The Best Soccer Players From Serbia
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- 1Age: 42Nemanja Vidić (Serbian Cyrillic: Немања Видић, Serbian pronunciation: [němaɲa ʋǐːditɕ]; born 21 October 1981) is a Serbian retired professional footballer. He most notably played for Manchester United from 2006 to 2014, and was part of the Serbia national team from 2002 to 2011. In his prime, Vidić was regarded as one of the best defenders in the world.After establishing himself at Red Star Belgrade during the early 2000s, Vidić moved to Spartak Moscow in the summer of 2004. He further garnered breakout attention when he was part of the "Famous Four" Serbian national team defence that conceded just one goal during the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign, prompting a £7 million transfer to Manchester United in January 2006. Vidić then established a prominent defensive partnership with Rio Ferdinand the following season, earning a reputation as one of the world's best centre-backs, due to his defensive consistency and awareness, as well as his strength, leadership, and ability in the air. Vidić was eventually selected as the new team captain of Manchester United at the start of the 2010–11 season. His captaincy ran over the course of three seasons, until his departure in July 2014. After a period of eight years in Manchester, Vidić joined Serie A club Internazionale on a free transfer. Vidić mainly featured as a rotational player for two seasons, eventually agreeing to an early termination of his contract on January 18, 2016, as a result of inactivity due to a hernia injury. Vidić then announced his retirement just under two weeks later, on January 29.A Yugoslavian youth international, Vidić made his senior debut on 12 October 2002 against Italy in UEFA Euro 2004 qualification. Vidić was part of Serbia and Montenegro's "Famous Four" defence, that conceded just one goal during the ten 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification matches, setting a record for the fewest goals conceded. On 24 October 2011, Vidić retired from the Serbian national team.Vidić collected a host of honours in his United career, including three consecutive Premier League titles (five titles in total), the UEFA Champions League, the FIFA World Club Cup, three League Cup medals, as well as being included in three consecutive (four in total) PFA Team of the Year sides from 2007 to 2009. In the 2008–09 season, he helped United to a record-breaking run of 14 consecutive clean sheets and was awarded the Premier League Player of the Season award. He clinched his second award three seasons later, becoming the first defender to achieve this, and the third overall behind Thierry Henry and Cristiano Ronaldo.More Nemanja Vidić
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Dragan Stojković
Age: 59Dragan Stojković (born 3 March 1965), also known by the nickname Piksi, is a Serbian former footballer who played as a midfielder, and the current manager of the Serbia national team. Stojković was long time captain of the Yugoslavia national team and Red Star Belgrade, and is considered one of the best players in the history of Yugoslav and Serbian football. He was a star player for Yugoslavia at the 1990 FIFA World Cup (where he was selected for the World Cup All-Star Team) and 1998 FIFA World Cup where he captained the team. He is one of only five players to be awarded the title Star of the Red Star. He is widely considered to have never shown his true potential in Europe as injury prevented him from establishing himself at Marseille over the long term. Despite this, there is consensus among critics that he displayed an extraordinary ability throughout his career in spite of his chronic injuries, his renown being greatest in Japan. - 3Age: 35Dušan Tadić (Serbian Cyrillic: Душан Тадић, pronounced [dǔʃan tǎdiːtɕ, tǎːditɕ]; born 20 November 1988) is a Serbian professional footballer who plays for and captains Dutch club Ajax and the Serbia national team. He spent his youth at hometown club AIK Bačka Topola and FK Vojvodina, eventually playing in the UEFA Europa League with the latter. After two seasons with FC Groningen he joined FC Twente in 2012, where he earned a move to Southampton of the Premier League. After four years in England, Tadić returned to the Netherlands in 2018, when he joined Ajax. Tadić has over 60 caps for Serbia, having made his international debut in 2008, and represented the country at the Olympics in that year, as well as the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
- Dušan Vlahović (born 28 January 2000) is a Serbian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Serie A club Juventus and the Serbia national team. Vlahović began his senior career at Partizan, making his debut in 2016. After helping them win a league title and two Serbian Cups, Vlahović left for Italian club Fiorentina in 2018; he was awarded Serie A Best Young Player in 2020–21, after having scored 21 league goals. In January 2022, he moved to Juventus. Having represented Serbia internationally at youth level, Vlahović made his senior debut in the UEFA Nations League in 2020. He scored four goals in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification, helping his side qualify for the final tournament.More Dušan Vlahović
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Sergej Milinković-Savić
Age: 29Sergej Milinković-Savić (born 27 February 1995), also known as Sergej, is a Serbian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Italian club Lazio and the Serbia national team. - 6Age: 38Aleksandar Kolarov (born 10 November 1985) is a Serbian former professional footballer. Although primarily a left-back, Kolarov could also operate as a centre-back and anywhere along the left flank and was known for his overlapping attacking runs on the wing, his powerful ball-striking ability with his left foot, and his accuracy from free kicks. He was named Serbian Player of the Year in 2011. Kolarov made his senior international debut for Serbia in 2008 and earned 94 caps. Kolarov was a member of Serbia's squads for the 2008 Olympics, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
- 7Age: 29Aleksandar Mitrović is a Serbian footballer who plays as a striker for Jupiler Pro League club Anderlecht and the Serbian national team. At the age of 18, Mitrović was named among the top 10 talents under the age of 19 in Europe by a selection of UEFA reporters.
