Mario Božić

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Mario Božić
Марио Божић

| image = Mario Bozic.jpg

| upright = 1.1

| caption = Božić with Újpest in 2008

| fullname =

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1983|05|25|df=y}}

| birth_place = Tuzla, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina, SFR Yugoslavia

| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2023|4|3|1983|05|25}}

| death_place =

| height = 1.80 m

| position = Midfielder

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 =

| years1 = 2001–2002

| clubs1 = Loznica

| caps1 = 34

| goals1 = 3

| years2 = 2003

| clubs2 = Radnički Stobex

| caps2 = 12

| goals2 = 2

| years3 = 2003–2004

| clubs3 = Beograd

| caps3 = 27

| goals3 = 1

| years4 = 2004–2007

| clubs4 = Videoton Fehérvár

| caps4 = 86

| goals4 = 11

| years5 = 2008–2009

| clubs5 = Újpest

| caps5 = 40

| goals5 = 4

| years6 = 2009–2011

| clubs6 = Slovan Bratislava

| caps6 = 50

| goals6 = 3

| years7 = 2011

| clubs7 = Ashdod

| caps7 = 0

| goals7 = 0

| years8 = 2012

| clubs8 = Borac Čačak

| caps8 = 0

| goals8 = 0

| years9 = 2012

| clubs9 = Shanghai Shenhua

| caps9 = 13

| goals9 = 0

| years10 = 2012–2013

| clubs10 = Simurq

| caps10 = 25

| goals10 = 6

| years11 = 2013

| clubs11 = Panachaiki

| caps11 = 10

| goals11 = 3

| years12 = 2014

| clubs12 = Voždovac

| caps12 = 11

| goals12 = 1

| years13 = 2014–2015

| clubs13 = Borac Čačak

| caps13 = 15

| goals13 = 1

| years14 = 2015–2016

| clubs14 = Loznica

| caps14 = 13

| goals14 = 0

| nationalyears1 = 2007–2008

| nationalteam1 = Bosnia and Herzegovina

| nationalcaps1 = 2

| nationalgoals1 = 0

}}

Mario Božić ({{lang-sr-Cyrl|Марио Божић}}, {{IPA|sh|mâːrio bǒːʒitɕ|pron}};{{cite web|url=http://hjp.znanje.hr/index.php?show=search_by_id&id=e1xhXRU%3D|title=Màrija|quote=Mȃrio|website=Hrvatski jezični portal|accessdate=17 March 2018|language=sh}}{{cite web|url=http://hjp.znanje.hr/index.php?show=search_by_id&id=d1djXQ%3D%3D|title=Bȏg|quote=Bóžić|website=Hrvatski jezični portal|accessdate=17 March 2018|language=sh|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191214090436/http://hjp.znanje.hr/index.php?show=search_by_id&id=d1djXQ%3D%3D|archive-date=14 December 2019|url-status=live}} 25 May 1983 – 3 April 2023)[https://informer.rs/sport/c-zvezda/783239/mario-bozic-fudbal-smrt TUGA DO NEBA... Preminulo nesuđeno ZVEZDINO POJAČANJE! Srpski fudbaler izgubio borbu sa OPAKOM BOLEŠĆU!] 3 April 2023. Serbian[https://www.novosti.rs/sport/fudbal/1223426/mario-bozic-preminuo-smrt-najnovije-vesti-tuga TUGA DO NEBA: Preminuo Mario Božić, imao je samo 39 godina] 3 April 2023. Serbian was a Bosnian Serb professional footballer who played as a central midfielder.

At international level, Božić made two appearances for Bosnia and Herzegovina between 2007 and 2008.

Club career

Born in Tuzla, Božić moved to Serbia at an early age and started his senior career with Loznica. He also played for Radnički Stobex and Beograd, before moving to Hungarian club Fehérvár in the summer of 2004. As a regular member of the first team, Božić helped them win the 2005–06 Magyar Kupa. He also made over 100 appearances for the club in all competitions. In the 2008 winter transfer window, Božić was transferred to Újpest. He spent a total of five years in the country, amassing 126 league appearances and scoring 15 goals.

In the summer of 2009, Božić moved to Slovakia and signed with Slovan Bratislava. He spent two seasons in the country and won four major trophies with the club.

