Aleksandar Šušnjar

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Aleksandar Šušnjar

| image =

| fullname = Aleksandar Šušnjar

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1995|08|19|df=y}}

| height = 1.91 m{{cite web |title=A. Susnjar |url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/aleksandar-unjar/213880/ |publisher=Soccerway |accessdate=5 January 2019}}

| position = Centre back

| currentclub = Newcastle Jets

| clubnumber = 15

| youthyears1 = 2015

| youthclubs1 = Perth Glory

| years1 = 2013–2014 | clubs1 = Ekranas | caps1 = 30 | goals1 = 5

| years2 = 2015 | clubs2 = Perth | caps2 = 4 | goals2 = 1

| years3 = 2016 | clubs3 = Lietava Jonava | caps3 = 14 | goals3 = 1

| years4 = 2016–2017 | clubs4 = Gaz Metan Mediaș | caps4 = 18 | goals4 = 0

| years5 = 2017 | clubs5 = Teplice | caps5 = 27 | goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2018–2019 | clubs6 = Mladá Boleslav | caps6 = 9 | goals6 = 0

| years7 = 2018 | clubs7 = → Žilina (loan) | caps7 = 12 | goals7 = 0

| years8 = 2018 | clubs8 = → Žilina II (loan) | caps8 = 1 | goals8 = 0

| years9 = 2019 | clubs9 = Busan IPark | caps9 = 29 | goals9 = 0

| years10= 2020–2023 | clubs10= Macarthur FC | caps10= 50 | goals10= 2

| years11= 2023 | clubs11= Novi Pazar | caps11= 3 | goals11= 0

| years12= 2023–2024 | clubs12= Perth Glory | caps12= 21 | goals12= 2

| years13= 2024– | clubs13= Newcastle Jets | caps13= 7 | goals13= 0

| nationalyears1 = 2011 | nationalteam1 = Serbia U17 | nationalcaps1 = 1 | nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalyears2 = 2018 | nationalteam2 = Australia U23 | nationalcaps2 = 3 | nationalgoals2 = 0

| nationalyears3 = 2018 | nationalteam3 = Australia | nationalcaps3 = 1 | nationalgoals3 = 0

| club-update = 24 December 2024

| nationalteam-update = 23 April 2018

}}

Aleksandar Šušnjar ({{lang-sr-Cyrl|Александар Шушњар}}, born 19 August 1995) is an Australian professional soccer player who plays as a defender for Newcastle Jets in the A-League Men.

Club career

Born in Perth, Šušnjar made his senior debut in Europe, playing with Lithuanian side Ekranas in A Lyga seasons 2013 and 2014. Then he returned to Australia and played with Perth SC in the 2015 National Premier Leagues. Next he signed with Lietava Jonava playing with them in the 2016 A Lyga. Romanian Liga I club Gaz Metan Mediaș signed him and Šušnjar played with them until the winter-break when he moved to Czech Republic and joined FK Teplice. A year later, another Czech First League signed him, Mladá Boleslav.{{NFT|70767}} On 24 July 2018, he joined MŠK Žilina on a six-month loan deal.{{cite web|url=http://www.mskzilina.sk/articles/detail/13117|title=Šošoni posilňujú defenzívu, prichádza stopér Aleksandar Susnjar|publisher=MŠK Žilina|date=24 July 2018|accessdate=24 July 2018|language=Slovak|archive-date=24 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180724213306/http://www.mskzilina.sk/articles/detail/13117|url-status=dead}} Susnjar then moved to Busan IPark in South Korea's K League on 28 February 2019.{{cite web|url=http://star.mt.co.kr/stview.php?no=2019022817101305474&MS2|title=부산, 호주 국가대표 출신 DF 수신야르 영입|date=28 February 2019 |publisher=Star News|accessdate=28 February 2019|language=Korean}}

In October 2020, Šušnjar joined A-League expansion club Macarthur FC.{{cite web|url=https://www.macarthurfc.com.au/news/bulls-secure-socceroo-susnjar|title=Bulls Secure Socceroo Susnjar|publisher=Macarthur FC|date=7 October 2020}} In May 2023, he left the club.{{cite web|url=https://macarthurfc.com.au/news/six-to-depart-the-bulls|title=Six to depart the Bulls|website=Macarthur FC|date=18 May 2023}}

In September 2023, Šušnjar returned to the A-League Men, joining Perth Glory.{{cite web|url=https://perthglory.com.au/news/glory-bolster-backline-with-socceroo-susnjar|title=Glory bolster backline with Socceroo Šušnjar|website=Perth Glory|first=Gareth|last=Morgan|date=1 September 2023}}

