Mladen Bartulović
A Croatian midfielder who became a fixture in Ukrainian football, later using his deep league knowledge to launch a management career there.
Born 1986 (age 40)·Croatian footballer·Birthday: October 5·Millennials
Biography
Mladen Bartulović's story is one of successful footballing emigration. Leaving Croatia as a young player, he found a lasting home in Ukraine's Premier League, where his career truly flourished. For over a decade, he was a consistent and respected figure in the midfield for several clubs, most notably Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih and Vorskla Poltava. His game was built on technical assurance and a sharp footballing brain, assets that pointed toward a future in coaching. Upon retirement, Bartulović didn't return home but instead leveraged his intimate understanding of Ukrainian football's landscape. He earned his coaching badges and worked his way up, eventually landing the top job at Metalist 1925 Kharkiv, tasked with guiding the historic club in a challenging new era.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Mladen was born in 1986, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Mladen Was Born
The biggest hits of 1986
#1 Movie
Top Gun
Best Picture
Platoon
#1 TV Show
The Cosby Show
Mladen's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1986Born
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1991Started school
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1999Became a teenager
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2002Could drive
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2004Could vote
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2007Turned 21
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2016Turned 30
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 40
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Made over 150 appearances in the Ukrainian Premier League across a 12-year playing career in the country.
- Scored a memorable goal for Vorskla Poltava in a 2011 UEFA Europa League play-off round match.
- Appointed head coach of Metalist 1925 Kharkiv in the Ukrainian Premier League in 2023.
Did You Know?
He played for the Croatian U-21 national team early in his career.
Bartulović holds a UEFA Pro Licence, the highest coaching certification.
His playing career in Ukraine spanned from 2007 to 2019.
“I had to adapt to a new country and league, but football is a universal language.”
