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
  5. "Stevanović i Banić u RK Poreču". parentium.com (in Croatian).
  6. "Mateja Pančelat, Ivan Stevanović, kuglačice i rukometaši". parentium.com. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  7. "Glavni cilj je obstanek med elito". siol.net. Retrieved 25 December 2016.
  8. "Croatia Osiguranje u zamjenu za Stevanovića Zametu nudi Pešića i Stepančića". Sportcom.hr (in Croatian).
  9. "Već potpisao ugovor: Stevanović napušta PPD Zagreb!". gol.dnevnik.hr/ (in Croatian).
  10. "Pripreme muške reprezentacije u Poreču od 12–23.12.2007". Croatian Handball Federation (in Croatian). Archived from the original on 15 June 2008. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
  11. "Konačno je uspio Hrvatska s Golužom prvi put u finalu". index.hr (in Croatian).
  12. "Men's EHF Euro 2016 Poland. Croatia". European Handball Federation. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  13. "Riječanin Ivan Stevanović: Pozvan sam kao treći vratar, a na kraju sam u Poljskoj ostvario snove". novilist.hr (in Croatian).
  14. "Hrvatska je ispala s Olimpijskih igara, Poljaci su nam se osvetili!". Večernji list. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  15. "Babić objavio širi popis rukometaša za Svjetsko prvenstvo u Francuskoj". gol.dnevnik.hr (in Croatian).
  16. "Majstorski potez: Stevanović zabio gol preko cijelog terena". vijesti.rtl.hr (in Croatian).
  17. "Hrvatska četvrta na SP-u: Ispustili +8 i ostali bez bronce". sport.hrt.hr.
  18. "PLAYER PLAYER INFO". www.francehandball2017.com. Archived from the original on 21 April 2019. Retrieved 29 January 2017.
  19. "RUKOMETNA ZVIJEZDA Stevanović otkrio sve što niste znali o njemu". dnevnik.hr (in Croatian).
  20. "Premijer liga 2010–11". www.rukometstat-com. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  21. "SEHA League 2013–14 goalkeeper stats". www.seha-liga.com/. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  22. "SEHA League 2014–15 goalkeeper stats". seha-liga.com. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  23. "Stevanović drugi golman EP-a, savršeni Štrlek treći strijelac". 24 sata. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  24. "Horvat najbolje desno krilo, Stevanović najbolji golman završnog turnira". germanijak.hr. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  25. "Manuel Štrlek proglašen najboljim rukometašem, Ivan Stevanović ispred Domagoja Duvnjaka". SportCom.hr. Retrieved 29 December 2016.
  26. "STIGLO PRIZNANJE ZA ZAGREBOVU 'HOBOTNICU' Ivan Stevanović proglašen je najboljim vratarom SEHA lige". sportske.jutarnji.hr. Retrieved 30 March 2017.
  27. "Hrvatska "gori": Štrlek povukao rijetko viđen potez koji je izazvao vulkan emocija". gol.dnevnik.hr. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
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