View source for Valter Birsa

{{short description|Slovenian footballer|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name                 = Valter Birsa
| image                = Valter Birsa 2009.jpg
| image_size           = 220px
| caption              = Birsa in November 2009
| birth_date           = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1986|8|7}}
| birth_place          = [[Šempeter pri Gorici]], [[Socialist Republic of Slovenia|SR Slovenia]], [[Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia|SFR Yugoslavia]]
| height               = 1.84 m
| position             = [[Midfielder#Winger|Winger]], [[Midfielder#Attacking midfielder|attacking midfielder]]
| currentclub          = 
| clubnumber           = 
| youthyears1          = 1991–2004
| youthclubs1          = [[ND Bilje|Bilje]]
| youthyears2          = 2004–2005
| youthclubs2          = [[ND Gorica|Gorica]]
| years1               = 2003
| clubs1               = [[NK Primorje|Primorje]]
| caps1                = 1
| goals1               = 0
| years2               = 2004
| clubs2               = [[ND Bilje|Bilje]]
| caps2                = 7
| goals2               = 6
| years3               = 2004–2006
| clubs3               = [[ND Gorica|Gorica]]
| caps3                = 61
| goals3               = 26
| years4               = 2006–2009
| clubs4               = [[FC Sochaux-Montbéliard|Sochaux]]
| caps4                = 66
| goals4               = 8
| years5               = 2009
| clubs5               = → [[AJ Auxerre|Auxerre]] (loan)
| caps5                = 15
| goals5               = 1
| years6               = 2009–2011
| clubs6               = [[AJ Auxerre|Auxerre]]
| caps6                = 68
| goals6               = 8
| years7               = 2011–2013
| clubs7               = [[Genoa C.F.C.|Genoa]]
| caps7                = 9
| goals7               = 0
| years8               = 2012–2013
| clubs8               = → [[Torino F.C.|Torino]] (loan)
| caps8                = 17
| goals8               = 2
| years9               = 2013–2015
| clubs9               = [[A.C. Milan|AC Milan]]
| caps9                = 15
| goals9               = 2
| years10              = 2014–2015
| clubs10              = → [[A.C. ChievoVerona|Chievo]] (loan)
| caps10               = 35
| goals10              = 0
| years11              = 2015–2019
| clubs11              = [[A.C. ChievoVerona|Chievo]]
| caps11               = 122
| goals11              = 18
| years12              = 2019–2020
| clubs12              = [[Cagliari Calcio|Cagliari]]
| caps12               = 25
| goals12              = 0
| totalcaps            = 441
| totalgoals           = 71
| nationalyears1       = 2001
| nationalteam1        = Slovenia U15
| nationalcaps1        = 7
| nationalgoals1       = 1
| nationalyears2       = 2004
| nationalteam2        = [[Slovenia national under-19 football team|Slovenia U19]]
| nationalcaps2        = 1
| nationalgoals2       = 0
| nationalyears3       = 2004–2005
| nationalteam3        = Slovenia U20
| nationalcaps3        = 2
| nationalgoals3       = 0
| nationalyears4       = 2004–2006
| nationalteam4        = [[Slovenia national under-21 football team|Slovenia U21]]
| nationalcaps4        = 12
| nationalgoals4       = 5
| nationalyears5       = 2006
| nationalteam5        = [[Slovenia national football B team|Slovenia B]]
| nationalcaps5        = 1
| nationalgoals5       = 0
| nationalyears6       = 2006–2018
| nationalteam6        = [[Slovenia national football team|Slovenia]]
| nationalcaps6        = 90
| nationalgoals6       = 7
| pcupdate             =
| ntupdate             = 
}}
'''Valter Birsa''' (born 7 August 1986) is a retired Slovenian [[association football|footballer]] who played as a [[Midfielder#Winger|winger]].

==Club career==
Born in [[Šempeter pri Gorici]], he spent his childhood in [[Nova Gorica]], Slovenia. Birsa's career began at the age of five, when he started playing for [[ND Bilje]], the village club of [[Bilje, Miren-Kostanjevica|Bilje]] near Nova Gorica. As he was a talented player, he was soon transferred first to [[NK Primorje|Primorje]], and then to [[ND Gorica|Gorica]] at the age of 17.

