Ivica Vastić (; born 29 September 1969) is a retired professional footballer, who played as a midfielder and as a striker. He is currently the youth head coach of HNK Šibenik U19.
Born in Croatia, Vastić represented Austria national football team at the 1998 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2008. At the club level, he played for football clubs in Croatia, Austria, and Japan.
Club career Born in Split, SR Croatia, then still part of Yugoslavia, Vastić started to play for the local club Jugovinil (today GOŠK Adriachem), before joining RNK Split at the time playing in the Yugoslav third level. In 1991, he moved to Austria and signed with First Vienna FC. He subsequently also played for other Austrian clubs, such as VSE St. Pölten and Admira Wacker Mödling, and also had a half-season spell with Bundesliga side MSV Duisburg, where he made 10 league appearances without scoring a goal.
Sturm Graz Vastić's most notable spell was with Sturm Graz between 1994 and 2002, during which he helped the club win the Austrian Bundesliga two consecutive times in 1998 and 1999, as well as the Austrian Cup in 1996, 1997 and 1999. With the club, he also played in the group stages of the UEFA Champions League in the 1998/1999 and 1999/2000 seasons of the competition.
Japan and return to Austria
Vastić left Sturm for a one-season spell with Japanese club Nagoya Grampus Eight, after which he returned to Austria to spend two seasons with Austria Vienna before joining LASK in the summer of 2005. He performed well for LASK in the Erste Liga, the Austrian second division, and was the top goalscorer of the league in two consecutive seasons, scoring a total of 42 goals in 62 league appearances between 2005 and 2007. After helping LASK win promotion to the Austrian Bundesliga in 2007, he went on to help the club finish sixth in the 2007/2008 Austrian Bundesliga season and himself finished the season as the club's top goalscorer in the league, having netted 13 goals in 32 appearances. Vastić announced his retirement on 18 May 2009, quitting professional football by 30 June 2009.
International career Vastić became an Austrian national in 1996 and subsequently started to play for the Austria national football team. By 2005, Vastić had won a total of 46 caps and scored 12 goals as an Austrian international.Appearances for Austrian National Team – RSSSF He then disappeared from the team for a period before making a spectacular comeback in 2008, being a surprise selection in the Euro 2008 squad and scoring Austria's first ever goal in the European Championship, also becoming the oldest goalscorer in the history of the tournament until Luka Modrić broke the record in Euro 2024.
1998 World Cup Vastić's first appearance at a major tournament with Austria was at the 1998 FIFA World Cup finals in France,Record at FIFA Tournaments – FIFA where he appeared in all of the team's three group matches and scored a last-minute equaliser in their second match at the tournament, a 1–1 draw against Chile. The Austrians were, however, eliminated from the tournament in the first round after recording two draws and one defeat.
Euro 2008 On 24 April 2008, Vastić was surprisingly added to Austria's preliminary squad for the UEFA Euro 2008 finals co-hosted by Austria and Switzerland in June. His last appearance for the national team prior to the call-up had been more than two and a half years before, on 17 August 2005 in their 2–2 draw in a friendly match against Scotland.Österreichs EM-Kader mit drei Bundesliga-Spielern , Eurosport, 24 April 2008 He then made his international comeback, winning his 47th cap, as a substitute in Austria's friendly match against Nigeria on 27 May 2008 and was eventually added to their final 23-man squad for the Euro 2008 finals, where he was the oldest player. In Austria's next friendly match three days later, he scored the team's fourth goal in their 5–1 victory over Malta.
On 8 June, Vastić made his Euro 2008 bow in the 1–0 defeat to his native Croatia, replacing Jürgen Säumel in the 61st minute.Croatia labour to win over Austria, BBC Sport Online, 8 June 2008
On 12 June, Vastić appeared in Austria's second match of the tournament, a 1–1 draw with Poland, winning his 50th international cap as he replaced captain Andreas Ivanschitz in the 64th minute. In the match, he scored Austria's first goal in the UEFA European Championship final tournaments by netting an injury-time penalty to equalise, also becoming the oldest goalscorer of the European Championship finals at age , over four years older than Nené who held the record since 1984. This record was broken by Luka Modrić in Euro 2024.Poland draw with Austria, BBC Sport Online, 12 June 2008
Coaching career
FC Waidhofen/Ybbs On 16 June 2009, Vastić was named head coach of FC Waidhofen/Ybbs of the Regionalliga Ost. Coincidently the club began a cooperation with the former Vastic club LASK. He started his coaching career very well, winning the Regionalliga Ost in 2009/10.
