Tomislav Mrčela
{{Short description|Australian soccer player}}
{{BLP sources|date=November 2023}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Tomislav Mrčela
| image = Tomislav Mrcela 2022.png
| caption = Mrčela with Western Sydney Wanderers in 2022
| fullname = Tomislav Mrčela
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1990|10|1|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Perth, Western Australia
| height = {{height|m=1.93}}
| position = Centre-back
| currentclub = Perth Glory
| clubnumber = 29
| youthyears1 = 2001–2009
| youthclubs1 = RNK Split
| years1 = 2009
| caps1 =
| goals1 =
| clubs1 = Jadran Kaštel Sućurac
| years2 = 2010–2011
| caps2 = 32
| goals2 = 0
| clubs2 = Primorac 1929
| years3 = 2011
| caps3 = 13
| goals3 = 3
| clubs3 = Imotski
| years4 = 2012
| caps4 = 0
| goals4 = 0
| clubs4 = RNK Split
| years5 = 2012
| caps5 = 28
| goals5 = 0
| clubs5 = → Imotski (loan)
| years6 = 2013
| caps6 = 12
| goals6 = 1
| clubs6 = Mosor
| years7 = 2013–2014
| caps7 = 27
| goals7 = 2
| clubs7 = Hrvatski Dragovoljac
| years8 = 2014–2016
| caps8 = 50
| goals8 = 2
| clubs8 = Lokomotiva
| years9 = 2016–2018
| caps9 = 51
| goals9 = 3
| clubs9 = Jeonnam Dragons
| years10 = 2018–2020
| caps10 = 30
| goals10 = 2
| clubs10 = Perth Glory
| years11 = 2021–2022
| clubs11 = East Bengal
| caps11 = 9
| goals11 = 1
| years12 = 2022–2023
| clubs12 = Western Sydney Wanderers
| caps12 = 38
| goals12 = 1
| years13 = 2023–2024
| clubs13 = Neftchi Fergana
| caps13 = 8
| goals13 = 0
| years14 = 2024
| clubs14 = Rudeš
| caps14 = 15
| goals14 = 3
| years15 = 2024–
| caps15 = 2
| goals15 = 0
| clubs15 = Perth Glory
| club-update = 24 December 2024
| nationalteam-update = 13 June 2015
}}
Tomislav Mrčela ({{IPA|hr|tǒmislaʋ mř̩tʃela}};{{cite web|url=http://hjp.znanje.hr/index.php?show=search_by_id&id=f19nUBR9|title=Tòmislav|quote=Tòmislav|website=Hrvatski jezični portal|access-date=2018-03-20|language=sh}}
- {{cite web|url=http://hjp.znanje.hr/index.php?show=search_by_id&id=e1lnXBc%3D|title=mȋrta|quote=Mr̀čela|website=Hrvatski jezični portal|access-date=2018-03-20|language=sh}} born 1 October 1990) is an Australian professional soccer player who plays as a defender for Perth Glory.{{Cite web|last=Desk|first=India com Sports|date=2021-09-14|title=ISL 2021-22: SC East Bengal Signs Tomislav Mrcela: All You Need to Know|url=https://www.india.com/sports/isl-2021-22-sc-east-bengal-signs-australian-defender-tomislav-mrcela-4956587/|access-date=2021-09-14|website=India News, Breaking News {{!}} India.com|language=en}}
Club career
Mrcela left Australia at a young age and joined the youth academy of Dalmatian side RNK Split.{{citation needed|date=June 2018}} He left Split in 2009 to join Jadran Kaštel, a third division side at the time, and later signed for NK Primorac 1929 in 2010.{{citation needed|date=June 2018}}
In mid 2011, Tomislav joined NK Imotski.{{citation needed|date=June 2018}} Despite being just 20 years of age, Mrcela was immediately a starter. Missing just one game all season, Mrcela made 29 appearances and scored a further three goals. Mrcela continued his good form into the next season and missed just one further game by January 2013.{{citation needed|date=June 2018}} His good form led to a move to fellow second division side NK Mosor where he played out the remainder of the 2012–13 season.{{citation needed|date=June 2018}}
After good performances at Mosor, he moved to top division side NK Hrvatski Dragovoljac.{{citation needed|date=June 2018}} Initially Mrcela struggled, making just four appearances in the first twelve rounds but then became a mainstay in the starting XI.{{citation needed|date=June 2018}} Unfortunately his side were relegated by the end of the season but Mrcela did enough to convince ambitious Zagreb side NK Lokomotiva to keep him in the first division by signing him on a four-year deal[https://int.soccerway.com/players/tomislav-mrela/266496/ Soccerway profile]
- [http://nklokomotiva.hr/vijesti.php?id_vijesti=5351 NK Lokomotiva: Tomislav Mrcela novi je igrač Lokomotive!]
