Damir Kreilach Bio
Damir Kreilach is a Croatian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Croatian Football League club Rijeka. Standing 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) tall and wearing the number 87 shirt, he has built a long career across European and North American football since his professional debut in 2007. A former captain and prolific scorer at multiple clubs, Kreilach returned to the club where his senior career began after spells in Germany, the United States, and Canada.
Early Life and Background
Damir Kreilach was born on 16 April 1989 in Vukovar, in what was then SR Croatia, within the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The city, located in eastern Croatia along the Danube, has a deep sporting tradition, and Kreilach grew up immersed in that environment. As a young boy, he joined the youth setup of local club Opatija, where he developed his earliest football foundations between 1995 and 2000.
At the age of 11, Kreilach moved into the Rijeka youth academy in 2000, beginning a seven-year development pathway with one of Croatia’s most established clubs. He progressed through the academy ranks over the following years, training with future professionals and refining the midfield skills that would later define his senior game. That period at Rijeka prepared him for the transition into first-team football at the highest level of Croatian competition.
Path to Professional Soccer
Kreilach’s path to the senior ranks reached its first major milestone in the 2007–08 season, when he made his professional debut for Rijeka in the Croatian first division at the age of 18. Breaking into the first team as a teenager, he quickly became a regular option in the squad and gained valuable experience in top-flight competition. His performances during those formative years established him as one of the more promising young midfielders in Croatian football.
Before committing fully to his club career, Kreilach represented Croatia at youth international level, earning selection for the Croatia U19 team in 2008 and the Croatia U21 team in 2010. Those national-team experiences gave him exposure to international football and complemented his development at Rijeka. Together, his early club minutes and international appearances formed the launchpad for a career that would eventually take him across Europe and into Major League Soccer.
Damir Kreilach Career
Early Career at Rijeka (2007–2013)
Kreilach spent six seasons in the Rijeka first team from 2007 to 2013, becoming a familiar figure in the Croatian Football League. Over that period, he made 128 appearances and scored 19 goals, contributing regularly from midfield. His most productive year came in 2011–12, when he finished as the club’s top goalscorer with nine goals, a notable achievement for a midfielder.
Across those six seasons, he developed into a creative and goal-scoring presence in the Rijeka lineup, capable of contributing both as a playmaker and as a finisher. His consistent performances attracted the attention of clubs abroad, and in 2013 he made the move to Germany’s second tier, where the next phase of his career would unfold.
Union Berlin Breakthrough (2013–2018)
In 2013, Kreilach transferred to 1. FC Union Berlin of the German 2. Bundesliga, embarking on a five-season spell that significantly raised his profile. He became a key part of the Berlin side’s midfield, eventually scoring 33 goals in 147 matches across all competitions. His most prolific campaign came in 2015–16, when he registered 12 goals in 32 matches, a return that underlined his growing reputation as a reliable attacking midfielder.
Kreilach’s time at Union Berlin was marked by consistency and an ability to deliver important goals during tight league campaigns. His performances helped establish him as a fan favourite and demonstrated his adaptability to a new league and country. By the time he departed in early 2018, he had firmly established himself as a quality second-tier performer with the credentials to test himself in a top flight abroad.
Real Salt Lake Era (2018–2023)
In February 2018, Kreilach signed with Real Salt Lake of Major League Soccer, beginning the most productive chapter of his career. Over six seasons in Utah, he became the club’s third highest-ever goalscorer, finishing with 47 goals, a remarkable return for a midfielder operating in a league known for its physical demands and travel schedule. He was appointed club captain for the 2022 and 2023 seasons, a reflection of his leadership and standing in the locker room.
His spell at Real Salt Lake also included selection for the 2021 MLS All-Star Game, an individual honour that highlighted his consistency at the highest level of American soccer. Kreilach left the club in December 2023 after six seasons, departing as a club legend in goalscoring terms. His contributions in MLS cemented his reputation as one of the most effective European midfielders to play in the league during that era.
