Nikola Moro (Italian pronunciation: [nǐkola môːro];[2][3] born 12 March 1998) is a Croatian professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Serie A club Bologna and the Croatia national team.

Nikola Moro
Moro with Dynamo Moscow in 2020
Personal information
Date of birth (1998-03-12) 12 March 1998 (age 26)
Place of birthSplit, Croatia
Height1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[1]
Position(s)Defensive midfielder
Team information
Current team
Bologna
Number6
Youth career
2004–2009Solin
2009–2014Dinamo Zagreb
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2014–2019Dinamo Zagreb II30(7)
2016–2020Dinamo Zagreb87(10)
2020–2023Dynamo Moscow58(4)
2022–2023Bologna (loan)26(1)
2023–Bologna23(1)
International career
2012Croatia U142(0)
2013Croatia U154(1)
2014Croatia U166(0)
2014–2015Croatia U1717(7)
2014–2015Croatia U187(1)
2016–2017Croatia U1912(2)
2017–2021Croatia U2124(6)
2022–Croatia1(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:42, 24 May 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 15:53, 29 March 2022 (UTC)

Club career edit

Dinamo Zagreb edit

Aged six, he started football, moving to Zagreb aged 11.[4] A Hajduk Split fan in his early days in Solin,[4] Nikola's father Miro yearned for him to contemplate a career at the Hajduk academy,[5] but he went to the Dinamo Zagreb academy instead. Nikola joined the senior Dinamo Zagreb team from the youth academy in 2014.[6]

Moro played a full 90 minutes in his league debut for his senior team versus Lokomotiva in May 2016.[7] He made his Champions League debut on 7 December, in a 2–0 away defeat to Juventus.[8][9] On 22 February 2017, he signed a new contract until 2022.[10][11]

On 27 March 2018, in an international match against Moldova U21, he suffered a severe injury after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament.[12] He came back to the team on 26 September for the Croatian Cup game against Sloga Mravince.[13] He made his Europa League debut on 14 February 2019 in a 2–1 away defeat to Viktoria Plzeň.[14]

On 6 November, in a decisive Champions League home game against Shakhtar Donetsk, he was sent off in the 74th minute with Shakhtar scoring a late equalizer for 3–3 to deny Dinamo a direct qualification for the knockout phase.[15][16][17]

Dynamo Moscow edit

On 17 August 2020, he signed a five-year contract with Russian Premier League club Dynamo Moscow.[18] He made his debut two days later in a 2–0 victory over Rostov, coming on for Daniil Fomin in the 69th minute.[19][20] On 18 October, he scored his first goal for the club as Dynamo lost 3–1 to CSKA Moscow.[21]

Bologna edit

On 29 August 2022, Moro joined Bologna in Italy on loan until the end of the 2022–23 season, with an option to buy.[22] On 2 July 2023, Bologna exercised their option and made the transfer permanent.[23]

International career edit

Representing Croatia at U16, U17 and U19 level, Nikola Moro made the quarter-finals of the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup eventually losing to Mali.[24][25] He also represented Croatia U21 at the 2019 and 2021 UEFA Under-21 Euros,[26][27][28] captaining the team to the quarter-finals of the latter tournament for the first time in their history.[29][30][31]

On 17 May 2021, Moro was named in the preliminary 34-man squad for the UEFA Euro 2020,[32] but did not make the final 26.[33] He earned his first call-up to the senior Croatia team on 16 August 2021, ahead of the September World Cup qualifiers against Russia, Slovakia and Slovenia.[34] However, he did not debut until 29 March 2022, when he made an appearance in a friendly 2–1 victory over Bulgaria.[35][36]

Career statistics edit

Club edit

As of match played 24 May 2024[37]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueCup[a]ContinentalOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Dinamo Zagreb II2015–16Druga HNL120120
2016–17135135
2018–195252
Total307307
Dinamo Zagreb2015–16Prva HNL101020
2016–17151201[b]0181
2017–18244204[c]0304
2018–19193104[c]0243
2019–20282309[b]01[d]0412
Total8710901801011510
Dynamo Moscow2020–21Russian Premier League243200[c]0263
2021–2228161342
2022–23600060
Total5848100665
Bologna (loan)2022–23Serie A26120281
Bologna2023–24Serie A23141272
2024–2500000000
Total49261553
Career total224232321801026625
  1. ^ Includes appearances in Croatian Cup
  2. ^ a b Appearances in UEFA Champions League
  3. ^ a b c Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  4. ^ Appearance in Croatian Super Cup

International edit

As of match played 29 March 2022[38]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Croatia202210
Total10