===Sochaux===
In 2006, he signed for French club [[FC Sochaux-Montbéliard|Sochaux]] in [[Ligue de Football Professionnel]]. While at Sochaux, he won the [[2007 Coupe de France Final|2007 Coupe de France]]. The final game against [[Olympique de Marseille]] finished 2–2 and went to [[Penalty shoot-out (association football)|penalties]], with Birsa scoring his penalty as his side emerged victorious.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/africa/6651643.stm|title=African quartet win French Cup |publisher=[[BBC Sport]]|access-date=7 January 2020}}</ref>

====Auxerre (loan)====
On 22 January 2009, [[AJ Auxerre|Auxerre]] signed him on a loan deal until June 2009 from Sochaux.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.fcsochaux.fr/fr/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=879&Itemid=106|title=Valter Birsa prêté à Auxerre|publisher=FC Sochaux-Montbéliard|access-date=31 January 2009|language=fr|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090203181007/http://www.fcsochaux.fr/fr/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=879&Itemid=106|archive-date=3 February 2009}}</ref> He scored his first Auxerre goal against [[Olympique Lyonnais]].{{citation needed|date=January 2020}} On 29 May 2009, it was announced that Auxerre had made the loan permanent.<ref>{{cite web |title=Birsa še dve leti v Auxerru |url=https://www.rtvslo.si/sport/nogomet/birsa-se-dve-leti-v-auxerru/204068 |publisher=[[RTV Slovenija]] |access-date=7 January 2020 |language=sl |date=29 May 2009}}</ref> In the 2010–11 season, Birsa scored a 23-yard free kick and his first [[UEFA Champions League]] goal against [[Ajax Amsterdam|Ajax]] in the group stage. Ajax eventually won 2–1.{{citation needed|date=January 2020}}

===Genoa===
On 2 February 2011, despite interest from big Premier league teams such as [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]] and [[Fulham F.C.|Fulham]], Birsa signed a four-year contract with [[Serie A]] club [[Genoa C.F.C.|Genoa]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nogomania.com/Evropske-Lige/Ekipa/Genoa/Novica/Birsa-stiri-leta-v-Genovi.aspx|title= Birsa štiri leta v Genovi|publisher=nogomania.com|access-date=3 February 2011| language=sl}}</ref> He made just nine appearances in his maiden season in Italy.

====Torino (loan)====
He joined [[Torino F.C.|Torino]] on 31 August 2012 on loan. At Torino, Birsa played 17 games, scoring 2 goals but did not do enough to convince Torino to sign him on a permanent deal so he returned to Genoa at the end of the season.

===AC Milan===
Birsa made the switch to [[A.C. Milan|AC Milan]] on 31 August 2013, in what was a straight swap deal which saw [[Luca Antonini]] move in the opposite direction. He was handed the number 14 shirt at Milan. He scored his first goal for the club on 28 September 2013 against [[U.C. Sampdoria|Sampdoria]] to give the ''Rossoneri'' the win.

===Chievo===
He signed for [[A.C. ChievoVerona|Chievo]] on 9 July 2014 on loan.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chievoverona.it/en/news/official-valter-birsa-coming-chievoverona-video|title=Official: Valter Birsa coming to ChievoVerona|date=9 July 2014|access-date=4 July 2015|publisher=A.C. ChievoVerona|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150705191823/http://www.chievoverona.it/en/news/official-valter-birsa-coming-chievoverona-video|archive-date=5 July 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> On 2 July 2015, Chievo signed Birsa outright in a three-year contract.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chievoverona.it/en/news/official-birsa-belongs-chievoverona|title=Official: Birsa belongs to ChievoVerona|date=2 July 2015|access-date=4 July 2015|publisher=A.C. ChievoVerona|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150705210101/http://www.chievoverona.it/en/news/official-birsa-belongs-chievoverona|archive-date=5 July 2015}}</ref>

===Cagliari===
On 9 January 2019, Birsa signed with Serie A side [[Cagliari Calcio|Cagliari]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://m.tuttomercatoweb.com/serie-a/ufficiale-cagliari-preso-birsa-a-titolo-definitivo-dal-chievo-1199967|access-date=9 January 2019|title=UFFICIALE: Cagliari, preso Birsa a titolo definitivo dal Chievo|language=it}}</ref>

==International career==
Birsa played for the [[Slovenia national football team|Slovenia national team]] between 2006 and 2018. He scored his first goal for the national team on 9 September 2009 in a [[2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (UEFA)|World Cup qualifying]] match against [[Poland national football team|Poland]], which Slovenia won 3–0.<ref>{{cite web |title=Keku polepšali rojstni dan, legenda ostala brez službe |url=https://siol.net/sportal/nogomet/slovenija-poljska-dozdajsnje-nogometne-tekme-429630 |publisher=[[Siol]] |access-date=29 August 2021 |language=sl |date=4 September 2009}}</ref> At the [[2010 FIFA World Cup]], Birsa struck a long-range curling shot in Slovenia's second group stage match against the [[United States men's national soccer team|United States]]. Slovenia drew that match 2–2.<ref>{{cite web |title=Foto/Video: Ob polčasu evforija, na koncu zadovoljstvo |url=https://www.rtvslo.si/sport/nogomet/fifa-sp-v-nogometu-2010/foto-video-ob-polcasu-evforija-na-koncu-zadovoljstvo/232822 |publisher=[[RTV Slovenija]] |access-date=29 August 2021 |language=sl |date=18 June 2010}}</ref>

