Jan Oblak

Jan Oblak, born on 7 January 1993, is a Slovenian professional goalkeeper known for his exceptional talent and considered among the finest in the world. He currently plies his trade for La Liga giants Atlético Madrid, where he also assumes the role of captain for the Slovenia national team.
Oblak's journey began when he joined Portuguese outfit Benfica at a tender age of 17. He played a pivotal role in the team's triumph in the 2013–14 season, securing the domestic treble. In 2014, he made a significant move to Atlético Madrid for a then-record fee of €16 million, establishing himself as La Liga's most expensive goalkeeper at the time.


During the 2015–16 campaign, Oblak showcased his exceptional abilities by clinching the Ricardo Zamora Trophy for the best goalkeeper, setting an unprecedented record by conceding a mere 18 goals. This remarkable feat was followed by three consecutive victories in the same award, highlighting his consistent excellence between the posts. His outstanding performances garnered him nominations for the prestigious Ballon d'Or awards in both 2017 and 2018.
Throughout his illustrious career at Atlético Madrid, Oblak has accumulated over 400 appearances and clinched four trophies with the club, notably securing the La Liga title in the 2020–21 season.


On the international stage, Oblak made his senior debut for Slovenia in 2012 and has since been a stalwart for the national team. He has been honored with the title of Slovenian Footballer of the Year on an impressive seven occasions. Additionally, he has represented Slovenia across various youth levels, showcasing his talent and dedication from the under-15s to the under-21s. On 14 June 2010, Jan Oblak embarked on his journey with Portuguese powerhouse Benfica, signing a contract that would shape his career. Shortly after, he was loaned to fellow top-level club Beira-Mar in August 2010, followed by a loan spell with Olhanense in January 2011, which lasted until the conclusion of the 2010–11 season.


The subsequent loan move took Oblak to another Portuguese side, União de Leiria, for the 2011–12 season. His league debut came on 15 January 2012, in a hard-fought 2–2 away draw against Nacional. Despite the challenges faced by the Leiria squad due to financial woes within the club, Oblak's commitment remained unwavering, notably featuring in an eventual 4–0 home defeat against Feirense on 29 April 2012, alongside a mere eight teammates.
However, in July 2013, Oblak's absence from pre-season training raised eyebrows, as he claimed to be without a contract with Benfica. The situation was eventually resolved later in the month, with Oblak signing a contract extension until 2018, attributing the confusion to a misunderstanding.


Oblak's pivotal moment arrived during the 2013–14 campaign when Benfica's long-serving goalkeeper Artur experienced a dip in form. Seizing the opportunity, Oblak took over the reins and made an immediate impact, keeping several clean sheets in his initial starts, notably in a crucial 2–0 home victory against Porto and a vital 0–0 draw against Juventus in the UEFA Europa League semi-finals. His stellar performances culminated in him being crowned the league's Best Goalkeeper of the Year on 6 July 2014.
It was during this period that Oblak's journey with Atlético Madrid began to take shape, heralding the start of a new chapter in his illustrious career.


In his early days with Atlético Madrid, Jan Oblak initially served as an unused substitute in his debut competitive fixture on 19 August 2014, during the first leg of the 2014 Supercopa de España against Real Madrid, with Miguel Ángel Moyà taking the field instead. However, he made his long-awaited debut on 16 September 2014, in a challenging 3–2 defeat away to Olympiacos in Atlético's opening Champions League group match of the season.
Oblak's first clean sheet came in his inaugural Copa del Rey match, contributing to a convincing 3–0 victory away to L'Hospitalet in the first leg of the last 32 on 3 December 2014. His standout moment arrived on 17 March 2015, when he replaced the injured Moyà in the 23rd minute of a crucial Champions League last 16 second leg against Bayer Leverkusen. Oblak not only kept a clean sheet in a pivotal 1–0 home victory but also emerged as the hero in the ensuing penalty shootout, saving Leverkusen's first attempt by Hakan Çalhanoğlu, securing Atlético's triumph.


Just four days later, Oblak's league debut came sooner than expected due to injury, where he showcased his prowess by maintaining a clean sheet in a convincing 2–0 home victory over neighbours Getafe.
In February 2016, Oblak's stellar performances were duly rewarded with a contract extension through 2021, featuring a reported release clause of £77.5 million. His heroics continued in the Champions League, notably saving Thomas Müller's penalty in the semi-final second leg clash against Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena on 3 May 2016, which propelled Atlético to the final.


