Etien Velikonja

Gorica

Velikonja started to play football at Gorica. Coming through their youth system, he was promoted to the senior squad in 2006–07. In his first season, he took part in seven matches, scoring one goal. Next year, during the 2007–08 season, Velikonja played 31 matches, scoring five goals. During the 2008–09 campaign, Velikonja played 32 matches and scored a total of 17 goals, finishing the campaign as the top goal scorer in the Slovenian PrvaLiga. In October 2009, in a league match against Koper, he sustained a serious knee injury which caused him to miss the majority of the 2009–10 season. He was not available to the team up until the end of April 2010, four rounds before the end of the season, when he returned to the pitch as a late substitute in a league match against Drava Ptuj.

Maribor

During the 2010 summer transfer window, it was speculated for the first time that Velikonja could join Slovenian PrvaLiga side Maribor, however, the deal was eventually not carried out and Velikonja stayed with Gorica for the start of the 2010–11 season. By the end of 2010, he had played a total of 18 league matches for Gorica with an average of over 89 minutes per round, scoring five goals in the process. On 17 January 2011, during the winter transfer window, Velikonja was signed by Maribor in a deal that included an undisclosed transfer fee and player Vito Plut, who left Maribor for Gorica. He signed a contract with Maribor until 31 December 2013, and made his…

Velikonja was a member of the Slovenia youth national teams from under-18 to under-21. On 12 August 2009, he made his debut for the senior team in a 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification match against San Marino.

Club

As of 21 April 2020

Velikonja was born in Šempeter pri Gorici, present day Slovenia. He is the cousin of fellow footballer Tim Matavž. He is in a long-term relationship with Slovenian triple jumper Maja Bratkič.