Jaka Bijol
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 Bijol with CSKA Moscow in 2021 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 5 February 1999 | ||
| Place of birth | Vuzenica, Slovenia[1] | ||
| Height | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)[1] | ||
| Positions | |||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Leeds United | ||
| Number | 15 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2014 | Dravograd | ||
| 2014–2017 | Bravo | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2017–2018 | Rudar Velenje | 30 | (3) |
| 2018–2022 | CSKA Moscow | 81 | (6) |
| 2020–2021 | → Hannover 96 (loan) | 30 | (0) |
| 2022–2025 | Udinese | 90 | (4) |
| 2025– | Leeds United | 22 | (1) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2014 | Slovenia U16 | 4 | (0) |
| 2015–2016 | Slovenia U17 | 10 | (1) |
| 2016–2017 | Slovenia U18 | 9 | (2) |
| 2017 | Slovenia U19 | 2 | (0) |
| 2017–2018 | Slovenia U21 | 4 | (0) |
| 2018– | Slovenia | 71 | (1) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 1 May 2026 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 31 March 2026 | |||
Jaka Bijol (born 5 February 1999) is a Slovenian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Premier League club Leeds United and the Slovenia national team. Initially a defensive midfielder, he switched to his current position in the 2021–22 season.
On 22 June 2018, CSKA Moscow announced the signing of Bijol on a five-year contract from Rudar Velenje.[2] On 18 September 2020, Bijol was loaned out to Hannover 96 for one year.[3]
On 14 July 2022, Bijol was signed by Serie A club Udinese on a five-year contract for a reported transfer fee of over €4 million.[4] In November 2023, he suffered a foot injury and was sidelined for over two months.[5]
After three years with Udinese, for whom he made 90 league appearances and scored 4 goals,[6] Bijol transferred to Premier League outfit Leeds United in June 2025, signing a five-year contract with The Whites.[7] The transfer fee was reported at approximately €21 million, making him the second most expensive Slovenian footballer of all time, behind only Benjamin Šeško.[7]
International career
On 13 October 2018, Bijol debuted with the Slovenia senior team in the 2018–19 UEFA Nations League match against Norway, which Slovenia lost 1–0.[8] He scored his first goal in a friendly match against Croatia on 26 March 2022, scoring a stoppage-time goal to secure a 1–1 draw.[9]
Bijol represented Slovenia at UEFA Euro 2024, where he was selected by football statistics portal WhoScored in the best eleven of the tournament.[10]
