# Boban Babunski

Boban Babunski (Macedonian: Бобан Бабунски; born 5 May 1968) is a Macedonian retired footballer who played as a central defender, and a coach.

## Playing career

Babunski was born in Skopje, SR Macedonia, Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. On the club level he started playing with hometown's FK Vardar, then spent two seasons in Bulgaria with CSKA Sofia to become of the first Macedonians to compete in the A Football Group. After two solid years in the Spanish second division with Lleida he played the same time in Japan, at Gamba Osaka.
Babunski retired professionally in 2001 at the age of 33, after stints with AEK Athens, Logroñés, Sint-Truiden and Chemnitzer FC – he left Germany in December 2000, signing with native FK Rabotnichki – the second and the last teams two also in the respective countries' second level.
Babunski was capped two times for Yugoslavia in 1991. Subsequently, during seven years, he played 23 matches and scored once for the newly formed Macedonia.

## Managerial career

Babunski began his coaching career as assistant in the Macedonian national side, under Slobodan Santrač. When the latter resigned on 23 August 2005 he was appointed interim manager but, on 17 February of the following year, Srečko Katanec took over the job on a permanent basis.
On 23 July 2009, Babunski was signed as head coach of Macedonian First Football League champions Rabotnichki, also from Skopje, winning the domestic cup in his sole season. Four years later he returned to the national team.

## Personal life

Babunski's sons, David and Dorian, are also footballers. The former played youth football with FC Barcelona, whilst the latter did the same at Real Madrid. Babunski's great-grandfather was Jovan Babunski, a Serbian Chetnik vojvoda.

## Career statistics
### Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National cup | National cup | League cup | League cup | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| FK Vardar | 1985–86 | First League | 6 | 0 | | | | | 6 | 0 |
| FK Vardar | 1986–87 | First League | 19 | 0 | | | | | 19 | 0 |
| FK Vardar | 1987–88 | First League | 23 | 1 | | | | | 23 | 1 |
| FK Vardar | 1988–89 | First League | 14 | 0 | | | | | 14 | 0 |
| FK Vardar | 1989–90 | First League | 15 | 1 | | | | | 15 | 1 |
| FK Vardar | 1990–91 | Second League | 38 | 5 | | | | | 38 | 5 |
| FK Vardar | 1991–92 | First League | 26 | 7 | | | | | 26 | 7 |
| FK Vardar | Total | Total | 141 | 14 | | | | | 141 | 14 |
| CSKA Sofia | 1992–93 | A Football Group | 22 | 2 | | | | | 22 | 2 |
| CSKA Sofia | 1993–94 | A Football Group | 18 | 2 | | | | | 18 | 2 |
| CSKA Sofia | Total | Total | 40 | 4 | | | | | 40 | 4 |
| Lleida | 1994–95 | Segunda División | 31 | 1 | | | | | 31 | 1 |
| Lleida | 1995–96 | Segunda División | 31 | 1 | | | | | 31 | 1 |
| Lleida | Spain | Spain | 62 | 2 | | | | | 62 | 2 |
| Gamba Osaka | 1996 | J1 League | 14 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 21 | 1 |
| Gamba Osaka | 1997 | J1 League | 23 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 30 | 7 |
| Gamba Osaka | 1998 | J1 League | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Gamba Osaka | Total | Total | 38 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 52 | 8 |
| AEK Athens | 1998–99 | Superleague Greece | 8 | 0 | | | | | 8 | 0 |
| Logroñés | 1999–2000 | Segunda División | 33 | 0 | | | | | 33 | 0 |
| Sint-Truiden | 1999–2000 | Belgian Pro League | 1 | 0 | | | | | 1 | 0 |
| Chemnitzer FC | 2000–01 | 2. Bundesliga | 8 | 1 | | | | | 8 | 1 |
| Rabotnichki | 2000–01 | Macedonian First Football League | 3 | 1 | | | | | 3 | 1 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 306 | 25 | 6 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 348 | 31 |
* ↑ Includes Yugoslav Cup, Bulgarian Cup, Copa del Rey, Emperor's Cup, Greek Cup, Belgian Cup, DFB-Pokal, Macedonian Cup.
* ↑ Includes J.League Cup, Greek League Cup.

### International

Appearances and goals by national team and year :
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
| Yugoslavia | 1991 | 2 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 2 | 0 |
| Macedonia | 1993 | 1 | 0 |
| Macedonia | 1994 | 3 | 0 |
| Macedonia | 1995 | 4 | 0 |
| Macedonia | 1996 | 2 | 1 |
| Macedonia | 1997 | 2 | 0 |
| Macedonia | 1998 | 1 | 0 |
| Macedonia | 1999 | 6 | 0 |
| Macedonia | 2000 | 4 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 23 | 1 |