Mrcela scored his first goal for Lokomotiva on debut in a 5–2 loss against HNK Hajduk Split.{{citation needed|date=June 2018}}
On 28 June 2016, Mrcela transferred to South Korean club Jeonnam Dragons.{{citation needed|date=June 2018}}
On 14 June 2018, Mrcela left Jeonnam Dragons to join Australian A-League club Perth Glory on a two-year deal.{{cite news|url=https://thewest.com.au/sport/perth-glory/perth-glory-sign-former-socceroos-defender-tomislav-mrcela-ng-b88866992z|title=Perth Glory sign former Socceroos defender Tomislav Mrcela|first=Nick|last=Taylor|newspaper=The West Australian|date=14 June 2018}} During his stay at the club, he won the A-League and contributed massively to the team's success.{{Cite news|date=2021-09-14|title=ISL: SC East Bengal sign Australian defender Tomislav Mrcela|url=https://thebridge.in/football/sc-east-bengal-sign-australian-defender-tomislav-mrcela-25114|website=The Bridge|language=en}}
On 14 September 2021, Mrcela joined Indian Super League club SC East Bengal{{cite web|url=https://www.kolkatafootball.com/live_news_update/index.html|title=SC EAST BENGAL ANNOUNCED THIRTY THREE MEMBER SQUAD FOR ISL|website=kolkatafootball.com|access-date=5 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211103150322/https://www.kolkatafootball.com/live_news_update/index.html|archive-date=3 November 2021|url-status=live}} on a one-year deal. He scored his first goal for the club on 12 December in a 1–1 draw against Kerala Blasters.[https://sportstar.thehindu.com/football/isl/2021-2022/news/isl-2021-22-sc-east-bengal-kerala-blasters-1-1-draw-fc-sceb-kbfc-indian-super-league/article37937114.ece ISL 2021-22: Mrcela, Vazquez goals leads to 1-1 draw between SC East Bengal and Kerala Blasters]. sportstar.thehindu.com. 12 December 2021. Retrieved 12 December 2021. He was later replaced by Nepali defender Ananta Tamang as their sole AFC Quota.{{cite web|url=https://www.insidesport.in/isl-season-8-sc-east-bengal-bolster-their-backline-by-signing-nepal-international-ananta-tamang/|title=ISL Season 8: SC East Bengal bolster their backline by signing Nepal international Ananta Tamang|first=Atrayo|last=Bhattacharya|website=insidesport.in|publisher=InsidePost|date=11 February 2022|access-date=11 February 2022}}
On 17 February 2022, he moved back to Australia signing with Western Sydney Wanderers until the end of the 2021–22 A-League Men season as an injury replacement player for captain Rhys Williams.{{cite news|url=https://www.ftbl.com.au/news/new-signing-for-a-leagues-wanderers-576192|title=New signing for A-League's Wanderers|first=George|last=Clarke|newspaper=FTBL|date=17 February 2022}} After making 12 appearances, Mrcela signed a two-year contract extension with the club.{{cite web|url=https://wswanderersfc.com.au/news/mrcela-re-signs-with-the-red-black|title=Mrcela re-signs with the Red & Black|website=Western Sydney Wanderers|date=27 June 2022}}
Mrcela scored his first goal for the Wanderers on 15 October 2022 in a 1-0 win against Melbourne Victory.{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com.au/football/story/_/id/37632908/western-sydney-end-melbourne-victory-unbeaten-league-run|title=Western Sydney Wanderers end Melbourne Victory's unbeaten A-League Men run thanks to Mrcela magic|first=Joey|last=Lynch|newspaper=ESPN Australia|date=16 October 2022}} After helping the club to their first finals appearance in 6 years, Mrcela left the club to join Uzbek side Neftchi Fergana.{{cite news|url=https://keepup.com.au/news/a-league-transfer-news-western-sydney-wanderers-mrcela/|title=Star defender departs Wanderers to pursue overseas opportunities|first=Nick|last=D'Urbano|newspaper=KEEPUP|date=25 July 2023}}
International career
Holding dual citizenship, Mrcela is eligible to play for either Croatia or Australia. On 10 June 2015, he was named in a 23-man squad for Australia before two 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against Kyrgyzstan.{{cite web|title=Mrcela ready to show Socceroos his quality|url=http://www.socceroos.com.au/article/mrcela-ready-to-show-socceroos-his-quality/3wgt5ot70t501gymxd0x7bopo|website=Socceroos|date=10 June 2015 |accessdate=27 April 2016}}
