Josip Iličić is a Slovenian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Slovenian PrvaLiga club Maribor. In 2020, he was given permission to return to Slovenia by Atalanta due to personal problems. It was later revealed that he was suffering from depression after being diagnosed with Covid-19. In 2023, he considered retirement after being struck by lymphadenitis, an enlargement of the lymph nodes in his neck, caused by a bacterial infection. However, he recovered and continued playing for Atalanta, leading their charge in the UEFA Champions League. On October 5, 2022, after twelve years of playing in Serie A, Iličić returned to Slovenia and joined his former club Maribor, signing a contract until June 2025. On November 7, 2022, he returned to football after his battle with depression and scored for his new club.