Summary
Stefan Bajic (Serbian: Стефан Бајић/Stefan Bajić; born 23 December 2001) is a French professional footballer who plays as goalkeeper for EFL Championship club Bristol City.
 Bajic with Saint-Étienne in 2020 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 23 December 2001 | ||
| Place of birth | Saint-Étienne, France | ||
| Height | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Bristol City | ||
| Number | 23 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2007–2019 | Saint-Étienne | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2018–2022 | Saint-Étienne B | 25 | (0) |
| 2019–2022 | Saint-Étienne | 9 | (0) |
| 2022 | Pau | 15 | (0) |
| 2022– | Bristol City | 0 | (0) |
| 2023 | → Valenciennes (loan) | 11 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2016–2017 | France U16 | 7 | (0) |
| 2017–2018 | France U17 | 3 | (0) |
| 2018 | France U18 | 1 | (0) |
| 2019 | France U19 | 11 | (0) |
| 2022 | France U21 | 1 | (0) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 28 June 2023 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 28 March 2022 | |||
Bajic joined Saint-Étienne at age six, and over the years has climbed through the club's U17, U19 and reserve teams, breaking into the first team at age 18. He has represented France internationally at youth level, from the under-16s to the under-21s, as well as the Olympic team at the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Early life edit
Bajic was born on 23 December 2001, in Saint-Étienne, France, and is of Serbian descent.[1]
Club career edit
Saint-Étienne edit
Youth system edit
Bajic first joined Saint-Étienne at age six,[2] gradually progressing through the club's youth teams, before finding himself at the under-17 level. His performances in the Championnat National U17 earned him his first international call-up for the France national under-16 football team.[2]
2018–19 season edit
On 2 May 2018, Bajic signed his first professional contract, to the end of the 2020–21 season.[2]
On 8 April 2019, Bajic extended his contract for a further year.[3][4] Bajic also led the club's U19 team through its Coupe Gambardella campaign, which ended with a 2–0 victory over Toulouse's U19 side in the Final on 27 April.[5]
2019–20 season edit
After assistant coach Ghislain Printant took over from Gasset, Bajic became Saint-Étienne's third choice, surpassing Vermot.[6] Bajic made his senior debut on 25 September 2019, with both Ruffier and Moulin suffering from minor injuries.[citation needed] The game against Metz resulted in Saint-Étienne's fourth defeat in five games, with a scoreline of 1–0.[7] Bajic became the Greens' youngest-ever player to start a Ligue 1 match.[8]
2020–21 season edit
Bajic played in the Coupe de France fixture for the round of 64 on 11 February, against Sochaux, as Moulin felt discomfort in his hamstring,[9] which Saint-Étienne lost 1–0.[citation needed] After Moulin also contracted the disease and later injured his groin, Bajic played his first league game in over a year on 19 March; Saint-Étienne lost 4–0 to Monaco.[citation needed]
Pau edit
On 4 February 2022, Bajic signed with Pau in Ligue 2.[10]
Bristol City edit
On 5 July 2022, Bajic signed with Bristol City in the EFL Championship on a three year deal.[11]
On 19 January 2023, Bajic returned to France to join Valenciennes on loan until the end of the season.[12]
International career edit
Bajic was called up to represent the France national under-19 team at the 2019 UEFA European Under-19 Championship.[13]
Career statistics edit
- As of match played 10 April 2023
| Club | Season | League | National Cup[a] | League Cup[b] | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Saint-Étienne B | 2018–19[14] | Championnat National 2 | 14 | 0 | — | — | — | 14 | 0 | |||
| 2019–20[14] | Championnat National 2 | 10 | 0 | — | — | — | 10 | 0 | ||||
| 2021–22[14] | Championnat National 3 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 25 | 0 | — | — | — | 25 | 0 | |||||
| Saint-Étienne | 2019–20[14] | Ligue 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2020–21[14] | Ligue 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | |||
| 2021–22[14] | Ligue 1 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 9 | 0 | |||
| Total | 9 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | ||
| Pau | 2021–22[14] | Ligue 2 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 15 | 0 | ||
| Bristol City | 2022–23[15] | EFL Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |
| 2023–24[16] | EFL Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| Valenciennes (loan) | 2022–23[14] | Ligue 2 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 11 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 60 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 64 | 0 | ||
- ^ National competitions include the FA Cup and Coupe de France
- ^ League Cup competitions include the EFL Cup
Honours edit
Saint-Étienne B
- Championnat National 3: 2017–18[citation needed]
Saint-Étienne U19
- Coupe Gambardella: 2018–19[citation needed]
References edit
- ^ "Revivez le multiplex de Ligue 1 / Ligue 1 / J7 / Multiplex / SOFOOT.com".
- ^ a b c "First professional contract for Stefan Bajic". ASSE.fr.
- ^ Le Figaro, Par (4 August 2019). "Bajic lié à Saint-Etienne jusqu'en 2022" [Bajic linked to Saint-Etienne until 2022]. LEFIGARO (in French). Retrieved 30 July 2021.
- ^ "Saint-Étienne: Stefan Bajic prolonge un an" [Saint-Étienne: Stefan Bajic extends one year]. L'Équipe (in French). 8 April 2019. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
- ^ Hagege, Luc (27 April 2019). "Saint-Étienne gagne sa quatrième Coupe Gambardella aux dépens de Toulouse" [Saint-Étienne wins his fourth Gambardella Cup at the expense of Toulouse]. L'Équipe (in French). Retrieved 30 July 2019.
- ^ Tanzi, Loïc (6 July 2020). "Saint-Etienne: Puel retient Stefan Bajic" [Saint-Etienne: Puel retains Stefan Bajic]. RMC SPORT (in French). Retrieved 20 July 2021.
- ^ "Saint-Etienne vs. Metz - 25 September 2019 - Soccerway". us.soccerway.com.
- ^ Chirat, Antoine (25 September 2019). "ASSE: Bajic, plus jeune gardien de l'histoire des Verts" [ASSE: Bajic, youngest goalkeeper in the history of the Greens]. Onze Mondial (in French). Retrieved 30 July 2021.
- ^ Cotard, Jason (10 February 2021). "ASSE: la surprise que prépare Puel pour la Coupe de France" [ASSE: the surprise that Puel prepares for the Coupe de France]. Onze Mondial (in French). Retrieved 30 July 2021.
- ^ "L'international espoirs" (Press release) (in French). Pau. 4 February 2022. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
- ^ "BAJIC IS A ROBIN". Bristol City. 5 July 2022. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
- ^ "📣 BAJIC JOINS VALENCIENNES FC ON LOAN". www.bcfc.co.uk. 19 January 2023. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
- ^ "U19 : Bajic et Abi vers l'Euro ! - ASSE - EVECT". EVECT.fr.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Stefan Bajic at Soccerway
- ^ "Games played by Stefan Bajic in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
- ^ "Games played by Stefan Bajic in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
External links edit
- AS Saint-Étienne profile
- Stefan Bajic – French league stats at LFP – also available in French (archived)
- Stefan Bajic at Soccerway
- Stefan Bajic at the French Football Federation (in French)
- UNFP Profile
