Josip Iličić

Josip Iličić is a Slovenian forward born in Prijedor, Bosnia and Herzegovina, who developed in Slovenia before beginning his senior career with Maribor. After scoring against Palermo in a Europa League qualifying tie in 2010, he moved to Palermo and established himself as an inventive attacking player in Serie A. Iličić joined Fiorentina in 2013, alternating between an advanced midfield role and a supporting forward position while contributing goals and link play. In 2017, he transferred to Atalanta, where his close control, left-footed shooting and ability to create from the right side became central to the club’s attack. He scored four times away to Valencia in the 2019–20 Champions League round of 16, helping Atalanta reach the quarter-finals. Following his Atalanta spell, Iličić returned to Maribor, represented Slovenia at Euro 2024, and later continued his career with Koper.