Lovro Lojen, one of Croatia's biggest goalkeeping talents, has signed his first professional contract with HNK Gorica, confirming his status as a future star between the posts.
News from the HNK Gorica camp has been quite pleasant these days. Two days after their first match of the season, the club announced on August 4, 2026, that Lovro Lojen, a young goalkeeper who celebrated his 16th birthday at the end of July, had signed a professional contract. This news confirms that the club from Velika Gorica is on the right track when it comes to working with young players.
Lovro Lojen celebrated his birthday on July 27, 2026, which also made him eligible to play for the senior team. The club quickly reacted and offered him his first professional contract, which the young goalkeeper signed.
HNK Gorica did not hide their satisfaction at keeping a player of such potential in their ranks. In a detailed post on the club's official website, they highlighted the significance of this moment.
"When someone signs their first professional contract at just 16, it's a big moment. When that someone has been regarded as one of Croatia's biggest goalkeeping talents for years, it's also confirmation that HNK Gorica is on the right path," the club stated.
In the rest of the post, the club described in detail the player's journey, which has already surpassed the expectations for his age group. "Although he has just stepped into his 16th year, Lovro has long outgrown his generation. As a 15-year-old, he was already playing for the Croatian U-17 national team, which speaks volumes about the trust he enjoys and the quality he possesses. He has already earned a significant number of caps in the national team jersey, and this summer he was Croatia's first-choice goalkeeper at the European Under-17 Championship," the club's statement reads.
The young goalkeeper, who joined Gorica from Zagreb's Peščenica, has been under the watchful eye of football experts for years. His composure in goal, excellent reflexes, ball-playing ability, and the confidence he instills between the posts have set him apart as one of the most promising young goalkeepers in Croatia. His name is increasingly mentioned beyond the country's borders.
The club is particularly proud that such development is happening within their ranks. "Signing the contract is not the goal, but the beginning. New challenges lie ahead for Lovro, more hard work, and daily proving himself, but one thing is certain, Gorica has kept a goalkeeper in their ranks who will be talked about for a long time. Lovro, congratulations on your first professional contract, and we wish you all the best. This is just the first big chapter," concluded HNK Gorica.
Such a statement accompanies the signing of a contract only with the biggest talents, which clearly indicates that Lojen is seen as a long-term project at the club. It would not be surprising if, even before turning 18, he finds himself in serious contention for a spot in the first team. More about his development can be found in the previously published article "Coach Kova and the Lojen Project."
