Bojan Krkic

Bojan Krkic Pérez, born on August 28, 1990, in Linyola, Catalonia, Spain, began his football journey in FC Barcelona’s youth teams from 1999 to 2006. He quickly gained recognition for his prolific scoring, reportedly netting over 900 goals for various youth teams. This early talent led to a record-breaking first-team debut for Barcelona at just 17 years and 19 days, surpassing Lionel Messi’s record. In his debut senior season (2007–08), Krkic scored 12 goals in 48 matches, becoming the youngest Barcelona player to score in a league match and the youngest to score in the UEFA Champions League knockout phase. He contributed to Barcelona’s La Liga title in 2008–09, their first Copa del Rey win in 11 years that same season, and was part of the UEFA Champions League-winning squad twice (2008–09, 2010–11).

After four seasons at Camp Nou, with 41 goals in 162 games, Krkic moved to Italian side Roma in July 2011 for €12 million. He scored seven goals in 37 appearances during the 2011–12 season before a loan spell at AC Milan for the 2012–13 season, where he scored three goals in 27 games. Barcelona re-signed him for €13 million, and he then joined Dutch club Ajax on loan for the 2013–14 season, helping them win the Eredivisie title. In July 2014, Krkic joined English Premier League side Stoke City for €1.8 million. He played a significant role for Stoke, scoring his first goal for the club against Schalke 04 in a friendly. His time at Stoke included 53 Premier League appearances and 14 goals, with managers and fans alike recognizing his contribution. Subsequent loan spells took him to Mainz 05 in 2017 and Alavés in 2017–18. He later played in North America for Montreal Impact (2019-2020) and concluded his professional career at Vissel Kobe in Japan (2021-2023).

Krkic officially retired from professional football on March 23, 2023, at the age of 32. In September 2023, he returned to FC Barcelona as the football coordinator, focusing on guiding and monitoring young players at the renowned La Masia youth academy. This role allows him to leverage his extensive playing experience, including the highs of winning multiple titles with Barcelona and the challenges of high expectations and injuries, to support the development of emerging talent. Krkic has openly discussed experiencing anxiety during his playing career, notably around his international debut and Euro 2008, and he uses these experiences to offer guidance beyond just technical skills.