# Luka Menalo

Luka Menalo (Croatian pronunciation:; born 22 July 1996) is a professional footballer who plays as a winger for Rijeka. Born in Croatia, he plays for the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team.
Menalo started his senior career at Čapljina, before joining Široki Brijeg in 2014. A former youth international for Bosnia and Herzegovina, he made his senior international debut in 2018.

## Club career
### Early career

Menalo was born in Split, but grew up in Čapljina. He made his senior debut for HNK Čapljina against Mladost on 2 March 2014 at the age of 17. On 14 May, he scored his first senior goal against Igman Konjic.
In the summer of 2014, Menalo switched to Široki Brijeg. In January 2015, he signed a professional contract with the team until 2020. Menalo scored his first career hat-trick on 21 September 2016, in a game against his former club Čapljina. Menalo was voted the best young player of the league in his last two seasons with Široki Brijeg.

### Dinamo Zagreb

In February 2018, Croatian side Dinamo Zagreb announced that Menalo would join them the following season on a five-year contract. He made his competitive debut for the club against Rudeš on 27 July 2018.
In January 2019, Menalo was loaned to Slaven Belupo until the end of the 2018–19 season.
In July 2019, he was sent on a season-long loan to Slovenian PrvaLiga side Olimpija Ljubljana.
Menalo scored a hat-trick in the 2020–21 Croatian Cup win over Ferdinandovac on 26 September 2020, which were his first goals for Dinamo Zagreb.
In October 2020, he was sent on a season-long loan to Rijeka. He scored 10 goals in 36 appearances for the club in all competitions.
After returning from loan, Menalo scored a brace for Dinamo in a triumph over Hrvatski Dragovoljac in October 2021, his first league goals with the club.

## International career

Menalo represented Bosnia and Herzegovina at under-19 and under-21 level. As he was born in Croatia and is of Croatian descent, he could have represented Croatia, but declined the offers.
In January 2018, he received his first senior call-up, for friendly games against the United States and Mexico. Menalo debuted in a goalless draw against the former on 28 January. On 7 September 2021, Menalo scored his first goal for the national team in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification match against Kazakhstan, putting Bosnia and Herzegovina 2–1 ahead in an eventual 2–2 draw.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of match played 28 May 2023
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National cup | National cup | Continental | Continental | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Čapljina | 2013–14 | First League of FBiH | 12 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 12 | 2 |
| Široki Brijeg | 2014–15 | Bosnian Premier League | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 6 | 2 |
| Široki Brijeg | 2015–16 | Bosnian Premier League | 16 | 4 | 4 | 4 | — | — | 20 | 8 |
| Široki Brijeg | 2016–17 | Bosnian Premier League | 28 | 10 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 37 | 14 |
| Široki Brijeg | 2017–18 | Bosnian Premier League | 23 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 28 | 12 |
| Široki Brijeg | Total | Total | 71 | 28 | 14 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 91 | 36 |
| Dinamo Zagreb | 2018–19 | Croatian First League | 10 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| Dinamo Zagreb | 2020–21 | Croatian First League | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| Dinamo Zagreb | 2021–22 | Croatian First League | 22 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 2 | 37 | 6 |
| Dinamo Zagreb | 2022–23 | Croatian League | 22 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 29 | 2 |
| Dinamo Zagreb | Total | Total | 55 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 17 | 2 | 80 | 11 |
| Slaven Belupo (loan) | 2018–19 | Croatian First League | 12 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 12 | 0 |
| Olimpija Ljubljana (loan) | 2019–20 | Slovenian PrvaLiga | 33 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 38 | 11 |
| Dinamo Zagreb II | 2020–21 | Croatian Second League | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 |
| Rijeka (loan) | 2020–21 | Croatian First League | 28 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 36 | 10 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 213 | 51 | 27 | 15 | 31 | 4 | 271 | 70 |
* ↑ Official competitive UEFA matches only.
* ↑ Includes Bosnian Cup, Croatian Cup, Slovenian Cup
* 1 2 3 4 Appearances in UEFA Europa League
* ↑ Seven appearances and one goal in UEFA Champions League, six appearances and one goal in UEFA Europa League
* ↑ Appearances in UEFA Champions League

### International

    As of match played 11 September 2023
Appearances and goals by national team and year :
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 2018 | 2 | 0 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 2019 | 0 | 0 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 2020 | 0 | 0 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 2021 | 6 | 2 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 2022 | 5 | 1 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 2023 | 2 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 15 | 3 |
    Scores and results list Bosnia and Herzegovina's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Menalo goal.
List of international goals scored by Luka Menalo :
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1 | 7 September 2021 | Bilino Polje, Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina | Kazakhstan | 2–1 | 2–2 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 2 | 13 November 2021 | Bilino Polje, Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina | Finland | 1–2 | 1–3 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 3 | 11 June 2022 | Podgorica City Stadium, Podgorica, Montenegro | Montenegro | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2022-23 UEFA Nations League B |

## Honours

Široki Brijeg
* Bosnian Cup: 2016–17
Dinamo Zagreb
* Croatian Football League: 2021–22, 2022–23
* Croatian Super Cup: 2022, 2023
Celje
* Slovenian PrvaLiga: 2023–24
Individual
* Bosnian Premier League Young Player of the Season: 2016–17, 2017–18