Bojan Krkić

Bojan Krkić was considered by many observers as the most promising player of his generation. Unfortunately, he would be the victim of something he had fought all his life: the stress of high-level athletes.

323

Games

Goals

Assists

Trophies

2007/2011 Barcelona (SPA) 104 games, 26 goals

2011/2013 AS Roma (ITA) 33 games, 7 goals

2012/2013 AC Milan (ITA) (loan) 19 games, 3 goals

2013/2014 Barcelona (SPA)

2013/ 2014 Ajax Amsterdam (NET) (loan) 24 games, 4 goals

2014/2019 Stoke City (ENG) 74 games, 15 goals

2017 Mainz 05 (GER) (loan) 11 games, 1 goal

2017/2018 Alavés (SPA) (loan) 12 games

2019/2020 Montreal Impact (CAN) 25 games, 7 goals

2021/2023 Vissel Kobe (JAP) 20 games, 1 goal

With the National Team :

1 cap

(World Cup Qualifiers: 1 cap)

September 10, 2008, against Armenia (4-0)

U17: 20 caps, 16 goals

U21: 21 caps, 4 goals

Bojan Krkić Pérez

Born August 28, 1990 in Liñola (SPA)

Spanish, second striker, left-winger, right-winger, attacking-midfielder, 1m70

Nicknames: El nuevo Messi

The biggest hopeful player in the world

Bojan Krkić was born on August 28, 1990 in Liñola, Spain. When he was only 9 years old, he joined the famous La Masia academy, son of Bojan Krkić Sr, the young Spaniard seems to have inherited his father's football talent.

At La Masia, he became a true football phenom, in the youth categories of the Barcelona club, he would have scored no less than 900 goals, a record for the club. His qualities were simple, speed in his decision-making, perfect ball control and exceptional dribbling quality.

It is therefore quite logical that at 17, the young prodigy received an offer of a professional contract with Barça, something he accepted. Bojan was thrown straight in at the deep end, rubbing shoulders with Messi, to whom he would often be compared. Bojan is thus described as the one who would embody the future of the Blaugrana club and the player with the most potential at the club, yes yes, more potential than Messi.

A dream first season at the club

Krkić made his professional debut on September 16, 2007, coming on in the second half against Osasuna. Another thing to note is that the player exploded everything with the Spanish U17 national team that he joined in May 2006, scoring 16 goals in 20 matches including 6 during the U17 Euro that he won. He then joined the U21 selection in June 2007 with whom he would win the Euro U21 in 2011.

During his first season, the 2007/08 season, he was a prestigious substitute, still in the shadow of legendary attacking players like Ronaldinho, Thierry Henry, Samuel Eto'o, the other young nugget Giovani dos Santos, Lionel Messi and Deco. But he would play, play a lot for a first season in such a prestigious club.

After his debut at Osasuna, he played his first Champions League match 3 days later against Olympique Lyonnais at the age of 17, entering the field at the very end of the match. His first goal with FC Barcelona would come in a match against Villareal on October 20, 2007. Then his first goal in the Champions League would be on April 1, 2008. Bojan broke all records for precocity and confirmed the hopes placed in him.

At the end of his first season in the elite of football, he had an exceptional season: 48 matches, 12 goals and 6 assists. But as a substitute and playing only the equivalent of 22 matches in terms of playing time. He is simply exceptional, outside of the statistics, he is a player very close to the style of Lionel Messi, 1m70, low center of gravity, he does not make superfluous technical gestures, but makes big bridges, hooks, short dribbles, the ball seems to stick to his feet. And he has an offensive weapon that Messi does not really have, a good head game, well helped by a good vertical jump.

The beginning of nightmares

At the end of the season he was called up to play with the Spanish national team, and he made his debut in September 2008 against Armenia as a striker in a team focused on technique rather than a pure and hard striker in finishing. This 2008/09 season would be one of psychological decline for the player who began to suffer from nausea, stress, panic attacks. The media pressure was becoming too strong on him.

Moreover, Bojan refused to play Euro 2008 with the Spanish national team, the pressure being too strong, and the symptoms of stress becoming uncontrollable. Luis Aragonés had called the player and told him of his desire to see him join La Roja, a reward for his incredible first season. But the player did not feel able to respond positively to the offer.

