Mario Bilen
Personal information
Full name Mario Bilen[1]
Date of birth (1985-01-23) 23 January 1985[1]
Place of birth Vinkovci, Croatia
Height 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)[1]
Position(s) Defender, Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Ngaruawahia
Number 16
Youth career
Cibalia Vinkovci
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2003–2007 Cibalia 39 (0)
2004 → Dilj (loan) 6 (0)
2007 Hrvatski Dragovoljac 0 (0)
2008 Orašje 10 (0)
2008–2009 Slaven Belupo 23 (1)
2010 Flamurtari 7 (0)
2010 Vukovar '91 2 (0)
2011 Nehaj 15 (0)
2012 Zadar 21 (0)
2013–2021 Auckland City 94 (2)
2022– Ngaruawahia 2 (0)
International career
2001 Croatia U15 5 (0)
2001–2002 Croatia U17 4 (0)
2003 Croatia U18 5 (0)
2003–2004 Croatia U19 13 (1)
2004 Croatia U20 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 09:20, 14 June 2021 (UTC)

Mario Bilen (born 23 January 1985 in Vinkovci, Croatia) is a Croatian professional footballer who currently plays for NRFL Division 2 club Ngaruawahia United.[2]

Club career

A stalwart in Croatia's top-flight, the 1.HNL. and youth national teams, where he befriended Luka Modric, Bilen immigrated to New Zealand in 2013 to sign for 9x OFC Oceania Champions League winners, Auckland City FC.[3] After leading the defensive line for the club in over 100 top-flight matches in New Zealand, Bilen departed the club in December 2022, aged 36.

He is widely regarded as a club legend at City and played an instrumental role in the club's third-place finish at the FIFA Club World Cup in 2014 as the starting centre-back.[4]

Following his departure from Auckland City, he joined Ngaruawahia United on the eve of their promotion playoff into NRFL Division 2 against Papakura City. He made his debut for Ngaruawahia in the first game of the NRFL Division 2 season in a 2–0 away win over West Auckland.[5]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "FIFA Club World Cup Morocco 2013: List of Players" (PDF). FIFA. 11 December 2013. p. 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 December 2013.
  2. ↑ "Ngaruawahia United sign Auckland City midfielder on eve of promotion play-off". 21 March 2022.
  3. ↑ "Mario BILEN".
  4. ↑ "Bilen bids farewell to Auckland City FC".
  5. ↑ "Northern Region Football".


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