- 8Age: 40Branislav Ivanović (Serbian Cyrillic: Бранислав Ивановић, pronounced [brǎnislaʋ iʋânoʋitɕ, – ǐʋaː-]; born 22 February 1984) is a Serbian professional footballer who plays for Russian club Zenit Saint Petersburg and the Serbia national team. A versatile defender, Ivanović plays as a right back, although he can also play as a centre back. Ivanović began his career with hometown club FK Srem. In January 2004 he transferred to top division side OFK Beograd. Two years later, he moved to Russia to play for Lokomotiv Moscow in the Russian Premier League, where he would spend two seasons, winning his first honour, the 2007 Russian Cup. In January 2008, Ivanović was signed by Premier League side Chelsea for a £9 million fee. He won nine major honours with Chelsea, including three Premier League titles, three FA Cups, one League Cup, the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League. Overall, he made 377 appearances and scored 34 goals, making him one of only five foreign players to appear in over 300 matches for the club and putting him behind only John Terry in terms of goals scored by a defender for Chelsea. Additionally, Ivanović was twice named in the PFA Team of the Year. He returned to Russia in February 2017, joining Zenit on a free transfer. Ivanović was first capped for Serbia in June 2005, and has since become the nation's most capped player earning 105 caps and scoring 13 goals. He represented the nation at their first international tournament as an independent country, the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, and was appointed captain of the national team in 2012. He was captain until just prior to the 2018 FIFA World Cup where he also represented Serbia. In that competition he became the most capped player in the history of the Serbian national team, with 105 matches.
- 9Age: 50Darko Kovačević (Serbian Cyrillic: Дарко Ковачевић, pronounced [dǎːrko koʋǎːtʃeʋitɕ]; born 18 November 1973) is a Serbian former footballer who played as a forward. He began his career in Serbia with Proleter Zrenjanin and subsequently played for Red Star Belgrade, with whom he won a Yugoslav League title and two Yugoslav Cups. His prolific performances earned him a move to Premier League side Sheffield Wednesday, although his time in England was less successful. He is mainly known for his spells at Real Sociedad where his offensive partnership with Nihat Kahveci was one of the best in Spain. Kovačević also had positive spells with Italian club Juventus and Greek side Olympiacos. At international level, he represented Yugoslavia at the 1998 FIFA World Cup and at UEFA Euro 2000.
- 10Dec. at 80 (1930-2011)Borivoje "Bora" Kostić (Serbian Cyrillic: Бopивoje Kocтић, pronounced [kôstitɕ, kǒ-]; 14 June 1930 – 10 January 2011) was a Serbian footballer. Normally a prolific left winger, Kostić is regarded as one of finest Yugoslav players of his generation and was well known for powerful shot and free kick ability. During his club career he played for Red Star Belgrade, Lanerossi Vicenza and St. Louis Stars. He earned 33 caps and 26 goals for the Yugoslavia national football team, and participated in the 1960 European Nations' Cup. Kostić was no less prolific at the club level with Red Star Belgrade, for whom he remains to this day the all-time leading marksman with 158 league strikes.[1]
- 11Age: 55Predrag "Peđa" Mijatović (Serbian Cyrillic: Предраг Пеђа Мијатовић, pronounced [prêdraːɡ pêdʑa mijȃːtoʋitɕ, - mîːjaː-]; born 19 January 1969) is a retired Montenegrin professional footballer who played as a striker. At club level, Mijatović played for six clubs: Budućnost Podgorica, Partizan, Valencia, Real Madrid, Fiorentina and Levante. At international level, he played for the Yugoslavia national team at the 1998 FIFA World Cup and at UEFA Euro 2000. Mijatović scored 28 goals in the 1995–96 La Liga season for Valencia, which prompted a move to Real Madrid, where he scored a goal in the 1998 UEFA Champions League Final which ensured Madrid's first European Cup in 32 years. In 1997, Mijatović was named runner-up for the Ballon d'Or, behind Ronaldo and ahead of Zinedine Zidane. After his playing career, he served as director of football for Real Madrid from 2006 to 2009.More Predrag Mijatović
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- 12Dec. at 59 (1929-1988)Branislav "Branko" Zebec (17 May 1929 – 26 September 1988) was a Croatian footballer and manager. In his heyday, Zebec fascinated the world with his performances at the World Cups in 1954 and 1958. With Partizan he won 3 Yugoslav Cups (1952, 1954, 1957). With Red Star Belgrade he won the national championship in 1960. As coach he led Hajduk Split, Bayern Munich and Hamburger SV to success. A highly versatile player noted for his physical abilities and understanding of the game, Zebec was world class whether on the left wing or in the more defensive role of left fullback, although he was capable of playing almost every outfield position on the pitch. He was particularly well known for his pace, having been able to run 100 meters in 11 seconds with football boots.
