Benjamin Verbič


Benjamin Verbič is a Slovenian professional footballer who plays for the Ukrainian club Dynamo Kyiv as a left winger.
He began his career at NK Celje, where he made 126 total appearances and scored 35 goals, helping his team to runner-up position in the Slovenian PrvaLiga once and the Slovenian Football Cup twice. In 2015, he joined FC Copenhagen, where he won the double of Danish Superliga and Danish Cup in both of his full seasons. In January 2018, he signed for Dynamo Kyiv.
Verbič made his senior international debut for Slovenia in 2015 and has earned 25 caps, scoring 5 goals.

Club career

Celje

Born in Celje, Verbič made his debut for hometown club Celje on 29 May 2011 in a 3–2 Slovenian PrvaLiga home defeat to Primorje at the Arena Petrol, replacing Iztok Močivnik for the last 24 minutes in his only appearance of the season.
He made twelve league appearances the following season, contributing a first career goal on 3 April 2012, a consolation goal in a 2–1 home defeat against Olimpija Ljubljana. In the Slovenian Football Cup final against already-crowned league winners Maribor at Stožice Stadium in Ljubljana on 23 May, Verbič scored in extra time in a 2–2 draw but missed the first penalty as his team lost in a shootout.
Verbič made 26 league appearances for Celje in the 2012–13 season, scoring 3 goals. On 24 August he was loaned to Šampion of the Slovenian Second League, where he made three appearances, two as a starter. Celje again reached the cup final, losing 1–0 to Maribor at the Bonifika Stadium in Koper on 29 May 2013, with Verbič playing the entire match. In the quarter-final first leg on 24 October 2012, he scored both of the team's goals to defeat Dravinja, netting in the second minute and in added time.
On 25 October 2014, Verbič scored a first career hat-trick in a 5–0 home win against Radomlje.

Copenhagen

On 27 April 2015, Verbič signed a four-year contract with Copenhagen, to join at the end of the season. He scored two minutes into his debut on 16 July, a 2–0 home win over Newtown of Wales in the UEFA Europa League second qualifying round. His Danish Superliga debut came ten days later, playing the entirety of a 3–1 win at Esbjerg on the first day of the season, and his first league goal on 16 September, opening their 3–0 home win over Randers.
Copenhagen won the Danish Superliga and Danish Cup double in both of Verbič's full seasons. On 17 April 2017, he scored the only goal in a Copenhagen Derby win against Brøndby IF.

Dynamo Kyiv

On 23 December 2017, Verbič signed a five-year contract with the Ukrainian Premier League side Dynamo Kyiv. In 2018 he was recognized a player of the month in the Ukrainian Premier League on three occasions, in May 2018, July 2018, and August 2018.

International career

On 30 March 2015, Verbič made his debut for the Slovenia national football team, starting in an eventual 1–0 friendly defeat to Qatar at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha. He scored his first international goal on 11 November 2016, the only one in an away win over Malta in 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification.

Career statistics

Club


International

National teamYearAppsGoals
Slovenia201510
Slovenia201681
Slovenia201761
Slovenia201861
Slovenia201982
SloveniaTotal295

No.DateVenueCapOpponentScoreResultCompetition
111 November 2016Ta'Qali National Stadium, Ta'Qali, Malta81–01–02018 FIFA World Cup qualification
24 September 2017Stožice Stadium, Ljubljana, Slovenia133–04–02018 FIFA World Cup qualification
316 November 2018Stožice Stadium, Ljubljana, Slovenia201–01–12018–19 UEFA Nations League C
49 September 2019Stožice Stadium, Ljubljana, Slovenia251–03–2UEFA Euro 2020 qualification
59 September 2019Stožice Stadium, Ljubljana, Slovenia253–23–2UEFA Euro 2020 qualification

Honours

Club

Copenhagen
Dynamo Kyiv