Austria Wien Vastić changed to Austria Wien Amateurs in summer 2010 and was promoted to manager of the first team of Austria Wien in December 2011. He was sacked on 21 May 2012, and his contract was not renewed when it finished at the end of May.
SV Mattersburg
Vastić became head coach on 20 December 2013. He is signed to the end of the season with an option for two more years. He subsequently had his option picked up. On 23 April 2016, Austria Wien defeated SV Mattersburg 9–0.
Personal life Vastić has been married to his wife Annie for more than 20 years. Together, they have three children. His oldest son Toni also became a professional footballer and is signed to German Regionalliga side VfR Aalen.
Career statistics
Club + Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueCupIncludes Austrian Cup, Austrian Supercup, Emperor's Cup and J.League CupContinentalIncludes UEFA Cup, UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, UEFA Intertoto Cup and UEFA Champions LeagueTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsRNK Split1990–91Yugoslav Third League225–225First Vienna FC1991–92Austrian Bundesliga23821–259VSE St. Pölten1992–93Austrian Bundesliga341833–3721Admira Wacker1993–94Austrian Bundesliga1872120228MSV Duisburg1993–94Bundesliga10000–100Sturm Graz1994–95Austrian Bundesliga35700–3571995–963120522038221996–973313442139181997–983014634140181998–993014537342201999–200035323310448392000–01248101013592001–02321742213820Total25012528173711315153Nagoya Grampus Eight2002J1 League181030–211020039310–103Total271340003113Austria Wien2003–04Austrian Bundesliga35432304162004–053210541425116Total6714861729222LASK2005–06Austrian First League311910–32192006–07312330–34232007–08Austrian Bundesliga321300–32132008–0929421–315Total12359610012960Career total57424953295613683291
International + Appearances and goals by national team and yearNational teamYearAppsGoalsAustria1996301997611998114199954200032200190200230200300200420200541200600200700200842Total5014
Scores and results list Austria's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Vastić goal. + List of international goals scored by Ivica VastićNo.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition1Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria1-02-01998 FIFA World Cup qualification2Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria 1-12-3Friendly3Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Étienne, France1-11-11998 FIFA World Cup4Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria 2-12-2Friendly5San Marino Stadium, Serravalle, San Marino1-04-1UEFA Euro 2000 qualification6Arnold Schwarzenegger-Stadion, Graz, Austria2-07-0UEFA Euro 2000 qualification 73-087-09Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria 2-03-1UEFA Euro 2000 qualification 10Messiniakos Stadium, Kalamata, Greece1-11-4Friendly11Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria 1-01-2Friendly12Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales1-02-02006 FIFA World Cup qualification13UPC-Arena, Graz, Austria4-15-1Friendly14Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria 1-11-1UEFA Euro 2008
Coaching record
Team From To RecordG W D L GF GA GD Win % Waidhofen/Ybbs 16 June 2009 Austria Wien II 1 July 2010 Austria Wien 21 December 2011 Gaflenz 27 May 2013 Mattersburg 20 December 2013 Total
Honours
Player Sturm Graz Austrian Bundesliga: 1997–98, 1998–99 Austrian Cup: 1995–96, 1996–97, 1998–99 Austrian Supercup: 1996, 1998, 1999
Austria Wien Austrian Cup: 2004–05; runner-up: 2003–04
LASK Austrian Football First League: 2006–07
Individual Austrian Footballer of the Year: 1995, 1998, 1999, 2007 Austrian Bundesliga Top Scorer: 1995–96, 1999–2000 Austrian Football First League Top Scorer: 2005–06, 2006–07
Manager FC Waidhofen/Ybbs Regionalliga Ost: 2009–10
SV Mattersburg Austrian Football First League: 2014–15
References
External links
Player profile – EURO2008 Profile – Austria Archive