Jaka Bijol

Jaka Bijol (born 5 February 1999) is a Slovenian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Premier League club Leeds United and the Slovenia national team. Initially a defensive midfielder, he switched to his current position in the 2021–22 season.

Jaka Bijol

Bijol with CSKA Moscow in 2021
Personal information
Date of birth	(1999-02-05) 5 February 1999 (age 26)
Place of birth	Vuzenica, Slovenia[1]
Height	1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)[1]
Position(s)	Centre-back, defensive midfielder
Team information
Current team	Leeds United
Number	15
Youth career
0000–2014	Dravograd
2014–2017	Bravo
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2017–2018	Rudar Velenje	30	(3)
2018–2022	CSKA Moscow	81	(6)
2020–2021	→ Hannover 96 (loan)	30	(0)
2022–2025	Udinese	90	(4)
2025–	Leeds United	0	(0)
International career‡
2014	Slovenia U16	4	(0)
2015–2016	Slovenia U17	10	(1)
2016–2017	Slovenia U18	9	(2)
2017	Slovenia U19	2	(0)
2017–2018	Slovenia U21	4	(0)
2018–	Slovenia	63	(1)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 23 June 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 10 June 2025

Club career

On 22 June 2018, CSKA Moscow announced the signing of Bijol on a five-year contract from Rudar Velenje.^[2] On 18 September 2020, Bijol was loaned out to Hannover 96 for one year.^[3]

On 14 July 2022, Bijol was signed by Serie A club Udinese on a five-year contract for a reported transfer fee of over €4 million.^[4] In November 2023, he suffered a foot injury and was sidelined for over two months.^[5]

After three years with Udinese, for whom he made 90 league appearances and scored 4 goals,^[6] Bijol transferred to Premier League outfit Leeds United in June 2025, signing a five-year contract with The Whites.^[7] The transfer fee was reported at approximately €21 million, making him the second most expensive Slovenian footballer of all time, behind only Benjamin Šeško.^[7]

International career

On 13 October 2018, Bijol debuted with the Slovenia senior team in the 2018–19 UEFA Nations League match against Norway, which Slovenia lost 1–0.^[8] He scored his first goal in a friendly match against Croatia on 26 March 2022, scoring a stoppage-time goal to secure a 1–1 draw.^[9]

Bijol represented Slovenia at UEFA Euro 2024, where he was selected by football statistics portal WhoScored in the best eleven of the tournament.^[10]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 25 May 2025^[1]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National cup[a]		Europe		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Rudar Velenje	2017–18	Slovenian PrvaLiga	30	3	0	0	—		—		30	3
CSKA Moscow	2018–19	Russian Premier League	23	4	0	0	3[b]	0	1[c]	0	27	4
	2019–20		25	1	3	1	6[d]	0	—		34	2
	2020–21		5	0	0	0	0	0	—		5	0
	2021–22		28	1	2	0	—		—		30	1
	Total		81	6	5	1	9	0	1	0	96	7
Hannover 96 (loan)	2020–21	2. Bundesliga	30	0	1	0	—		—		31	0
Udinese	2022–23	Serie A	32	3	1	0	—		—		33	3
	2023–24		24	0	1	0	—		—		25	0
	2024–25		34	1	3	1	—		—		37	2
	Total		90	4	5	1	—		—		95	5
Career total			231	13	11	2	9	0	1	0	252	15

1. Includes Russian Cup, DFB-Pokal, Coppa Italia
2. Appearances in UEFA Champions League
3. Appearance in Russian Super Cup
4. Appearances in UEFA Europa League

International

As of match played 10 June 2025^[11][12]

Appearances and goals by national team and year

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Slovenia	2018	3	0
	2019	5	0
	2020	6	0
	2021	11	0
	2022	10	1
	2023	10	0
	2024	14	0
	2025	4	0
Total		63	1

Scores and results list Slovenia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Bijol goal.

List of international goals scored by Jaka Bijol

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	26 March 2022	Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan, Qatar	Croatia	1–1	1–1	Friendly

Honours

CSKA Moscow

• Russian Super Cup: 2018^[13]