He earned a total of 90 caps for the national team, scoring 7 goals.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/slov-recintlp.html|title=Appearances for Slovenia National Team|accessdate=6 August 2023|website=[[RSSSF]]}}</ref> His final international was a March 2018 [[Exhibition game#Association football|friendly match]] against [[Belarus national football team|Belarus]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Valter Birsa, international football player |url=https://eu-football.info/_player.php?id=23654 |website=eu-football.info |access-date=6 August 2023 |language=en}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Birsa was born in [[Šempeter pri Gorici]], present day [[Slovenia]]. In 2012, he married his long-time girlfriend Mateja. He has a son named Nolan.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://govori.se/domaci-traci/valter-birsa-poroka-je-bila-slavje-brez-primere|title=Valter Birsa: Poroka je bila slavje brez primere|date=11 June 2012}}</ref>

==Career statistics==

===Club===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition<ref>{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/valter-birsa/1360/|title=V. Birsa|website=Soccerway|access-date=26 June 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Valter Birsa » Club matches |url=https://www.worldfootball.net/player_summary/valter-birsa/2/ |website=WorldFootball.net |access-date=29 August 2021}}</ref>
|-
!rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season
!colspan="3"|League
!colspan="2"|National cup
!colspan="2"|League cup
!colspan="2"|Continental
!colspan="2"|Total
|-
!Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals
|-
|[[NK Primorje|Primorje]]||[[2003–04 Slovenian PrvaLiga|2003–04]]||[[Slovenian PrvaLiga|1. SNL]]||1||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||1||0
|-
|rowspan="3"|[[ND Gorica|Gorica]]||[[2004–05 Slovenian PrvaLiga|2004–05]]||rowspan="2"|1. SNL||26||7||4||0||colspan="2"|—||2||0||32||7
|-
|[[2005–06 Slovenian PrvaLiga|2005–06]]||35||19||4||0||colspan="2"|—||2||1||41||20
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!61!!26!!8!!0!!0!!0!!4!!1!!73!!27
|-
|rowspan="4"|[[FC Sochaux-Montbéliard|Sochaux]]||[[2006–07 Ligue 1|2006–07]]||rowspan="3"|[[Ligue 1]]||31||3||3||0||3||0||colspan="2"|—||37||3
|-
|[[2007–08 Ligue 1|2007–08]]||22||3||2||0||1||0||2||0||27||3
|-
|[[2008–09 Ligue 1|2008–09]]||13||2||1||0||2||0||colspan="2"|—||16||2
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!66!!8!!6!!0!!6!!0!!2!!0!!80!!8
|-
|rowspan="4"|[[AJ Auxerre|Auxerre]]
||[[2008–09 Ligue 1|2008–09]]||rowspan="3"|Ligue 1||15||1||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||15||1
|-
|[[2009–10 Ligue 1|2009–10]]||35||3||4||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||39||3
|-
|[[2010–11 Ligue 1|2010–11]]||33||5||0||0||2||0||7||1||42||6
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!83!!9!!4!!0!!2!!0!!7!!1!!96!!10
|-
|[[Genoa C.F.C.|Genoa]]||[[2011–12 Serie A|2011–12]]||[[Serie A]]||9||0||3||2||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||12||2
|-
|[[Torino F.C.|Torino]]||[[2012–13 Serie A|2012–13]]||Serie A||17||2||1||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||18||2
|-
|[[A.C. Milan|AC Milan]]||[[2013–14 Serie A|2013–14]]||Serie A||15||2||2||0||colspan="2"|—||4||0||21||2
|-
|rowspan="6"|[[A.C. ChievoVerona|Chievo]]||[[2014–15 Serie A|2014–15]]||rowspan="5"|Serie A||35||0||1||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||36||0
|-
|[[2015–16 Serie A|2015–16]]||35||6||1||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||36||6
|-
|[[2016–17 Serie A|2016–17]]||35||7||2||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||37||7
|-
|[[2017–18 Serie A|2017–18]]||35||3||1||1||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||36||4
|-
|[[2018–19 Serie A|2018–19]]||17||2||1||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||18||2
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!157!!18!!6!!1!!0!!0!!0!!0!!163!!19
|-
|rowspan="3"|[[Cagliari Calcio|Cagliari]]||[[2018–19 Serie A|2018–19]]||rowspan="2"|Serie A||12||0||1||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||13||0
|-
|[[2019–20 Serie A|2019–20]]||13||0||2||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||15||0
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!25!!0!!3!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!28!!0
|-
!colspan="3"|Career total
!434||65||33||3||8||0||17||2||492||70
|}