In May 2024, it was announced Šušnjar left Perth Glory to join Newcastle Jets.{{cite news|url=https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/8623963/newcastle-jets-transfer-news-defender-and-striker-deals-await-takeover-ratification/|title=Jets coach gets to work on building squad as takeover nears completion|first=James|last=Gardiner|newspaper=Newcastle Herald|date=10 May 2024|quote=Perth Glory defender Aleksandar Susnjar is set to join the Newcastle Jets next season}}{{cite news|url=https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/8635591/newcastle-jets-coach-rob-stanton-discusses-future-with-clubs-new-owners/|title=Lets get cracking: Jets coach to discuss plans with new owners|first=James|last=Gardiner|newspaper=Newcastle Herald|date=21 May 2024|quote=The Jets have 10 players contracted for next season, including recruit Aleks Susnjar}}{{Cite web |last=toml |date=2024-06-26 |title=Newcastle Jets sign Aleksandar Šušnjar |url=https://newcastlejetsfc.com.au/news/newcastle-jets-sign-aleksandar-susnjar/ |access-date=2024-06-26 |website=Newcastle Jets |language=en-AU}}

International career

Šušnjar initially represented Serbia, having made one appearance in 2011 for the Serbian U-17 side. However, by January 2018, he already called the attention of the Australian FA and made a debut for the Australian U23 team.{{Soccerway|aleksandar-unjar/213880}}

He received his first senior call up when he was selected in Bert van Marwijk's first Socceroos squad for the March 2018 friendlies.{{Cite web|url=https://www.socceroos.com.au/news/bert-van-marwijk-confirms-preliminary-caltex-socceroos-squad-march-matches|title=Bert van Marwijk confirms preliminary Caltex Socceroos squad for March matches|date=6 March 2018|website=Socceroos}} He made the debut for the Australian national team in a friendly game against Norway played on 23 March 2018.

Personal life

In addition to his native English, Šušnjar can also speak Serbian, Lithuanian, Czech and can get by in Romanian.{{cite web|last1=McCullough|first1=Ian|title=Socceroos bolter Aleksandar Susnjar undaunted as sacrifices pay off|url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/socceroos-bolter-aleksandar-susnjar-undaunted-as-sacrifices-pay-off-20180320-p4z5bc.html|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=20 March 2018|publisher=Fairfax Media|accessdate=29 March 2018}} He has been often confused{{cite web |url=https://www.dnevnik.rs/sport/fudbal/australija-sa-cetiri-srbina-susnar-dobio-poziv-06-03-2018|script-title=sr:Аустралија са четири Србина, Шушњар добио позив|website=Dnevnik|language=Serbian|date=6 March 2018|accessdate=6 July 2018}}{{cite web |url=https://www.mozzartsport.com/fudbal/vesti/preko-donjeg-srema-do-reprezentacije-australije/289018|title=Preko Donjeg Srema do reprezentacije Australije|website=mozzartsport.com|language=Serbian|date=6 March 2018|accessdate=6 July 2018}}{{cite web |url=http://www.rts.rs/page/sport/ci/story/31/fudbal/3061309/australija-sa-srpskim-korenima-susnjar-dobio-poziv.html|script-title=sr:Аустралија са "српским коренима", Шушњар добио позив|website=Radio Television of Serbia|language=Serbian|date=6 March 2018|accessdate=6 July 2018}} with same named Serbian footballer, who previously played with Donji Srem in the Serbian First League,{{cite web |url=http://srbijafudbal.com/borac_sakule/susnjar_a.htm|title=Susnjar, Aleksandar|website=srbijafudbal.com|language=Serbian|accessdate=6 July 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://www.fss.rs/documents/fudbal/fudbal_33_2016.pdf|title="FUDBAL" 33/16 - page 2453|website=Football Association of Serbia|language=Serbian|date=9 August 2016|accessdate=17 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160828113439/http://www.fss.rs/documents/fudbal/fudbal_33_2016.pdf|archive-date=28 August 2016|url-status=dead}} along with older brother, Milan.{{cite web |url=http://srbijafudbal.com/borac_sakule/susnjar_m.htm|title=Susnjar, Milan|website=srbijafudbal.com|language=Serbian|accessdate=6 July 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://kafanskiselektor.com/i-jedna-lepa-fudbalska-prica|title=Legenda Radničkog, Dragomir Šušnjar i jedna lepa fudbalska priča…|website=kafanskiselektor.com|language=Serbian|date=18 May 2015|accessdate=6 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180706190429/https://kafanskiselektor.com/i-jedna-lepa-fudbalska-prica/|archive-date=6 July 2018|url-status=dead}}