Drago Gabric Croatian footballer, midfielder for the Slovenian club Koper. Gabrić played five matches and scored one goal for the Croatian national team. Son of football goalkeeper Tonči Gabrić, who also played for Hajduk and the Croatian national team. Date of Birth: 27.09.1986 Country: Croatia

1. Early Life and Career
2. Loan Spells and Rise with Hajduk
3. Transfer to Trabzonspor and Injury
4. Recovery and Return to Hajduk
5. Subsequent Clubs and Retirement
6. International Career

Early Life and Career

Drago Gabric was born in Split, Croatia, the son of former Hajduk Split and Croatia goalkeeper Tonči Gabric. He joined Hajduk's youth academy and made his professional debut in the 2004/2005 season. However, he did not play any league matches during that campaign.

Loan Spells and Rise with Hajduk

Gabric spent time on loan at second-tier clubs Solin and Novalja from 2004 to 2006 to gain playing experience. In the 2006/2007 season, he became a regular for Hajduk, primarily as a substitute. Under the guidance of new coach Robert Jarni, Gabric's role within the team grew. In 2008, he made his European debut, playing four UEFA Cup qualification matches against Deportivo.

Transfer to Trabzonspor and Injury

On August 1, 2009, Gabric signed a four-year contract with Turkish club Trabzonspor for a fee of €2.5 million. He won the Turkish Cup in his first season with the team, but his starting role diminished later in the season. Interest from various clubs, including German, Turkish, and Russian sides, was reported during the 2010/2011 campaign. Gabric was loaned to Ankaragücü for the 2010/2011 season.

On May 23, 2011, Gabric was involved in a car accident on the rain-soaked A1 highway between Dugopolje and Bisko. He lost control of his vehicle and crashed, sustaining severe head injuries, including a brain contusion, skull fracture, facial bone damage, and injuries to his left eye. Gabric was placed in a coma following the accident.

Recovery and Return to Hajduk

After recovering from the accident, Gabric returned to Hajduk in September 2011. He made his first appearance for the first team in November, but he failed to regain his previous form. In the summer of 2012, Gabric joined Rijeka as a free agent, but he again struggled to establish himself in the team.

Subsequent Clubs and Retirement

Gabric spent the 2013/2014 season with Slovenian club Domžale. In January 2015, he was loaned to Croatian side Zadar until the end of the 2014/2015 season. Gabric left Rijeka as a free agent in the summer of 2015. He joined Slovenian club Koper in November 2015 on a contract until the end of the 2015/2016 season.

International Career

Gabric represented Croatia at youth level and made his senior international debut in a friendly against Liechtenstein on November 14, 2009. He made a total of five appearances for Croatia, scoring one goal against Wales in a friendly in 2010.