Jan Oblak (born 7 January 1993) is a Slovenian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for La Liga club Atlético Madrid and captains the Slovenia national team. He is frequently ranked as one of the best goalkeepers in the world.
Jan Oblak Date of birth 7 January 1993 (age 29) Place of birth Škofja Loka, Slovenia Height 1.88 m
Oblak signed for Portuguese club Benfica at the age of 17, and was part of the team that won the domestic treble in the 2013–14 season. In 2014 he moved to Atlético Madrid for a fee of €16 million, becoming La Liga's most expensive goalkeeper at the time. In 2015–16 he won the Ricardo Zamora Trophy for best goalkeeper, conceding an all-time record low of 18 goals. He won the award again in the following three seasons, and for a fifth time in 2021. Oblak was also nominated for the 2017 and 2018 Ballon d'Or awards, following his consistent performances with his club.
With over 350 appearances for Atlético Madrid, Oblak has won four trophies with the club, including the 2020–21 edition of La Liga.
Oblak made his senior international debut for Slovenia in 2012, and has been named Slovenian Footballer of the Year on six occasions.
On 6 November 2018, Oblak kept a clean sheet in a 2–0 home win over Borussia Dortmund in the group stages of the UEFA Champions League. By doing so, he kept his 100th clean sheet for Atlético, a feat which he achieved in 178 official games. On 17 April 2019, Oblak agreed to a four-year contract extension with the club, keeping him at the club until 2023.
At the end of the season, Oblak won the Ricardo Zamora Trophy for the fourth consecutive season, hence equalling the record of Víctor Valdés for most consecutive Zamora Trophies won. He was also awarded the La Liga Best Goalkeeper of the season award for the fourth consecutive time.
Ahead of the 2019–20 season, he was named as vice-captain of the team, behind Koke. On 21 October 2019, Oblak was nominated for the inaugural edition of Yashin Trophy, the Ballon D'Or of goalkeepers. He finished in fourth place. On 6 December 2019, Oblak kept a clean sheet in a 0–0 away draw against Villarreal. By doing so, he broke the club record of Abel Resino for most clean sheets with his 96th clean sheet in his 169th league game.
On 11 March 2020, following Atlético Madrid's 3–2 away victory over defending champions Liverpool in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League, Oblak, playing his fiftieth Champions League game, was awarded the Man of the Match award by UEFA, after making nine saves to help his team progress to the quarter-finals with a 4–2 aggregate victory. On 17 June 2020, Oblak kept a clean sheet in a 5–0 away win against Osasuna, his 182nd league game, and by doing so, became the fastest goalkeeper to achieve 100 clean sheets landmark in La Liga history, breaking an almost 50-year-old record of Miguel Reina who did the same in 222 league appearances. Oblak also became the first non-Spanish goalkeeper to keep 100 clean sheets in La Liga history. On 27 June 2020, Oblak played his 250th game for Atlético as his side beat Deportivo Alavés 2–1. He has reached the milestone just one week after equalling José Francisco Molina as the second goalkeeper with the most appearances in the club's history.
In 2020–21, Oblak won the La Liga title with Atlético Madrid. He managed to keep 18 clean sheets in 38 matches, in addition to achieving 80% save rate for the season.
On 15 August 2021, Oblak played his 304th competitive match for Atlético Madrid and became the goalkeeper with the most appearances for the club, breaking the previous record of Abel Resino.
Oblak was first called by the Slovenia under-21 team in August 2009, replacing the injured Jan Koprivec. He made his debut against France on 9 September of that year, in the 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifiers.
On 11 September 2012, Oblak made his first appearance for the senior side, starting in a 2–1 away loss against Norway in the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
He became the first-choice goalkeeper of the national team after the international retirement of Samir Handanović at the end of 2015; however, he took a break from his international duties during the 2018–19 UEFA Nations League, due to an arm injury he had been battling at the time.
On 6 September 2019, Oblak captained Slovenia for the first time.
Style of play: Considered to be one of the best goalkeepers in the world by several pundits, Oblak is a tall, athletic, and physically strong keeper. He is mainly known for his speed, quick reflexes, and agility, as well as his reading of the game, and in particular, his excellent handling and ability to come off his line and collect crosses, which enables him to excel in the air and command his area effectively. He has also been praised in the media for his work-rate, outstanding positioning, footwork, shot-stopping abilities, and composure in goal, as well as his overall consistency, leadership, and ability to instill a sense of confidence in his team's back-line.
Personal life: Oblak was born to a Slovenian father, Matjaž Oblak, and a Bosnian Serb mother Stojanka Majkić. His older sister, Teja Oblak (born 1990), is a professional basketball player and a member of the Slovenia national team.
