Leon Benko Croatian footballer, forward Date of Birth: 11.11.1983 Country: Croatia

1. Biography of Leon Benko
2. Success in European Competitions
3. Move to Germany
4. Transfer to Belgium
5. International Career

Biography of Leon Benko

Leon Benko is a Croatian footballer who plays as a forward for the Belgian club Standard Liège. He began his career at the club of his hometown, where he signed his first professional contract. In his third season at Varteks, he became one of the team's leaders, scoring 14 goals in the Croatian First League.

Success in European Competitions

In the summer of 2005, Benko participated in the Intertoto Cup, where he scored four goals against Tirana's "Dinamo" (4-1). He also scored two goals against Inter Turku. His performances caught the attention of German club Nuremberg, and in the spring of 2006, he signed a three-year contract with the option to extend for one more year.

Move to Germany

Benko made his debut for Nuremberg on August 12, 2006, in a match against Stuttgart (3-0). However, he missed the second half of his first season due to injury. He scored his first goal on November 29, 2007, in a UEFA Cup match against Zenit (2-2). He played four matches in the 2007/2008 UEFA Cup season.

Transfer to Belgium

In August 2008, Benko moved to Belgium and signed a one-year contract with the option to extend with Standard Liège. He made his debut on August 16, 2008, in a match against Dender.

International Career

Benko represented the Croatian U-21 national team and made his debut at the Carlsberg Cup in Hong Kong in 2006.