Fernando Hierro was also one of those who most wanted his participation with La Roja as sporting director of the Spanish national team. He called the young Spaniard many times, something to which Bojan could only reluctantly say "no".

Carles Puyol had also offered to take the player under his wing in the national team, reassuring him of his potential contribution to the Spanish team, but the player could not do anything about it, already on medication, he could no longer take the pressure. And the hammer blow came after the announcement of the Roja list for Euro 2008, the newspapers headlined: "Bojan says no to the selection". The player saw it as a new disappointment and would say: "This title is killing me".

Bojan was then in a negative spiral, feeling alone, he was afraid of the media echoes, and was becoming more and more ill. He would give an interview to Spanish television explaining that he had refused the Spanish selection because of fatigue, something he would regret having said, having lied.

A promising second season with FC Barcelona

With Spain's victory at Euro 2008, Bojan and the media echo around him had decreased a little, and the player could once again concentrate on football, his stress also descending, and his anxiety being treated by professionals. His progression could therefore resume in Barcelona.

In a role of second striker or false 9, the player regained his color, and like a succession of changes of jerseys, he took an increasingly important place in the Barcelona squad. From his debut number, 27, he then wore 11 and then 9.

At the end of the 2008/09 season, he won the Champions League, La Liga, the Spanish Cup and the Spanish Super Cup as a pure rotation player... only 1787 minutes of play over the entire season, less than the previous season. This represents around 20 games played, in total, he participated in 42 games for 10 goals and 6 assists. Still very good statistics. He was used in several different positions to pick up minutes, left winger, right winger, attacking midfielder or even center forward.

A player with potential blocked by legends

In a team that has become stronger and stronger over the years, it is hard for the player to impose himself, knowing that he cannot stand the media pressure too much. This is how he started the 2009/10 season, once again as a substitute. Playing mainly as a left winger or centre forward, the 19-year-old still had enormous potential. But he would only play 1534 minutes over the entire season, or around 17 full matches. In total, he took part in 36 matches, scoring 12 goals and providing 4 assists. These statistics are still as good and impressive given his extra-sporting problems and his little playing time.

Krkić therefore still wins wonderful trophies with FC Barcelona but he is no longer in the plans of the Spanish coach, not called up to play in the World Cup, and it is already the end of his international career at just 20 years old.

The 2010/11 season will be his last at FC Barcelona, at least if we do not count his stint in 2013/14 where he does not play. Bojan will again alternate positions on the field, left winger, right winger or mainly center forward. But he does not impose himself in a team that now has an established attacking trio with David Villa, Pedro and Lionel Messi.

In total, he only plays 1559 minutes, for 37 matches, 7 goals and 3 assists. He wins a new Champions League, a Liga, and a Spanish Super Cup. Bojan therefore decided to leave Spain to try to relaunch his career and it was therefore at AS Roma that he signed at the age of 21, for 12 million euros on loan and a possibility of a definitive purchase at 24.5 million euros.

A more than disappointing career

But the adventure was a failure, despite 7 goals and 1 assist in 35 matches, he was once again a rotation player who struggled to impose his level and a regularity that a starter must know how to maintain. He therefore followed up with a loan to AC Milan, a new failure... Neither of these 2 Italian clubs succeeded in bringing the player back to the top level.

After another loan, this time to Ajax Amsterdam during the 2013/14 season which was rather good, the Dutch club finally decided not to extend the loan and the possible additional year. It was finally Stoke City who bought the player in 2014 for 1.8 million euros at 23 years old.

There, he found a decent level, and specialized in the position of second striker/attacking midfielder. But the player still struggled to have big seasons in terms of number of matches and playing time. He therefore went on loans to Mainz 05 and Alavés without ever really making his mark there.

He finally joined the MLS after a stint in the Championship with Stoke City, where, once again, he did not make his mark, despite a lower level. At Montreal Impact, he plays but no longer has the same desire... After a last transfer, to Vissel Kobe, in Japan where he does not impose himself... he finally puts an end to his career, at the age of 32... A career that leaves a bitter taste in the mouth but which has a beautiful conclusion.

A new role at FC Barcelona

Indeed, at the end of his professional career, the player is finally recruited within the management of FC Barcelona as a collaborator to accompany the youngsters on the psychological aspects of high-level football, in the hope of better preparing them for criticism, pressure and the potential negative effects of it.