===International ===
:''Scores and results list Slovenia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Birsa goal.''<ref name="NFT">{{cite web|url=http://www.national-football-teams.com/player/14033/Valter_Birsa.html|title=Birsa, Valter|publisher=National Football Teams|access-date=8 September 2017}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ List of international goals scored by Valter Birsa
|-
!scope="col"|No.
!scope="col"|Date
!scope="col"|Venue
!scope="col"|Opponent
!scope="col"|Score
!scope="col"|Result
!scope="col"|Competition
|-
| align=center | 1 || 9 September 2009 || [[Ljudski vrt]], [[Maribor]], Slovenia || {{fb|POL}} || align=center | 3–0 || align=center | 3–0 || [[2010 FIFA World Cup qualification - UEFA Group 3|2010 FIFA World Cup qualification]]
|-
| align=center | 2 || 10 October 2009 || [[Tehelné pole]], [[Bratislava]], Slovakia || {{fb|SVK}} || align=center | 1–0 || align=center | 2–0 || 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
|-
| align=center | 3 || 18 June 2010 || [[Ellis Park Stadium]], [[Johannesburg]], South Africa || {{fb|USA}} || align=center | 1–0 || align=center | 2–2 || [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group C|2010 FIFA World Cup]]
|-
| align=center | 4 || 7 June 2013 || [[Laugardalsvöllur]], [[Reykjavík]], Iceland || {{fb|ISL}} || align=center | 2–2 || align=center | 4–2 || [[2014 FIFA World Cup qualification - UEFA Group E|2014 FIFA World Cup qualification]]
|-
| align=center | 5 || 19 November 2013 || [[Arena Petrol]], [[Celje]], Slovenia || {{fb|CAN}} || align=center | 1–0 || align=center | 1–0 || [[Exhibition game#Association football|Friendly]]
|-
| align=center | 6 || 9 October 2015 || [[Stožice Stadium]], [[Ljubljana]], Slovenia || {{fb|LTU}} || align=center | 1–0 || align=center | 1–1 || [[UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying Group E|UEFA Euro 2016 Qualification]]
|-
| align=center | 7 || 4 September 2017 || Stožice Stadium, Ljubljana, Slovenia || {{fb|LTU}} || align=center | 4–0 || align=center | 4–0 || [[2018 FIFA World Cup qualification - UEFA Group F|2018 FIFA World Cup qualification]]
|}

==Honours==
'''Gorica'''
* [[Slovenian PrvaLiga]]: [[2004–05 Slovenian PrvaLiga|2004–05]], [[2005–06 Slovenian PrvaLiga|2005–06]]

'''Sochaux'''
* [[Coupe de France]]: [[2006–07 Coupe de France|2006–07]]

'''Individual'''
* [[Slovenian Footballer of the Year]]: 2010<ref>{{cite web |title=Valter Birsa nogometaš leta po izboru časnika Ekipa |url=https://www.sta.si/1591677/valter-birsa-nogometas-leta-po-izboru-casnika-ekipa |website=sta.si |access-date=29 August 2021 |language=sl |date=3 January 2011|publisher=[[Slovenian Press Agency]]}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of Slovenia international footballers|Slovenian international players]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
*[http://nzs.si/reprezentanca/?id_selekcije=1&id_igralca=26336&id_menu=10 Player profile] at NZS {{in lang|sl}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20081115225451/http://www.lfp.fr/joueur/index.asp?no_joueur=113600 Player profile] at LFP
* {{sports links}}

{{Slovenia squad 2010 FIFA World Cup}}
{{Slovenian Footballer of the Year}}
{{Nova Gorica |state=collapsed}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Birsa, Valter}}
[[Category:1986 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Footballers from Šempeter pri Gorici]]
[[Category:Men's association football wingers]]
[[Category:Men's association football midfielders]]
[[Category:Slovenian men's footballers]]
[[Category:21st-century Slovenian sportsmen]]
[[Category:Slovenia men's youth international footballers]]
[[Category:Slovenia men's under-21 international footballers]]
[[Category:Slovenia men's international footballers]]
[[Category:2010 FIFA World Cup players]]
[[Category:NK Primorje players]]
[[Category:ND Bilje players]]
[[Category:ND Gorica players]]
[[Category:FC Sochaux-Montbéliard players]]
[[Category:AJ Auxerre players]]
[[Category:Genoa CFC players]]
[[Category:Torino FC players]]
[[Category:AC Milan players]]
[[Category:AC ChievoVerona players]]
[[Category:Cagliari Calcio players]]
[[Category:Slovenian PrvaLiga players]]
[[Category:Ligue 1 players]]
[[Category:Serie A players]]
[[Category:Slovenian expatriate men's footballers]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in France]]
[[Category:Slovenian expatriate sportspeople in France]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Italy]]
[[Category:Slovenian expatriate sportspeople in Italy]]