Denis Kolinger

Denis Kolinger
Personal information
Date of birth (1994-01-14) 14 January 1994 (age 32)
Place of birth Malsch, Germany
Height 1.99 m (6 ft 6 in)
Position Centre-back
Team information
Current team
 Persija Jakarta
Number 30
Youth career
2000–2007 NK Jaska
2007–2012 NK Zagreb
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012–2016 NK Zagreb 102 (2)
2016–2021 Lokomotiva 128 (5)
2021–2024 Vejle 68 (2)
2022–2023 → CFR Cluj (loan) 22 (2)
2024–2026 Lokomotiva 58 (1)
2026– Persija Jakarta 1 (0)
International career‡
2010 Croatia U16 5 (0)
2011 Croatia U17 3 (0)
2011 Croatia U18 3 (0)
2012 Croatia U19 2 (0)
2015 Croatia U21 6 (0)
2017 Croatia 1 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 5 September 2026
‡ National team caps and goals as of 27 March 2018

Denis Kolinger (born 14 January 1994) is a professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Super League club Persija Jakarta. Born in Germany, he has represented the Croatia national team.

Club career

Kolinger was born in Malsch, Germany where his parents were working before they returned to Stankovo in Croatia when he was three months old. He started out at NK Jaska in nearby Jastrebarsko, moving on to the NK Zagreb academy at the age of 13. He went through all the ranks of the club, debuting for the senior side in the 2011–12 season, becoming a first-team regular in the following season. After NK Zagreb was relegated after the 2015–16 season, Kolinger moved to NK Lokomotiva, signing a four-year contract.

On 15 January 2021, Kolinger moved to Danish Superliga club Vejle Boldklub on a three-year deal. In August 2024, Kolinger's contract was terminated by mutual agreement.

International career

A Croatian youth international in U16, U17, U18 and U19 categories, Kolinger refused a call-up to the Croatia U21 national football team under Nenad Gračan in August 2014 claiming that he wanted to play for Germany, that he feels he is a German rather than a Croat and is therefore willing to take the chance and seek out German nationality, which he could since it is the country of his birth. However, in early 2015 he changed his mind, claiming that he realized it would be too hard for him to join the Germany U21 national football team and since March 2015 rejoined the Croatia U21 team.

He made his senior debut for Croatia in a May 2017 friendly match against Mexico, coming on as a 71st-minute substitute for Fran Tudor.

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 21 December 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
NK Zagreb 2011-12 1. HNL 1000——10
2012-13 1. HNL 15000——150
2013-14 2. HNL 31020——330
2014-15 1. HNL 30200——302
2015-16 1. HNL 25020——270
Total 102240——1062
Lokomotiva Zagreb 2016-17 1. HNL 2103000—240
2017-18 1. HNL 30341——344
2018-19 1. HNL 33030——360
2019-20 1. HNL 32250——372
2020-21 1 HNL 1202020—160
Total 128517120—1476
Vejle 2020-21 Danish Superliga 18120——201
2021-22 Danish Superliga 29171——362
2023-24 Danish Superliga 19020——210
2024-25 Danish Superliga 2000——20
Total 682111——793
CFR Cluj (loan) 2022-23 Liga I 211208011322
Lokomotiva Zagreb 2024-25 HNL 13020——150
Career total 332103621001137913
  1. ↑ Includes Croatian Cup, Danish Cup, Cupa României
  2. ↑ One appearance in UEFA Champions League, One appearance in UEFA Europa League
  3. ↑ One appearance in UEFA Champions League, Seven appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League
  4. ↑ Appearance(s) in Liga I European play-offs

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Croatia 201710
Total 10


Honours

NK Zagreb

Lokomotiva Zagreb

CFR Cluj

References

  1. ↑ Volio bih igrati za Njemačku, ali znam da bi to bilo teško pa sam izabrao Hrvatsku at Večernji List
  2. ↑ Volio bih igrati za Njemačku, ali znam da bi to bilo teško pa sam izabrao Hrvatsku at Večernji List
  3. ↑ "Comet database" (in Croatian). Croatian Football Federation. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  4. ↑ Denis Kolinger iz Zagreba prešao u Lokomotivu at Večernji List
  5. ↑ Vejle Boldklub forstærker med købet af kroatisk forsvarskriger Archived 15 January 2021 at the Wayback Machine, vejle-boldklub.dk, 15 January 2021
  6. ↑ Vejle Boldklub ophæver med Denis Kolinger, vejle-boldklub.dk, 20 August 2024
  7. ↑ Denis Kolinger: Srce me vuče prema Njemačkoj at Goal.com Croatia]
  8. ↑ Volio bih igrati za Njemačku, ali znam da bi to bilo teško pa sam izabrao Hrvatsku at Večernji List
  9. ↑ "Player Database". EU-football. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  10. ↑ Denis Kolinger at Soccerway. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
  11. ↑ "Denis Kolinger". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 10 January 2024.