Honours edit

Dinamo Zagreb

Individual

References edit

  1. ^ "Nikola Moro | Dinamo Zagreb". www.gnkdinamo.hr.
  2. ^ "Nìkola". Hrvatski jezični portal (in Croatian). Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  3. ^ "mȏro". Hrvatski jezični portal (in Croatian). Retrieved 21 March 2020. Mȏro
  4. ^ a b "Kapetan Nikola Moro: Navijač Hajduka, a svim srcem igra za Dinamo". www.vecernji.hr.
  5. ^ "NIKOLA, ZAR SI MOR'O? Otac modre zvijezde: 'Pustio sam sina u Dinamo jer nisam imao novca za uzdržavanje, a u Hajduku nam nisu dali ni opremu' - Sportske Novosti". sportske.jutarnji.hr. 8 January 2017.
  6. ^ "NOVI DRAGULJ POTPISAO ZA DINAMO NA TRI GODINE 'Nikola Moro je budućnost Modrih' -Jutarnji List". Jutarnji.hr. 18 March 2014. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
  7. ^ "Lokomotiva Zagreb 0–4 Dinamo Zagreb izvještaj s utakmice 14.05.2016. 1. HNL". Goal.com (in Croatian). 14 May 2016. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
  8. ^ Tironi, Hrvoje (11 December 2019). "Moro večeras 100. put u dresu Dinama, izjednačio se s Lukom". 24sata (in Croatian). Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  9. ^ "Juventus rutinski i drugi put pobijedio Dinamo". Hrvatska radiotelevizija (in Croatian). 7 December 2016. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  10. ^ "Future Stars of Croatia Locked into Deals Until 2022". Croatia Week. 22 February 2017.
  11. ^ "Kako Se Kladiti na Nogomet | Vodič za Klađenje 2021".
  12. ^ Tolić, Josip; Tironi, Hrvoje (27 March 2018). "Stravična ozljeda! Nikoli Mori pukli prednji križni ligamenti..." 24sata (in Croatian). Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  13. ^ Tironi, Hrvoje (25 September 2018). "Nikola Moro se vraća u Mravincima, Dinamo s najjačim sastavom". Goal.com. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  14. ^ Hina (14 February 2019). "FOTO, VIDEO: DINAMO POVEO NAKON MAJSTORIJE PETKOVIĆA I OLMA, A ONDA JE USLIJEDIO POTPUNI PREOKRET VIKTORIJE Modri izgubili nakon propusta u obrani". Sportske novosti (in Croatian). Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  15. ^ Lazić, Petar (6 November 2019). "DINAMO PROKOCKAO ISTORIJSKU POBEDU! Feliks Brih opet najomraženiji čovek na stadionu, ali se sada Srbi raduju!". Blic (in Serbian). Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  16. ^ Starešinčić, Danijel (23 October 2019). "Ključnu utakmicu za proljeće u Ligi prvaka Dinamo igra na Maksimiru; zbog ovog mu igra samo pobjeda". Tportal.hr (in Croatian). Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  17. ^ R. I. (11 December 2019). "ŠAHTAR - ATALANTA 0:3 Nevjerojatna utakmica kojom je Dinamo ispao iz Europe". Index.hr (in Croatian). Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  18. ^ "Никола Моро – в "Динамо"!" (in Russian). FC Dynamo Moscow. 17 August 2020.
  19. ^ "Eurogolčina Nikole Vlašića u velikom ruskom derbiju protiv Lovrena! Moro debitirao u Moskvi". Sportske novosti (in Croatian). 19 August 2020.
  20. ^ Sokolov, Ivan (19 August 2020). "Никола Моро дебютировал за "Динамо"". Championat (in Russian).
  21. ^ "Nikola Moro majstorski zabio prvijenac za moskovski Dinamo, njegova momčad izgubila u derbiju od Vlašića". Sportske novosti (in Croatian). 18 October 2020.
  22. ^ "Nikola Moro al Bologna" (in Italian). Bologna. 29 August 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  23. ^ "Moro, esercitata l'opzione per l'acquisto a titolo definitivo" (in Italian). Bologna FC 1909. 2 July 2023.
  24. ^ "[PHOTOS] Croatia U-17s Return Home to Warm Welcome". Croatia Week. 5 November 2015. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
  25. ^ "All-action Moro gets his reward". FIFA.com. 1 November 2016. Archived from the original on 25 October 2015. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
  26. ^ "Gračan objavio konačni popis za U-21 EP". Hrvatski nogometni savez (in Croatian). 6 June 2019. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
  27. ^ Kajtazi Roth, Anita (9 March 2021). "Bišćan objavio popis igrača za U-21 Euro: Na njemu najviše igrača Dinama i neka nova imena". Gol.hr (in Croatian). Retrieved 21 September 2021.
  28. ^ HINA (17 May 2021). "Bišćan objavio popis za U-21 Euro: Pozvao i sjajnog mladog hajdukovca". Gol.hr (in Croatian). Retrieved 21 September 2021.
  29. ^ Janković, Željko (25 May 2021). "Moro: Sad je važno jer su svi glavom na moru..." Večernji list (in Croatian). Retrieved 21 September 2021.
  30. ^ Olivari, Davorin (31 May 2021). "Ispred mladih Vatrenih je najteži mogući ispit! Igor Bišćan ne želi otkriti sastav za sudar s Furijom". Sportske novosti (in Croatian). Retrieved 21 September 2021.
  31. ^ "Dramatična borba za polufinale Europskog prvenstva: Hrvatska pala tek u produžecima". Gol.hr (in Croatian). 31 May 2021. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
  32. ^ "Dalić objavio popis za Euro 2020: Poznato svih 26 imena, izbornik objasnio iznenađenje". Gol.hr (in Croatian). 17 May 2021. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
  33. ^ HINA (1 June 2021). "Sada je konačno: Dalić potvrdio popis od 26 igrača za Euro 2020". Gol.hr (in Croatian). Retrieved 21 December 2022.
  34. ^ Olivari, Davorin (17 August 2021). "Bio je kapetan mlade Hrvatske, a sad je napokon među Vatrenima: 'Tata je najsretniji čovjek na svijetu!'". Sportske novosti (in Croatian). Retrieved 21 September 2021.
  35. ^ "Nikola Moro debitirao je za reprezentaciju u prijateljskoj utakmici protiv Bugarske". Telesport (in Croatian). 29 March 2022. Archived from the original on 29 March 2022. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  36. ^ "VIDEO Hrvatska preokretom pobijedila Bugarsku na krilima Andreja Kramarića!". Gol.hr (in Croatian). 29 March 2022. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  37. ^ Nikola Moro at Soccerway
  38. ^ "Nikola Moro, international footballer". eu-football.info. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  39. ^ "Team of the Tournament". uefa.com. Union of European Football Associations. Retrieved 20 July 2015.

External links edit