In June 2011, Božić signed with Israeli club Ashdod,{{Cite web | url=http://sport.aktuality.sk/c/113888/mario-bozic-prestupuje-zo-slovanu-bratislava-do-timu-najvyssej-izraelskej-sutaze/ | title=Mario Božič prestupuje zo Slovanu Bratislava do tímu najvyššej izraelskej súťaže | language=Slovak | publisher=sport.aktuality.sk | date=16 June 2011 | accessdate=26 November 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304101420/http://sport.aktuality.sk/c/113888/mario-bozic-prestupuje-zo-slovanu-bratislava-do-timu-najvyssej-izraelskej-sutaze/ | archive-date=4 March 2016 | url-status=live }} but failed to make any appearance for the club. He returned to Serbia in the 2012 winter transfer window and surprisingly signed with Borac Čačak. However, after only a few weeks, Božić left the club without making his debut and moved to Chinese side Shanghai Shenhua.

In August 2012, Božić joined Azerbaijani club Simurq, becoming the club's top scorer with six goals in the 2012–13 season.

Božić ended his career by playing with FK Loznica in Serbian second league.[http://www.srbijafudbal.com/loznica/bozic.htm Mario Božić] at srbijafudbal.com

International career

In March 2007, Božić received his first call-up for the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team.{{Cite web | url=https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/0254-0d7b8e1b9668-df7b4bc7487a-1000--new-team-set-for-oslo-trip/ | title='New team' set for Oslo trip | publisher=UEFA | date=15 March 2007 | access-date=10 January 2016}} He made his international debut on 8 September 2007, coming on as a substitute for Darko Maletić in a 1–0 loss to Hungary. His second and final international was an August 2008 friendly match against Bulgaria.{{cite web|url=https://eu-football.info/_player.php?id=2471|title=Player Database|website=eu-football.info|accessdate=4 February 2021}}

Post-playing career

On 9 February 2017, Božić was appointed director of football at Loznica.{{Cite web | url=http://www.loznicainfo.com/mario-bozic-postavljen-za-sportskog-direktora-fk-loznica | title=Mario Božić postavljen za sportskog direktora | language=Serbian | publisher=loznicainfo.com | date=9 February 2017 | accessdate=11 February 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170211135939/http://www.loznicainfo.com/mario-bozic-postavljen-za-sportskog-direktora-fk-loznica/ | archive-date=11 February 2017 | url-status=live }}

Death

Božić died on 3 April 2023 from a brain tumor. He was 39 years old.{{cite web |title=UŽASNE vesti stigle su ovo ponedeljka. U 40. godini je preminuo fudbaler Mario Božić |url=https://www.novosti.rs/sport/fudbal/1223426/mario-bozic-preminuo-smrt-najnovije-vesti-tuga |website=novosti.rs |publisher=Novosti a.d. |date=3 April 2023}}

Career statistics

rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !colspan="3"\|League !colspan="2"\|Cup{{efn\|Includes Magyar Kupa, Slovak Cup, FA Cup, Azerbaijan Cup}} !colspan="2"\|Continental !colspan="2"\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" \|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionSingle source here, if player is inactive. If player has not retired, move source next to "Updated" template.
Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
rowspan="5"\|Fehérvár \|2004–05 \|NB I \|20	0			0	0	20	0
2005–06 \|NB I \|28	6			0	0	28	6
2006–07 \|NB I \|24	2			4	0	28	2
2007–08 \|NB I \|14	3			0	0	14	3
colspan="2"\|Total !86	11			4	0	90	11
rowspan="3"\|Újpest \|2007–08 \|NB I \|13	0			0	0	13	0
2008–09 \|NB I \|27	4			0	0	27	4
colspan="2"\|Total !40	4			0	0	40	4
rowspan="3"\|Slovan Bratislava \|2009–10 \|Slovak Super Liga \|26	0	5	1	5	0	36	1
2010–11 \|Slovak Super Liga \|24	3	4	0	3	0	31	3
colspan="2"\|Total !50	3	9	1	8	0	67	4
Shanghai Shenhua \|2012 \|Chinese Super League \|13	0	1	0	0	0	14	0
Simurq \|2012–13 \|Azerbaijan Premier League \|25	6	3	0	0	0	28	6
colspan="3"\|Career total !214	24	13	1	12	0	239	25