Although Atlético ultimately fell short in the final against Real Madrid, losing 5–3 on penalties, Oblak's exceptional contributions throughout the season did not go unnoticed. He was included in the squad of the season for the 2015–16 Champions League and capped off a remarkable campaign by winning the Ricardo Zamora Trophy for the best goalkeeper, matching the 22-year-old record of Deportivo de La Coruña's Francisco Liaño by conceding only 18 goals in 38 games.
Jan Oblak's exceptional performances continued to capture the spotlight during the 2016–17 season, notably in a Champions League encounter against Bayer Leverkusen on 15 March 2017. His remarkable display, making three successive saves to secure a crucial goalless draw and passage to the quarter-finals, earned him widespread acclaim. Reflecting on the match, Oblak humbly remarked to UEFA's website: "These are things that happen. Sometimes you save three efforts and other times they score all three."


His contributions didn't go unnoticed as he was once again included in the UEFA Champions League squad of the season and clinched his second consecutive Ricardo Zamora Trophy. Additionally, Oblak's stellar form saw him nominated for the 2017 Ballon d'Or, where he finished 26th with four votes.
The accolades continued to pour in for Oblak during the 2017–18 season, as he celebrated his 100th league game for Atlético Madrid on 28 January 2018, boasting an impressive record of 59 clean sheets and conceding only 54 goals. In the UEFA Europa League Final, Oblak showcased his class by keeping a clean sheet in a resounding 3–0 victory over Olympique de Marseille, securing his first European title.


Oblak's outstanding performances earned him a place in the Europa League squad of the season, and he further solidified his status as one of the best goalkeepers in the world by clinching the Ricardo Zamora Trophy for a remarkable third consecutive time. His achievements were duly recognized as he received the La Liga Best Goalkeeper award for the third consecutive season, becoming the first goalkeeper to achieve this feat.
Continuing his streak of excellence, Oblak reached a significant milestone on 6 November 2018, keeping his 100th clean sheet for Atlético Madrid in a 2–0 home win over Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League group stages. This remarkable feat was accomplished in 178 official games. Subsequently, on 17 April 2019, Oblak committed his future to the club by agreeing to a four-year contract extension, extending his stay until 2023.


At the culmination of the season, Oblak further solidified his legacy by winning the Ricardo Zamora Trophy for the fourth consecutive season, equalling the record of Víctor Valdés for most consecutive Zamora Trophies won. Additionally, he was honored with the La Liga Best Goalkeeper of the season award for the fourth consecutive time, underscoring his unparalleled excellence between the posts.

References

1.  "Acta del Partido celebrado el 27 de abril de 2019, en Madrid" [Minutes of the Match held on 27 April 2019, in Madrid] (in Spanish). Royal Spanish Football Federation. Archived from the original on 23 January 2021. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
2. ^ "Jan Oblak". Atlético Madrid. Archived from the original on 1 March 2023. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
3. ^ Gallagher, Jack (9 April 2020). "The 25 Greatest Goalkeepers of All Time – Ranked". 90min.com. Archived from the original on 24 March 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
4. ^ "Cristiano Ronaldo wins fifth Ballon d'Or to equal Lionel Messi's record". The Guardian. 7 December 2017. Retrieved 8 December 2017.
5. ^ "Ballon d'Or 2018: Luka Modric and Ada Hegerberg win awards – as it happened". The Guardian. 3 December 2018. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
6. ^ Borut Planinšič ml. (19 May 2018). "S "ta mali je boljši od mene" se je začelo" [It all began with "this kid is better than me"] (in Slovenian). Večer. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
7. ^ "Jani Pate... o Janu Oblaku" [Jani Pate... about Jan Oblak] (in Slovenian). RTV Slovenija. 20 May 2018. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
8. ^ "How Jan Oblak rose to shine at Atlético". UEFA. 3 May 2016. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
9. ^ "Fulham move for Olimpic Ljubljana goalkeeper Jan Oblak". Tribal Football. 17 July 2009. Archived from the original on 2 September 2009. Retrieved 13 June 2010.
10. ^ Bohoric, Jure (29 July 2009). "Slovenian shuns Cottagers". Sky Sports. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
11. ^ "Jan Oblak rejects Fulham after trials". Tribal Football. 30 July 2009. Archived from the original on 2 September 2009. Retrieved 13 June 2010.
12. a b "Olimpija Ljubljana 7–2 Mura 05" (in Slovenian). Football Association of Slovenia. 17 May 2009. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
13. ^ "Jan Oblak tudi uradno v Benfici" [Jan Oblak officially in Benfica]. 24ur.com (in Slovenian). 14 June 2010. Retrieved 26 April 2017.