# Gjoko Zajkov

Gjoko Zajkov (Macedonian: Ѓоко Зајков; born 10 February 1995) is a Macedonian professional footballer who plays as a centre back for Liga I club Universitatea Craiova and for the North Macedonia national team.

## Early career

Zajkov began his football career with FK Rabotnički.

## Club career

Born in Skopje into a family originally from Udovo, Gjoko Zajkov was playing in Macedonia for the youth team of Rabotnichki, until the summer in 2012 when he made his first appearance for the senior team of the club, competing in the Macedonian First League. He was voted best defender that year, at the age of 17.
On 23 June 2014 he left Macedonia for the French club Stade Rennais F.C., with whom he signed a three-year contract. After his first season in France, where he spent the majority of the time playing for the youth team of Rennais only, in the summer of 2015 he was loaned for one year to Charleroi in Belgium.
After being released from Charleroi, Zajkov signed a one-year deal with Levski Sofia in August 2021. In March 2022 he joined Slavia Sofia until the end of the season.
In January 2023 he signed for Universitatea Craiova.

## International career

He has been a member of Macedonian U-19 and U-21 national teams.
He made his senior debut for Macedonia in a June 2016 friendly match against Iran and has, as of May 2020, earned a total of 12 caps, scoring no goals.
He represented the nation at UEFA Euro 2020, their first major tournament.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of match played 5 February 2025
| Club | Season | League | League | League | Cup | Cup | Continental | Continental | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Rabotnički | 2011–12 | 1. MFL | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 4 | 0 |
| Rabotnički | 2012–13 | 1. MFL | 20 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 20 | 2 |
| Rabotnički | 2013–14 | 1. MFL | 27 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 30 | 1 |
| Rabotnički | Total | Total | 51 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 54 | 3 |
| Rennes | 2014–15 | Ligue 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Rennes B | 2014–15 | CFA2 | 15 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 15 | 0 |
| Charleroi (loan) | 2015–16 | Belgian Pro League | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 8 | 0 |
| Charleroi | 2016–17 | Belgian First Division A | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 3 | 0 |
| Charleroi | 2017–18 | Belgian First Division A | 11 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 13 | 0 |
| Charleroi | 2018–19 | Belgian First Division A | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 12 | 0 |
| Charleroi | 2019–20 | Belgian First Division A | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 |
| Charleroi | 2020–21 | Belgian First Division A | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| Charleroi | Total | Total | 32 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 38 | 0 |
| Levski Sofia | 2021–22 | First Professional Football League | 14 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 16 | 1 |
| Slavia Sofia (loan) | 2021–22 | First Professional Football League | 6 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 8 | 1 |
| Vorskla Poltava | 2022–23 | Ukrainian Premier League | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 14 | 0 |
| Universitatea Craiova | 2022–23 | Liga I | 16 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 16 | 0 |
| Universitatea Craiova | 2023–24 | Liga I | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 24 | 0 |
| Universitatea Craiova | 2024–25 | Liga I | 13 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 17 | 1 |
| Universitatea Craiova | Total | Total | 52 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 57 | 1 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 184 | 6 | 15 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 205 | 6 |
* ↑ Appearances in Coupe de la Ligue
* 1 2 Appearances in UEFA Conference League
* ↑ Appearance in Liga I play-offs for UEFA Europa Conference League

### International

    As of 17 November 2024
Appearances and goals by national team and year :
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
| North Macedonia | 2016 | 1 | 0 |
| North Macedonia | 2017 | 4 | 0 |
| North Macedonia | 2018 | 4 | 0 |
| North Macedonia | 2019 | 3 | 0 |
| North Macedonia | 2020 | 5 | 1 |
| North Macedonia | 2021 | 2 | 0 |
| North Macedonia | 2022 | 3 | 0 |
| North Macedonia | 2023 | 5 | 0 |
| North Macedonia | 2024 | 7 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 34 | 1 |

### International goals

    As of match played 11 October 2020. North Macedonia score listed first, score column indicates score after each Zajkov goal.
International goals by date, venue, cap, opponent, score, result and competition :
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1 | 11 October 2020 | A. Le Coq Arena, Tallinn, Estonia | 13 | Estonia | 3–3 | 3–3 | 2020–21 UEFA Nations League |

## Honours

Rabotnički
* 1. MFL: 2013–14
* Macedonian Football Cup: 2013–14