- 13Age: 93Todor "Toza" Veselinović (Serbian Cyrillic: Тодор "Тоза" Веселиновић, pronounced [tôdor ʋeselǐːnoʋitɕ]; 22 October 1930 – 17 May 2017) was a Serbian footballer and coach. He was one of the most renowned goalscorers in Yugoslavian national team history.
- 14Age: 55Siniša Mihajlović (Serbian Cyrillic: Синиша Михајловић, pronounced [sǐniʃa mixǎːjloʋitɕ]; born 20 February 1969) is a Serbian professional football manager and former footballer, who is the manager of Serie A club Bologna. During his career as a footballer, he played as a defender or midfielder. He has 63 caps and scored 10 goals for Yugoslavia from 1991 to 2003, of which his first four caps in 1991 represented SFR Yugoslavia, and played in the 1998 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2000 tournaments. Considered by many to be among the best free kick takers of all time, he co-holds the all-time record in Serie A for most goals from free-kicks, alongside Andrea Pirlo, with 28 goals. He was the coach of the Serbia national football team from May 2012 to November 2013, and holds an Italian passport.
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Savo Milošević
Age: 50Savo Milošević (Serbian Cyrillic: Саво Милошевић, pronounced [sǎːʋo milǒːʃeʋitɕ]; born 2 September 1973) is a former Serbian professional footballer and current manager of Serbian SuperLiga club FK Partizan. After making a name for himself at Partizan, he signed for English club Aston Villa, before going on to spend the vast majority of his career in Spain, where he amassed La Liga totals of 91 goals in 241 games for four clubs including CA Osasuna. Over the course of his 16-year professional playing career, Milošević scored nearly 300 official goals in just over 660 appearances. At the international level, Milošević played for the national team of FR Yugoslavia (later renamed Serbia and Montenegro), and Serbia, winning over 100 caps for both teams combined. Milošević appeared in two World Cups and one European Championship, at which he earned the Golden Boot at Euro 2000. - 16Age: 35Nemanja Matić (born 1 August 1988) is a Serbian professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Serie A club AS Roma. Starting his career as an attacking midfielder, Matić shifted to a defensive midfielder during his spell at Benfica. He is known for his consistent performances on the pitch and his combative style of play. Matić represented Serbia at under-21 level. He made his senior international debut in 2008 and has since earned over 40 caps. He was part of their squad at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.More Nemanja Matić
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- 17Age: 45Dejan "Deki" Stanković (Serbian Cyrillic: Дејан Станковић, Serbian pronunciation: [dějan stǎːŋkoʋitɕ], born 11 September 1978) is a Serbian former footballer. He captained the Serbia national team from 2007 until 2011, when he announced his retirement from international football. He played as an attacking midfielder who could also play out wide on the wings, or track back in a defensive midfield role. A tenacious and hard-working player, "Deki", as he is nicknamed, was best known for his efficient, accurate passing, versatility and creativity, as well as his ability to score goals from long distance; he was also effective in the air, and known for his influence on the pitch. Stanković began his career at Red Star Belgrade, before joining Lazio in 1998. He spent more than five years with the latter club before joining Inter. On 13 June 2010, Stanković became the first player to have represented three different national teams in the FIFA World Cup: FR Yugoslavia, Serbia and Montenegro and Serbia. Stanković grew up in Zemun, a municipality of Belgrade. Both of his parents, Borislav and Dragica, have strong football backgrounds.
- 18Dec. at 85 (1922-2008)Rajko Mitić (Serbian Cyrillic: Рајко Митић, pronounced [rǎːjko mǐːtitɕ]; 19 November 1922 – 29 March 2008) was a Serbian footballer, coach, executive and journalist. Mitić is considered one of the most important players in the history of Red Star Belgrade as he is the first out of only five players to have been awarded the Zvezdina zvezda. In December 2014, Red Star Stadium, the principal stadium in Belgrade, was officially renamed after him.
