Ante Budimir: La Liga’s "Wonder Unc"
Spanish football fans are witnessing an older player enjoying his prime.
In today’s market, football clubs are spending hundreds of millions of dollars on young, raw and sometimes unproven talent. Not every club can follow this model though and must look elsewhere for first team players.
One place to look is older talent. Footballers that are in their late 20s/early 30s that may not have reached their peak yet.
This is sustainable as we have seen countless players reach their prime later in their careers. Luka Modric, Paolo Maldini and Tim Ream to name a few.
Up top, Ian Wright, Dimitar Berbatov, Jamie Vardy and Karim Benzema are some of the more popular names. Someone who should be added to that list is Osasuna’s Ante Budimir.
Budimir, 33, is third in La Liga in goals with 14. The forward has 19 goal contributions in all competitions this season.
He has come up big when his team has needed him. The striker scored a brace in Osasuna’s 4-2 win over Barcelona back in Sept., a brace in a 2-2 draw against Villareal and a brace against Real Sociedad to win the game 2-1. Also, the Croatian scored a brace in the Copa Del Rey to knock out the defending champions, Athletic Bilbao, 3-2.
History
In his first taste of La Liga action, the Croatian international earned 13 goals and three assists in 35 La Liga matches for Espanyol in the 2019/20 season. Even though it wasn’t enough to keep his club up, Budimir’s efforts earned him a season long loan to CA Osasuna.
Budimir scored 12 goals in 32 appearances for Los Rojillos during the Covid campaign. The club liked what it saw and permanently signed the Croatian for €8 million.
The following two years, the striker’s production seemed to take a dip. Budimir had 11 goal contributions in the 2021/22 season and even less the next year with nine.
Although the Croatian wasn’t scoring as much, Osasuna was finishing higher up the table. Los Rojillos finished in 7th place in the 2022/23 season, the highest position since 2011/12, earning a UEFA Conference League playoff spot. They also were finalists in the Copa Del Rey.
Entering His Prime
The 2023/24 campaign was a turning point for Budimir. CA Osasuna sold forward Chimy Ávila to Real Betis in the winter window which was a big help in the Croatian securing the starting role. He scored 17 goals and earned two assists in the league.
Funnily enough, Osasuna finished the year in 11th place, the same position as the striker’s first season with the club.
This season, Budimir is just three goals away from equaling last year’s tally with 12 games remaining. He can continue his form against top clubs like FC Barcelona, Athletic Club and Atletico Madrid.
On Sunday, March 2, the striker scored his 58th league goal for the club becoming CA Osasuna’s top scorer in La Liga. It is safe to say Budimir has become a fan favorite and an amazing asset for the club.
What’s His Future?
At 33, Budimir does not have a lot of football remaining. His contract at Osasuna is set to expire on June 30, 2027, one month shy of his 36th birthday.
If he were to make a move, it would be this upcoming summer. With his current market value at €5 million, he could be a cheap addition to a top team that believes he can still perform at a high level.