Goran Popov

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Goran Popov

| image = Goran Popov.jpg

| image_size = 200px

| caption =

| fullname = Goran Popov{{Cite news|title=Barclays Premier League Squad Numbers 2013/14|url=http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb/news/news/2013-14/aug/premier-league-squad-numbers-seasons-2013-14.html|publisher=Premier League|date=16 August 2013|access-date=17 August 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130925003258/http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb/news/news/2013-14/aug/premier-league-squad-numbers-seasons-2013-14.html|archive-date=25 September 2013}}

| height = {{height|m=1.89|precision=0}}

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1984|10|2|df=y}}

| birth_place = Strumica, SFR Yugoslavia

| currentclub =

| position = Left-back / Left midfielder

| years1 = 2002–2003 | clubs1 = Belasica | caps1 = 6 | goals1 = 0

| years2 = 2003 | clubs2 = → Proodeftiki (loan)| caps2 = 0 | goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2004 | clubs3 = → AEK Athens (loan) | caps3 = 8 | goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2004 | clubs4 = Red Star Belgrade | caps4 = 0 | goals4 = 0

| years5 = 2004–2005 | clubs5 = → Odra Wodzisław (loan) | caps5 = 11 | goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2005–2008 | clubs6 = Egaleo | caps6 = 45 | goals6 = 1

| years7 = 2007–2008 | clubs7 = → Levadiakos (loan) | caps7 = 20 | goals7 = 0

| years8 = 2008–2010 | clubs8 = Heerenveen | caps8 = 51 | goals8 = 2

| years9 = 2010–2014 | clubs9 = Dynamo Kyiv | caps9 = 32 | goals9 = 2

| years10 = 2012–2014 | clubs10 = → West Bromwich Albion (loan) | caps10 = 18 | goals10 = 0

| years11 = 2014–2017 | clubs11 = Vardar | caps11 = 43 | goals11 = 3

| years12 = 2017 | clubs12 = Doxa Katokopias | caps12 = 0 | goals12 = 0

| years13 = 2017–2019 | clubs13 = Vardar | caps13 = 19 | goals13 = 3

| nationalyears1 = 2002 | nationalteam1 = Macedonia U19 | nationalcaps1 = 5 | nationalgoals1 = 2

| nationalyears2 = | nationalteam2 = Macedonia U21 | nationalcaps2 = 10 | nationalgoals2 = 2

| nationalyears3 = 2004–2014 | nationalteam3 = Macedonia | nationalcaps3 = 46 | nationalgoals3 = 2

}}

Goran Popov ({{langx|mk|Горан Попов}}; born 2 October 1984) is a Macedonian former professional footballer who played as a defender.[https://www.vice.com/nl/article/889xq4/goran-popov-heerenveen Zo zette Goran Popov Friesland op stelten] vice.com

Popov started his career with local side Belasica and moved to Greece with Proodeftiki and AEK Athens. He signed for Red Star Belgrade in 2004 but injuries prevented him from making an impact and he returned to Greek football with Egaleo after a short loan spell in Poland with Odra Wodzisław. Egaleo were relegated in 2007 and Popov joined Levadiakos before moving to Dutch club Heerenveen in July 2008. At Heerenveen he finally found some success and won the KNVB Cup in 2009 scoring in the final against FC Twente. After good form in European competitions Popov signed for Ukrainian side Dynamo Kyiv.

Life and career

Popov was born in Strumica, Socialist Republic of Macedonia, SFR Yugoslavia and played football with local club Belasica making six appearances as the side finished second in the First Macedonian Football League. He moved on to Greek side Proodeftiki and then AEK Athens. His time at Athens was short and after eight matches he left for Red Star Belgrade where he made his debut away at PSV Eindhoven in the UEFA Champions League as Red Star lost 5–0.{{cite web|title=PSV progress in style|url=https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/match/79359--psv-vs-crvena-zvezda/|work=UEFA|access-date=11 August 2012}} Injuries prevented him from making at impact with Red Star and he joined Polish side Odra Wodzisław on loan. At the end of the 2004–05 season Popov returned to Greek football with Egaleo spending two seasons there and then one season with Levadiakos. In 2008, he made the move to Dutch football with Heerenveen where he won the KNVB Cup in 2009 and impressed enough in European football to earn a move to Ukrainian giants Dynamo Kyiv in June 2010.{{cite web|last=Zlateski|first=Alexsadar|title=Goran Popov made season debut for Dynamo Kyiv|url=http://macedonianfootball.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4859:goran-popov-made-season-debut-for-dynamo-kyiv&catid=33:international&Itemid=223|work=Macedonian Football|access-date=11 August 2012}}

On 10 August 2012, Popov initially signed for English Premier League side Stoke City on a season long loan deal,{{cite web|title=Potters Swoop For Goran Popov|url=http://www.stokecityfc.com/news/article/popov-306070.aspx|work=Stoke City F.C|access-date=10 August 2012}} but the move fell through after he failed to be granted a UK work permit.{{cite web|title=Popov set to pop off after work permit blow|url=http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/Stoke-City-Popov-set-pop-work-permit-blow/story-16712868-detail/story.html|work=The Sentinel|access-date=16 August 2012}} On deadline day, Popov received a UK work permit and he signed instead on a season-long loan for West Bromwich Albion. After Artim Šakiri, Goran Popov is the second Macedonian football player who has ever played at West Bromwich Albion.

On 3 February 2013, Popov was dismissed by referee Mark Clattenburg for allegedly spitting at fullback Kyle Walker, in a game that ended 1–0 to Tottenham Hotspur.

