Anto Drobnjak
Anto Drobnjak | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 21, 1968 |
| Occupation | Professional footballer (retired) |
| Years active | 1987–2002 |
| Known for | Forward for Red Star Belgrade, Bastia, Lens, and FR Yugoslavia national team |
| Notable work | Top scorer of the First League of FR Yugoslavia (1992–93), Ligue 1 champion (1997–98) |
Anto Drobnjak (Cyrillic: Анто Дробњак; born 21 September 1968) is a retired Montenegrin professional footballer who operated as a forward. During the 1992–93 First League of Yugoslavia season, he shared the distinction of top scorer while playing for Red Star Belgrade. On the international stage, Drobnjak represented FR Yugoslavia in the qualifiers for the 1998 FIFA World Cup but did not make the squad for the tournament itself.
Budućnost
Drobnjak's professional journey commenced with Budućnost in the 1987–88 campaign, where he played under coach Stanko "Špaco" Poklepović. This era is remembered as one of Budućnost's most formidable, featuring talents such as Dragoje Leković, Branko Brnović, Željko Petrović, Predrag Mijatović, and Dejan Savićević. Drobnjak acknowledged Poklepović's mentorship as pivotal in his early career, highlighting the coach’s encouraging approach and significant impact on his development.
Red Star Belgrade
Before the start of the 1992–93 season, Drobnjak transferred to Red Star Belgrade. He ended that season as joint top scorer alongside Vojvodina's Vesko Mihajlović. On 15 May 1993, he netted the decisive goal in the 1993 Yugoslav Cup final, leading Red Star to a 1–0 triumph over Partizan. In the following 1993–94 season, he was again among Red Star’s leading scorers, sharing the honor with teammate Ilija Ivić and ranking fifth overall in league goals.
Bastia
With international sanctions impacting Yugoslavia, Drobnjak pursued opportunities abroad. Facilitated by negotiations led by Red Star’s sports director Dragan Džajić, he secured a three-year deal with French side SC Bastia in 1994. Playing under coach Frédéric Antonetti, Drobnjak amassed 50 goals across 100 league matches during his tenure. He notably found the net in the 1995 Coupe de la Ligue Final against Paris Saint-Germain, although that goal was ultimately disallowed. In 1996, he extended his contract for an additional three years. By the close of the 1996–97 season, he ranked sixth among the league's top scorers, while Bastia secured seventh place in the standings. Subsequently, offers arrived from both Olympique de Marseille and Lens, with Drobnjak opting for Lens due to Bastia’s rivalry with Marseille.
Lens
Drobnjak joined fellow French club Lens in 1997 and played a key role in their capture of the league championship during his first season under manager Daniel Leclercq. Despite contending with a back injury, he recorded a hat-trick on 22 August 1997 during a 3–2 away victory over Olympique de Marseille. Another hat-trick followed on 15 November in a thrilling 5–4 win against AS Cannes. He concluded that season as the fourth highest goal scorer in Ligue 1.
Later career
After his stint at Lens, Drobnjak spent a year playing in Japan with Gamba Osaka. He then returned to France to join Sochaux. His professional playing days ended following a final season at Martigues, retiring in 2002.
International career
From 1996 until 1998, Drobnjak represented the FR Yugoslavia in seven matches, netting three goals. His international debut occurred on 6 October 1996 during the 1998 FIFA World Cup qualifying rounds, contributing to an 8–1 victory against the Faroe Islands. On 24 February 1998, he found the back of the net in a friendly match that ended in a 3–1 defeat to Argentina at Estadio José María Minella. Despite his impactful displays, Drobnjak was surprisingly excluded from Yugoslavia's final roster for the 1998 FIFA World Cup, a move that drew considerable media attention. His final cap came in April 1998 during a friendly encounter with the South Korea.
Post-playing career
Between 2011 and 2015, Drobnjak took on the role of assistant coach under Branko Brnović for the Montenegro squad.
Career statistics
| National team | Year | Appearances | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| FR Yugoslavia | 1996 | 1 | 0 |
| 1997 | 3 | 3 | |
| 1998 | 3 | 1 | |
| Total | 7 | 4 | |
International goals
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Final result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 9 January 1997 | So Kon Po, Hong Kong | Template:Fb | 1–0 | 1–1 (5–6 penalties) | 1997 Lunar New Year Cup |
| 2. | 25 February 1998 | Mar del Plata, Argentina | Template:Fb | 1–2 | 1–3 | Friendly |
Honours
Red Star Belgrade
- FR Yugoslavia Cup winner: 1992–93
Lens
- Ligue 1 champion: 1997–98
Individual
- Top scorer of the First League of FR Yugoslavia: 1992–93