Career statistics
=Club=
{{Updated|5 May 2022}}{{soccerway|tomislav-mrela/266496}}
| class="wikitable" style=text-align:center
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition | ||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|Cup !colspan="2"|Continental !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| rowspan="3" |Imotski
| rowspan="2" |Druga HNL |27 | 3 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2" |— | 27 | 3 | ||
| 2012–13
|14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2" |— | 14 | 0 | ||
| colspan="2" |Total
!41 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 3 | |
| rowspan="2" |Mosor
| rowspan="1" |Druga HNL |12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2" |— | 12 | 1 | ||
| colspan="2" |Total
!12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 1 | |
| rowspan="2" |Hrvatski Dragovoljac
| rowspan="1" |Prva HNL |27 | 2 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2" |— | 27 | 2 | ||
| colspan="2" |Total
!27 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 2 | |
| rowspan="3" |Lokomotiva Zagreb
| rowspan="2" |Prva HNL |30 | 1 | 3 | 0 | colspan="2" |— | 33 | 1 | ||
| 2015–16
|20 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4{{efn|name=UEL|Appearance(s) in Europa League}} | 0 | 26 | 1 | |
| colspan="2" |Total
!50 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 59 | 2 | |
| rowspan="4" |Jeonnam Dragons
|2016 | rowspan="3" |K League 1 |21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2" |— | 21 | 0 | ||
| 2017
|28 | 3 | 2 | 0 | colspan="2" |— | 30 | 3 | ||
| 2018
|2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2" |— | 2 | 0 | ||
| colspan=2|Total||51||3||2||0||0||0||53||3 | ||||||||
| rowspan="3" |Perth Glory
| rowspan="2" |A-League |12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2" |— | 12 | 0 | ||
| 2019–20
|18 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1{{efn|name=statsAFCCL|Appearance(s) in the AFC Champions League}} | 0 | 20 | 3 | |
| colspan="2" |Total
!30 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 32 | 3 | |
| rowspan="1" |East Bengal
| rowspan="1" |Indian Super League |9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2" |— | 9 | 1 | ||
| rowspan="1" |Western Sydney Wanderers
| rowspan="1" |A-League |12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2" |— | 12 | 0 | ||
| colspan="3" |Career total
!232 | 14 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 245 | 15 |
{{notelist}}
Honours
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Perth Glory FC squad}}
External links
- {{K League player}}
- {{Soccerway|tomislav-mrela/266496}}
- [https://semafor.hns.family/en/players/31581/tomislav-mrcela/ Tomislav Mrčela] at the official Croatian Football Federation Semafor site
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2014}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mrcela, Tomislav}}
Category:Soccer players from Perth, Western Australia
Category:Australian people of Croatian descent
Category:Men's association football central defenders
Category:Australian men's soccer players
Category:Croatian men's footballers
Category:NK Primorac 1929 players
Category:NK Hrvatski Dragovoljac players
Category:NK Lokomotiva Zagreb players
Category:Jeonnam Dragons players
Category:Perth Glory FC players
Category:East Bengal Club players
Category:Western Sydney Wanderers FC players
Category:FC Neftchi Fergana players
Category:First Football League (Croatia) players
Category:Croatian Football League players
Category:Indian Super League players
Category:Croatian expatriate men's footballers
Category:Australian expatriate men's soccer players
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in South Korea
Category:Croatian expatriate sportspeople in South Korea
Category:Australian expatriate sportspeople in South Korea
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in India
Category:Croatian expatriate sportspeople in India
Category:Australian expatriate sportspeople in India
Category:Australian expatriate sportspeople in Uzbekistan
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Uzbekistan