On 9 July 2013, Popov signed a one-year loan deal to return to West Bromwich Albion.{{cite web|title=Goran Popov rejoins West Brom on season-long loan deal|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23242473|website=bbc.co.uk/sport/|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=31 March 2015|date=9 July 2013}}

On 18 September, Popov signed a three-year contract with Vardar for undisclosed fee.[http://fkvardar.mk/article/vesti/oficijalno__goran_popov_vo_f_k__vardar_3_godini-8746-7299-122 Официјално: Горан Попов во Ф.К. Вардар 3 години] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140920204210/http://www.fkvardar.mk/article/vesti/oficijalno__goran_popov_vo_f_k__vardar_3_godini-8746-7299-122 |date=20 September 2014 }} At the end of the 2018–19 season, Popov's contract with Vardar expired and he retired from football.[https://sportarena.com/football/upl/goran-popov-s-vukoevichem-dali-garmashu-prozvishhe/ Горан Попов: "С Вукоевичем дали Гармашу прозвище "Кутия"], sportarena.com, 12 August 2019

International career

Goran Popov has been part of the Macedonian U-19 and U-21 teams before making his debut senior for the Macedonian national team in June 2004[https://web.archive.org/web/20121102034401/http://pt.uefa.com/teamsandplayers/players/player=65628/profile/index.html Goran Popov] at UEFA.com in a friendly match against Estonia. He has earned a total of 46 caps, scoring 2 goals[https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/fyrom-recintlp.html Appearances for (North) Macedonia National Team] - RSSSF and his final international was a May 2014 friendly against Cameroon.{{cite web|url=https://eu-football.info/_player.php?id=24659|title=Player Database|website=eu-football.info|access-date=2020-05-02}}

=International goals=

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;" ! # !! Date !! Venue !! Opponent !! Score !! Result !! Competition
1.	30 May 2004	A. Le Coq Arena, Tallinn, Estonia	{{fb\|EST}}	2–4	Win	Friendly
2.	19 November 2008	Estadi Comunal d'Aixovall, Andorra la Vella, Andorra	{{fb\|MNE}}	2–1	Lost	Friendly
colspan="12"\|Correct as of 13 January 2013[http://eu-football.info/_player.php?id=24659 Football PLAYER: Goran Popov ]

Career statistics

=Club=

Statistics accurate as of match played 4 January 2014{{cite web|title=Goran Popov|url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/goran-popov/19169/|work=Soccerway|access-date=11 August 2012}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !colspan="3"\|League !colspan="2"\|FA Cup !colspan="2"\|League Cup !colspan="2"\|Europe !colspan="2"\|Other{{ref label\|Other\|A

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"

rowspan="2"|Club

!rowspan="2"|Season

!colspan="3"|League

!colspan="2"|FA Cup

!colspan="2"|League Cup

!colspan="2"|Europe

!colspan="2"|Other{{ref label|Other|A

}

!colspan="2"|Total

!Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals

|Belasica

|2002–03

|1. MFL

|6||0||0||0||0||0||1||0||colspan="2"|–||7||0

|AEK Athens

|2003–04

|Alpha Ethniki

|8||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|–||8||0

|Red Star Belgrade

|2004–05

|First League

|0||0||0||0||0||0||3||0||colspan="2"|–||3||0

|Odra Wodzisław (loan)

|2004–05

|Ekstraklasa

|11||0||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||11||0

|rowspan="3"|Egaleo

|2005–06

|Alpha Ethniki

|19||0||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||19||0

|2006–07

|Superleague Greece

|26||1||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||26||1

!colspan=2|Total

!45!!1!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!45!!1

|Levadiakos (loan)

|2007–08

|Superleague Greece

|20||0||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||20||0

|rowspan="3"|Heerenveen

|2008–09

|Eredivisie

|24||1||5||2||0||0||4||0||colspan="2"|–||33||3

|2009–10

|Eredivisie

|27||1||3||1||0||0||8||0||1||0||39||2

!colspan=2|Total

!51!!2!!8!!3!!0!!0!!12!!0!!1!!0!!72!!5

|rowspan="4"|Dynamo Kyiv

|2010–11

|Ukrainian Premier League

|15||1||3||0||0||0||11||0||colspan="2"|–||29||1

|2011–12

|Ukrainian Premier League

|16||1||1||0||0||0||6||0||1||0||24||1

|2012–13

|Ukrainian Premier League

|1||0||0||0||0||0||2||0||1||0||4||0

!colspan=2|Total

!32!!2!!4!!0!!0!!0!!19!!0!!2!!0!!57!!2

|rowspan="3"|West Bromwich Albion (loan)

|2012–13

|Premier League

|12||0||1||0||0||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||13||0

|2013–14

|Premier League

|2||0||1||0||2||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||5||0

!colspan=2|Total

!14!!0!!2!!0!!2!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!18!!0

!colspan="3"|Career total

!187!!5!!14!!3!!2!!0!!35!!0!!3!!0!!241!!8

:A. {{note|Other}} The "Other" column constitutes appearances and goals in the Johan Cruijff-schaal XIV and Ukrainian Super Cup.

=International=

As of August 2012{{NFT player|id=8219|name=Popov, Goran|accessdate=12 August 2012 }}

Year	Apps	Goals
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" ! colspan=3 \| Macedonia national team
2004	2	1
2005	6	0
2006	1	0
2007	5	0
2008	5	1
2009	10	0
2010	6	0
2011	6	0
2012	3	0
2014	2	0
Total\|\|46\|\|2

Personal life

He is the younger brother of Robert Popov who is also a football player.

Honours

sc Heerenveen

KNVB Cup: 2008–09{{cite web |title=Goran Popov |url=http://www.90minut.pl/kariera.php?id=6387 |website=90minut.pl |access-date=1 October 2024 |language=pl}}

Dynamo Kyiv