Martin Erlić
Croatian footballer (born 1998)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Martin Erlić (Croatian pronunciation: [mǎrtin êːrlitɕ];[3][4] born 24 January 1998) is a Croatian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for the Danish club Midtjylland and the Croatia national team.
|
Erlić in 2022 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Martin Erlić[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 24 January 1998[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Zadar, Croatia | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in)[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Centre-back | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | Midtjylland | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008-2010 | Raštane | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–2012 | Dinamo Zagreb | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012–2014 | Rijeka | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014–2015 | Parma | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015–2017 | Sassuolo | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017–2019 | Sassuolo | 0 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017–2018 | → Südtirol (loan) | 30 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018–2019 | → Spezia (loan) | 0 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019–2021 | Spezia | 50 | (3) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021–2024 | Sassuolo | 60 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021–2022 | → Spezia (loan) | 30 | (2) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024–2025 | Bologna | 8 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2025– | Midtjylland | 11 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015 | Croatia U17 | 10 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015 | Croatia U18 | 3 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2016 | Croatia U19 | 11 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022– | Croatia | 11 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||||||||||||||
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 18:00, 15 February 2026 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 23:32, 12 October 2025 (UTC) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Club career
Early career
Hailing from the village of Tinj, Erlić started training football at NK Raštane in a nearby village.[citation needed] At the age of 12, he was scouted by GNK Dinamo Zagreb and spent two years in its youth team before moving onto NK Rijeka.[citation needed] Erlić moved abroad at the age of 16, to Parma.[5] After Parma's bankruptcy, Erlić went to Sassuolo in 2015.[6]
Loan to Südtirol
On 31 August 2017, Erlić moved to Serie C club Südtirol on a season-long loan deal.[7] On 8 October, he made his Serie C debut for Südtirol, as a substitute replacing Filippo Sgarbi in the 70th minute of a 3–1 away defeat against Padova.[8][better source needed] On 15 October, Erlić played his first entire match for Südtirol, a 5–0 home victory against Santarcangelo.[9] On 8 November, Erlić scored his first professional goal for Südtirol in the 81st minute of a 1–0 away win over Sambenedettese.[10] Erlić ended his season-long loan to Südtirol with 30 appearances as well as one goal and assist each.[11]
Later career
On 10 July 2018, Erlić initially was loaned to Serie B club Spezia on a season-long loan deal.[12] After missing most of the 2018–19 season through the injury,[6] he rejoined Spezia on a permanent basis on 15 July 2019.[13] Erlić signed for Sassuolo on 16 August 2021, but was returned on loan to Spezia for the 2021–22 season.[14] On 2 August 2024, he signed with Bologna in Serie A.[15]
On 4 August 2025, Erlić signed a five-year contract with Midtjylland in Denmark.[16]
International career
On 6 June 2022, Erlić made his debut for the Croatia national team in a 1–1 draw with France in the Nations League.[17] He stated to attend his brother's wedding to play the match.[17] On 9 November 2022, Erlić was named in Zlatko Dalić's 26-man squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup,[18] where he remained an unused substitute as Croatia finished third.[19]
Personal life
Erlić is a fan of Hajduk Split.[20][better source needed]
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played 12 March 2026
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Südtirol (loan) | 2017–18 | Serie C | 30 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 30 | 1 | ||
| Spezia (loan) | 2018–19 | Serie B | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | ||
| Spezia | 2019–20 | Serie B | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 4[b] | 0 | 27 | 0 | |
| 2020–21 | Serie A | 27 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 28 | 3 | |||
| Total | 50 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 55 | 3 | ||
| Spezia (loan) | 2021–22 | Serie A | 30 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 32 | 3 | ||
| Sassuolo | 2022–23 | Serie A | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 28 | 0 | ||
| 2023–24 | Serie A | 32 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 33 | 1 | |||
| Total | 60 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 61 | 1 | ||
| Bologna | 2024–25 | Serie A | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1[c] | 0 | — | 11 | 0 | |
| Midtjylland | 2025–26 | Danish Superliga | 11 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 10[d] | 3 | — | 24 | 4 | |
| Career total | 189 | 8 | 10 | 1 | 11 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 214 | 12 | ||
- Includes Coppa Italia, Danish Cup
- Appearances in Serie B promotion play-offs
- Appearance in UEFA Champions League
- Appearances in UEFA Europa League
International
- As of match played 12 October 2025[21]
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Croatia | 2022 | 4 | 0 |
| 2023 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2025 | 1 | 1 | |
| Total | 11 | 1 | |
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 October 2025 | Stadion Varteks, Varaždin, Croatia |  Gibraltar | 3–0 | 3–0 | 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification |
