Sixteen-year-old Croatian striker Dedić continued his goal-scoring streak in his first appearance for Hoffenheim's second team, netting in the 2-2 draw against Hansa Rostock.
Just over a month after leaving Osijek, 16-year-old Croatian striker Dedić enjoyed a dream debut in the jersey of German club Hoffenheim. In the first round of the German 3. Liga match between Hoffenheim II and Hansa Rostock, the youngster scored the goal that made it 2-2.
The match at the Dietmar-Hopp-Stadion was a real rollercoaster ride. The visitors from Rostock took the lead in the 13th minute through Andreas Voglsammer. Hoffenheim responded nine minutes later when Yasin Zor equalized to make it 1-1. However, Voglsammer scored his second of the match in the 33rd minute to give Hansa the lead again.
But that's when the young Croatian stepped up. In the 44th minute, just before halftime, Dedić received the ball at the edge of the box and fired a stunning shot off the crossbar to make it 2-2. It was a goal that capped off his first official appearance for Hoffenheim's U-23 team.
Hoffenheim brought Dedić in from Osijek in early July 2026, and the German club immediately announced that the young striker would develop through the U-23 team and gradually prepare for bigger challenges. The club from Slavonia stated that they received a financial compensation for their young footballer, with additional amounts included in the contract based on his future appearances. According to media reports, Osijek pocketed around €850,000 for him.
Dedić particularly caught the eye at the U-17 European Championship in Estonia in 2026. Croatia's U-17 team failed to reach the semifinals, but in the final group match, they beat Spain U-17 3-2. All three Croatian goals in that match were scored by Dedić, which was enough for him to finish as the tournament's top scorer.
Including the qualifying rounds, Dedić scored eight goals throughout the entire U-17 European Championship, also the most among all participants. After an excellent summer with the national team, he made the move from Osijek to Hoffenheim, and he scored in his very first official appearance in Germany. A start that the 16-year-old Croatian striker could hardly have dreamed of.
