MLADEN PETRIC

MLADEN PETRIC


Born: 1 January 1981
Former clubs: Baden, Grasshopper, Basel, Borussia Dortmund, Hamburger SV, Fulham.

Mladen Petric joined West Ham United having played at the highest level in Germany for Borussia Dortmund and Hamburger SV, as well as enjoying a successful international career.

The Croatian striker is a familiar face to most, having spent last season at Fulham where he netted five times in ten starts. 32-year-old Petric has scored 128 goals in his career to date and racked up an impressive 45 caps for his country.

The forward joins West Ham United on a deal which runs until the end of the 2013/14 season.

2013/14

Makes his debut for West Ham United as a second half substitute in the 3-2 home defeat to Everton on 21 September 2013...Plays 45 minutes in the 3-2 win over Cardiff City in the Capital One Cup on 24 September 2013.

International career

Made his international debut against South Korea in 2001…He scored his first goal against Wales in a friendly in August 2002…Became the first player to score four goals for Croatia in a competitive international against Andorra in 2006…Scored the goal which condemned England to their first defeat at the 'New Wembley' in 2007…Part of the Croatian squad which reached the quarter-finals of Euro 2008.

Before West Ham

After spending his entire youth career in Switzerland with FC Neuenhof, Petric began his professional career with FC Baden where he stayed for three years before leaving for Grasshopper Club Zurich in 1999…The front man hit 30 goals in 114 games for Grasshopper over a five-year period before leaving for Basel in 2004, there he found his best form racking up an impressive 38 goals in 72 games...A move to the Bundesliga followed where one season at Borussia Dortmund yielded 13 goals…He moved to Hamburg for the start of the 2008/09 season, staying for four years and making his mark with 38 goals in 99 games for the club…Petric left the Bundelsiga for the Premier League when he signed a one-year deal in 2012, five goals in ten starts for Fulham followed before he left the club in June.