Simon Sluga
FullnameSimon Sluga[1]
Birth date17 March 1993 (age 33)[2]
Birth placeRijeka, Croatia
Height1.90 m[3]
PositionGoalkeeper
Youthyears 12003–2008
Youthclubs 1Jadran Poreč
Youthyears 22008–2013
Youthclubs 2Rijeka
Youthyears 32011–2012
Youthclubs 3→ Juventus (loan)
Youthyears 42012–2013
Youthclubs 4→ Hellas Verona (loan)
Years 12013–2019
Clubs 1Rijeka
Caps 164
Goals 10
Years 22013–2014
Clubs 2→ Pomorac (loan)
Caps 231
Goals 20
Years 32014–2015
Clubs 3→ Lokomotiva (loan)
Caps 326
Goals 30
Years 42015–2016
Clubs 4→ Spezia (loan)
Caps 40
Goals 40
Years 52019–2022
Clubs 5Luton Town
Caps 591
Goals 50
Years 62022–2024
Clubs 6Ludogorets Razgrad
Caps 620
Goals 60
Years 72024–2025
Clubs 7Maccabi Tel Aviv
Caps 717
Goals 70
Years 82025–
Clubs 8NK Celje
Caps 82
Goals 80
Nationalyears 12009–2010
Nationalteam 1Croatia U17
Nationalcaps 15
Nationalgoals 10
Nationalyears 22011
Nationalteam 2Croatia U18
Nationalcaps 22
Nationalgoals 20
Nationalyears 32011–2012
Nationalteam 3Croatia U19
Nationalcaps 39
Nationalgoals 30
Nationalyears 42012–2013
Nationalteam 4Croatia U20
Nationalcaps 48
Nationalgoals 40
Nationalyears 52012–2014
Nationalteam 5Croatia U21
Nationalcaps 53
Nationalgoals 50
Nationalyears 62019–2020
Nationalteam 6Croatia
Nationalcaps 63
Nationalgoals 60
Club-update30 March 2026

Simon Sluga (sǐmon slǔːɡa;[4][5] born 17 March 1993) is a Croatian professional footballer who playes as a goalkeeper for Slovenian PrvaLiga club NK Celje.

Club career

Rijeka

Before his professional career, Rijeka loaned Sluga to the youth academy of Juventus, and then to the youth academy of Hellas Verona. During the 2013–14 season he was loaned to Pomorac in Croatia's Druga HNL where he collected 31 caps and managed 17 clean sheets. He spent the 2014–15 season on loan with Lokomotiva where he was capped on 26 occasions. He returned to Rijeka following the end of the loan and made his professional debut on 19 July 2015 against Slaven Belupo. In August 2015, he was loaned to Spezia in Italy's Serie B.

Luton Town

On 19 July 2019, Sluga joined newly-promoted Championship side Luton Town for a club record fee of €1.5 million, signing a three-year contract.[6] On 2 August 2019, Sluga made his first appearance for Luton in a 3–3 draw against Middlesbrough.[7] Sluga left Luton in 2022 having played 94 times in all competitions and keeping 26 clean sheets. [8]

Ludogrets Razgrad

On 31 January 2022, Sluga joined First Professional Football League club Ludogorets Razgrad.[9][10]

Maccabi Tel Aviv

On 17 October 2024, Sluga joined Israeli Premier League club Maccabi Tel Aviv on a contract until the end of the 2024–25 season.[11]

International career

He made his debut for Croatia on 11 June 2019 in a friendly against Tunisia, as a starter.[12]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational cup[a]League cupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Rijeka2014–15[3]Prva HNL00——0000
2015–16[3]Prva HNL20——1[b]030
2016–17[3]Prva HNL0020—0020
2017–18[3]Prva HNL27030—9[c]0390
2018–19[3]Prva HNL35040—2[b]0410
2019–20[3]Prva HNL———1[d]010
Total64090—130860
Pomorac (loan)2013–14[3]Druga HNL31000——310
Lokomotiva (loan)2014–15[3]Prva HNL26020——280
Spezia (loan)2015–16[3]Serie B0000——00
Luton Town2019–20[13]Championship3301000—340
2020–21[14]Championship3902000—410
2021–22[15]Championship1900000—190
Total9103000—940
Ludogorets Razgrad2021–22[3]First Professional Football League2030—0050
2022–23[3]First Professional Football League3060—4[e]0130
2023–24[3]First Professional Football League15020—5[f]0220
Total2001100090400
Maccabi Tel Aviv2024–25[3]Israeli Premier League16020——180
Career total2480270002202970
  1. ^ Includes Croatian Cup, FA Cup, Bulgarian Cup, Israel State Cup
  2. ^ Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa League
  3. ^ Six appearances in UEFA Champions League, three appearances in UEFA Europa League
  4. ^ Appearance in Croatian Super Cup
  5. ^ Two appearances in UEFA Champions League, two appearances in UEFA Europa League
  6. ^ Two appearances in UEFA Europe League, three appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League

International

[16]

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Croatia201920
202010
Total30

Honours

HNK Rijeka

Celje

Individual

References

  1. ^ "Notification of shirt numbers: Luton Town". English Football League. p. 39. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
  2. ^ "Simon Sluga: Overview". ESPN. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  3. ^ "S. Sluga: Summary". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  4. ^ "Simèon" (in Croatian). Hrvatski jezični portal. Retrieved 23 February 2020. Sìmon
  5. ^ "slúga" (in Croatian). Hrvatski jezični portal. Retrieved 23 February 2020. Slúga
  6. ^ "THE HATTERS BREAK TRANSFER RECORD TO SIGN SIMON SLUGA!". Luton Town F.C.. 19 July 2019. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  7. ^ "Luton Town 3-3 Middlesbrough: Championship season starts with thrilling draw". BBC Sport. 2 August 2019.
  8. ^ Wignall, Ben (5 March 2023). "How has Simon Sluga been getting on since leaving Luton Town?". FootballLeagueWorld. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  9. ^ "Simon Sluga joins Ludogorets on permanent transfer". www.lutontown.co.uk. 31 January 2022.
  10. ^ "Лудогорец привлече хърватски национал от Англия" [Ludogorets attracted a Croatian international from England] (in Bulgarian). www.ludogorets.com/bg. 31 January 2022.
  11. ^ "Sluga joins Maccabi". www.maccabi-tlv.co.il/en. 17 October 2024. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  12. ^ "Croatia v Tunisia game report". ESPN. 11 June 2019.
  13. ^
  14. ^
  15. ^
  16. ^
  17. ^ "Celje clinch third national football title". sloveniatimes.com. 19 April 2026. Retrieved 19 April 2026.
  18. ^ "Luton Town Supporters' Trust 2020-21 season presentation evening". www.lutontown.co.uk. 31 May 2022. Retrieved 26 July 2022.