Vancouver Whitecaps and Return to Rijeka (2024–2025)
In December 2023, Kreilach joined fellow MLS side Vancouver Whitecaps FC, linking up with a club aiming to build on its recent competitive progress. During his time in Vancouver, he added the 2024 Canadian Championship to his list of honours, contributing to a domestic trophy for the Whitecaps. His experience and leadership provided a steadying presence in the squad as the club continued to compete on multiple fronts.
In 2025, Kreilach returned to HNK Rijeka, the club where his senior career began, completing a full circle in his professional journey. Rejoining a familiar environment, he was once again registered as part of the first-team squad and assigned the number 87 shirt. The move brought him back to top-flight Croatian football, where he continues to add to a career that has now spanned nearly two decades at the highest levels of the sport.
Driving Style and Strengths
Kreilach has built his reputation as a goal-scoring midfielder with a strong reading of the game and the timing to arrive late into the penalty area. Comfortable operating in central midfield or in a more advanced role, he combines physical presence at 1.86 m with a willingness to take on shooting responsibility. His consistency from season to season, rather than flashes of brilliance, has been the defining feature of his professional career.
Notable Events and Milestones
Key milestones include becoming Rijeka’s top goalscorer in 2011–12 with nine goals, a 12-goal season at Union Berlin in 2015–16, finishing as Real Salt Lake’s third all-time leading scorer with 47 goals, captaining Real Salt Lake in 2022 and 2023, selection to the 2021 MLS All-Star Game, and winning the 2024 Canadian Championship with Vancouver Whitecaps.
Damir Kreilach Career Wins
Damir Kreilach’s career is measured less in trophies and more in consistent goal returns across several leagues, although he did collect a major domestic honour late in his MLS journey. His primary impact has come through his goalscoring contributions at club level in Croatia, Germany, and the United States, and he has added silverware with the 2024 Canadian Championship during his time at Vancouver Whitecaps.
Club Highlights
Across his senior career, Kreilach has scored 19 goals in 128 matches for Rijeka in his first spell, 33 goals in 147 matches for Union Berlin, and 47 goals in 158 matches for Real Salt Lake, a return that places him third on the club’s all-time scoring list. He also represented Vancouver Whitecaps in 2024 and 2025, lifting the Canadian Championship that year before returning to Rijeka.
Other Performances
On the international stage, Kreilach represented Croatia at U19 level in 2008 and at U21 level in 2010, gaining valuable experience in age-group competition. He was also named to the 2021 MLS All-Star Game, recognition of his standing among the league’s leading midfielders that season.
Damir Kreilach Family
Family Background and Soccer Lineage
Kreilach was born and raised in Vukovar, a city with a long tradition in Croatian sport. He joined the youth ranks of Opatija as a young boy before progressing into the Rijeka academy at the age of 11 in 2000, where he completed his football education.
Personal Life
Publicly available information about Kreilach’s personal life is limited, and verified details about his spouse, children, and other family members have not been confirmed in the sources reviewed. He is known to have built his professional life around his football career across Croatia, Germany, the United States, and Canada.
2025 Season Performance
After returning to HNK Rijeka in 2025, Kreilach has rejoined the club in the Croatian Football League with the number 87 shirt, linking up once again with the team where his senior career began. His experience as a former captain and a long-time top-flight midfielder has provided a veteran presence in the squad as the club competes in domestic competition. The 2025 campaign represents a continuation of his career in familiar surroundings rather than a fresh start in an unfamiliar league.
His role at Rijeka in 2025 is expected to combine leadership responsibilities with regular first-team contributions, drawing on a goalscoring record that has produced more than 100 goals across his club career to date. The transition back to the Croatian top flight comes after a productive 2024 season at Vancouver Whitecaps, where he added the Canadian Championship to his honours list. As the season progresses, his performances will likely be measured in goals, assists, and the influence he provides both on and off the pitch.
Looking ahead within 2025, Kreilach’s outlook is shaped by his durability, his history of double-figure league goal returns, and his familiarity with Rijeka’s environment. If he can stay healthy and reproduce the kind of form he showed at Union Berlin and Real Salt Lake, he will remain a key figure for the club heading into the latter stages of his career.