Sanel Kuljić

Sanel Kuljić (born 10 October 1977) is an Austrian former professional footballer who played as a striker.

Personal life Kuljić is of Bosnian descent; his father emigrated to Austria from SR Bosnia and Herzegovina in the 1970s. He spent his childhood in Salzburg and Grödig.

Club career Born in Salzburg, Kuljić started his professional career in Salzburg but made his name at Austrian Football First League side SV Pasching with whom he won promotion to the Austrian Football Bundesliga in 2002. He repeated that feat with SV Ried in 2005, when he also became 2nd division top goalscorer. In 2006, he became league top goalscorer and subsequently moved abroad to join Swiss side FC Sion but controversially returned to Austria after one year when he signed for Vienna club Austria Wien.

Kuljić left FK Austria Wien for newly formed Austrian second-division side FC Magna Wiener Neustadt – who acquired the playing licence of SC Schwanenstadt for the 2008–09 campaign – and was joined by Austria Wien team-mates Yüksel Sariyar and Sašo Fornezzi.

On 25 November, Kuljić scored four goals and his team Wiener Neustadt beat LASK Linz 4–1.

International career Kuljić was eligible to represent Bosnia and Herzegovina and Austria.

He made his debut for the Austria national team in an August 2005 friendly match against Scotland and has earned 20 caps, scoring three goals. He became a regular in the national team squad but was surprisingly overlooked for Euro 2008.

Extortion In November 2013, Kuljić was taken in custody after former Kapfenberger teammate Dominique Taboga claimed he was blackmailed by Kuljić to manipulate match results. After being accused of trying to manipulate 18 matches in the first two Austrian tiers, Kuljić was sentenced to five years in prison in autumn 2014. He was released early in March 2017 for good conduct.

SV Ried Erste Liga: 2004–05

Individual Austrian Football Bundesliga top scorer: 2005–06

Erste Liga top scorer: 2004–05