Franko Kovačević
Croatian footballer (born 1999)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Franko Kovačević (born 8 August 1999) is a Croatian professional footballer who plays as a winger for Hungarian club Ferencváros.
.jpg)
|
Kovačević in 2024 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 8 August 1999 | ||
| Place of birth | Koprivnica, Croatia[1] | ||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)[1] | ||
| Positions | |||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Ferencváros | ||
| Number | 19 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2009–2010 | Varaždin | ||
| 2010–2015 | Bjelovar | ||
| 2015–2017 | Rijeka | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2017–2019 | Hajduk Split | 5 | (0) |
| 2017–2018 | → Hajduk Split II | 14 | (1) |
| 2019 | → Rudeš (loan) | 13 | (0) |
| 2019 | Rudeš | 0 | (0) |
| 2019–2022 | 1899 Hoffenheim II | 12 | (7) |
| 2020–2021 | → FC Cincinnati (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| 2021–2022 | → Pafos (loan) | 25 | (1) |
| 2022–2023 | Domžale | 31 | (12) |
| 2023–2025 | Wehen Wiesbaden | 23 | (4) |
| 2024–2025 | → Gangwon (loan) | 27 | (5) |
| 2025−2026 | Celje | 14 | (11) |
| 2026– | Ferencváros | 12 | (5) |
| International career | |||
| 2015 | Croatia U17 | 2 | (0) |
| 2017 | Croatia U18 | 2 | (0) |
| 2019 | Croatia U21 | 1 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 30 May 2026 | |||
Club career
Born in Koprivnica, Kovačević grew up in the city of Križevci. At the age of 10, he joined the youth academy of Varaždin, before switching to Bjelovar a year later. According to him, he started taking football seriously and started "serious training" during his stint at Bjelovar. At the age of 15, he switched to the academy of Rijeka.[2] After having spent one year at the club, he was called by German club Bayern Munich's manager Carlo Ancelotti to train with their team. In spite of the club expressing their interest in him,[3] he joined Hajduk Split on 16 June 2018 and was promoted to the first team.[4]
On 24 August 2017, Kovačević made his first team debut, coming on as an 85th-minute substitute for Hamza Barry in a 1–1 draw against English club Everton in the UEFA Europa League.[5] On 3 March 2018, he made his league debut, coming as a substitute in a 1–0 victory over Rudeš.[6]
On 15 February 2019, Kovačević was loaned out to Rudeš for the rest of the season.[7] At the end of the season, Rudeš activated the option to sign him permanently for the transfer fee of €300,000.[8] However, a week after activating the option, he was sold to German club TSG 1899 Hoffenheim where he was supposed to play for the U23 team in the Regionalliga Südwest. Kovačević signed a four-year contract with the German club.[9]
FC Cincinnati (loan)
On 12 October 2020, it was announced that Kovačević would be loaned out to FC Cincinnati of Major League Soccer for the remainder of the 2020 season with an option to extend through 2021.[10]
Pafos
On 5 August 2021, Kovačević signed with Cypriot side Pafos.[11]
Domžale
On 12 August 2022, Kovačević joined Slovenian PrvaLiga side Domžale on a three-year contract.[12]
Wehen Wiesbaden
On 3 August 2023, Kovačević returned to Germany and signed with Wehen Wiesbaden in 2. Bundesliga.[13]
On 10 July 2024, Kovačević joined Gangwon in South Korea on loan.[14]
Celje
On 14 June 2025, he signed a three-year contract with Celje in Slovenia.[15]
Ferencváros
On 9 May 2026, he won the 2025–26 Magyar Kupa season with Ferencváros by beating Zalaegerszegi TE 1–0 in the 2026 Magyar Kupa final at Puskás Aréna.[16]
Career statistics
- As of match played 18 December 2025[7]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Hajduk Split | 2017–18 | Prva HNL | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | — | 7 | 0 | |
| 2018–19 | Prva HNL | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | ||
| Total | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 10 | 0 | |||
| Hadjuk Split II | 2017–18 | Druga NL | 8 | 0 | — | — | — | 8 | 0 | |||
| 2018–19 | Druga NL | 6 | 1 | — | — | — | 6 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 14 | 1 | — | — | — | 14 | 1 | |||||
| Rudeš (loan) | 2018–19 | Prva HNL | 13 | 0 | — | — | — | 13 | 0 | |||
| Hoffenheim II | 2019–20 | Regionalliga | 8 | 5 | — | — | — | 8 | 5 | |||
| 2020–21 | Regionalliga | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | 3 | 1 | ||||
| 2022–23 | Regionalliga | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 12 | 7 | — | — | — | 12 | 7 | |||||
| Cincinnati (loan) | 2020 | MLS | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| 2021 | MLS | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | 4 | 0 | |||||
| Pafos (loan) | 2021–22 | Cypriot First Division | 25 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 27 | 1 | ||
| Domžale | 2022–23 | 1. SNL | 30 | 12 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 32 | 13 | ||
| 2023–24 | 1. SNL | 1 | 0 | — | 2[c] | 2 | — | 3 | 2 | |||
| Total | 31 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | — | 35 | 15 | |||
| Wehen Wiesbaden | 2023–24 | 2. Bundesliga | 23 | 4 | 1 | 0 | — | 2[d] | 0 | 26 | 4 | |
| Gangwon (loan) | 2024 | K League 1 | 15 | 4 | — | — | — | 15 | 4 | |||
| 2025 | K League 1 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 12 | 1 | |||
| Total | 27 | 5 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 27 | 5 | ||||
| Celje | 2025–26 | 1. SNL | 14 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 13[e] | 12 | — | 28 | 25 | |
| Career total | 168 | 41 | 10 | 3 | 16 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 196 | 58 | ||
- Includes Croatian Cup, Cypriot Cup, Slovenian Cup, DFB-Pokal
- Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa League
- Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa Conference League
- Appearance(s) in promotion/relegation play-off
- Four appearances and four goals in UEFA Europa League, nine appearances and eight goals in UEFA Conference League