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Nikola Žigić
Age: 43Nikola Žigić (Serbian Cyrillic: Никола Жигић, IPA: [nǐkola ʒǐːɡitɕ]; born 25 September 1980) is a former Serbian international footballer who played as a centre forward. Žigić was born in Bačka Topola, in what was then SFR Yugoslavia. He began playing football as a youngster with AIK Bačka Topola, and scored 68 goals from 76 first-team matches over a three-year period in the third tier of Yugoslav football. Military service took him to Bar in 2001, where he was able to continue his goalscoring career with the local second-level club Mornar. A brief spell back in the third tier with Kolubara preceded his turning professional with First League side Red Star Belgrade in January 2003. He spent time on loan at third-tier Spartak Subotica before making his Red Star debut later that year. Despite suggestions that his height, of 2.02 m (6 ft 7 1⁄2 in), made him better suited to sports other than football, Žigić ended the season as First League top scorer, domestic player of the year, league champion and scorer of the winning goal in the cup final. He won a second league–cup double in 2005–06, a second player of the year award, and finished his three-year Red Star career with 70 goals from 109 appearances in all competitions.In August 2006, Žigić signed for Spanish club Racing Santander; his goals and his partnership with Pedro Munitis helped them achieve a mid-table finish in La Liga. He then moved to Valencia, but was unable to establish himself as a regular in the starting eleven. He spent the second half of the 2008–09 La Liga season back with Racing on loan, for whom he scored 13 goals in just 19 matches. Žigić joined Birmingham City of the Premier League in 2010, and in his first season, he scored in their League Cup win. Even after relegation to the Championship, and despite increasing efforts to remove his large salary from the financially struggling club's wage bill, he remained with Birmingham for the full four years of his contract. Having been without a club for a few months, he rejoined Birmingham for the second half of the 2014–15 season. Žigić made his senior international debut for Serbia and Montenegro in March 2004, and following the breakup of Serbia and Montenegro in 2006, he played internationally for Serbia until 2011. He won 57 caps for his country and scored 20 goals. He was a member of the 2006 and 2010 World Cup squads, and briefly captained his country in 2011. - 20Dec. at 55 (1927-1983)Bernard "Bajdo" Vukas (1 May 1927 – 4 April 1983) was a Yugoslav football player. Vukas played as a left winger/forward and is mostly remembered for his extraordinary dribbling ability. In 2000, he was voted by the Croatian Football Federation as the best Croatian player of all Time, and in a poll by Večernji List, he was voted the best Croatian athlete of the 20th century. Vukas started his career in the youth ranks of Concordia Zagreb. After WW2, he spent some time in NK Amater Zagreb before moving to Hajduk Split in 1947. He stayed in Hajduk until 1957, playing 202 games and scoring 89 goals. With Hajduk, Vukas won the Yugoslav First League title on three occasions, in 1950, 1952 and 1955, and he was the league's top scorer in the 1954–55 season with 20 goals. In 1950, Vukas helped Hajduk win the Yugoslav First League undefeated, a record which has never been broken. In 1957, he moved to Bologna F.C. 1909, where he stayed for two years playing 48 games and scoring two goals, but his time there was overshadowed by serious illness. He returned to Hajduk in 1959 and remained until 1963, playing 65 games and scoring 5 goals. He spent his last days as a football player in Austria, playing for Austria Klagenfurt, Grazer AK and Kapfenberger SV. Counting friendlies, Vukas played a total of 615 games for Hajduk Split and scored 300 goals. On 23 October 1953, Vukas, along with Branko Zebec, Vladimir Beara and Zlatko Čajkovski, played for FIFA's 'Rest of the World' team against England at Wembley – in a match to celebrate 90 years of English Football Association. The match ended 4–4, with Vukas assisting in two goals and being awarded a penalty. Two years later, on 13 August 1955, Vukas was invited to play for the UEFA Team in a friendly match against Great Britain played in Belfast, where Vukas scored a hat trick. With Yugoslavia he won 2 silver medals in the Olympic games. He died on 4 April 1983, aged 55. There are streets in Split and Zagreb named after him.
- 21Age: 31Filip Kostić (born November 11, 1992) is a Serbian professional soccer player who most frequently plays on the left wing for Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt and the Serbia national team. Kostić made his senior debut with Radnički Kragujevac in 2010 at the age of 17. Kostić has played for Serbia at under-19 level and under-21 level. In the 2015 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification play-offs, he scored the winner against Spain. In November 2022, he was selected in Serbia's squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
- 22Age: 78Dragan Džajić (Serbian Cyrillic: Драган Џајић; born 30 May 1946) is a former Serbian footballer who is widely considered to be one of the best Serbian footballers to emerge from former Yugoslavia. Regarded as a preeminent and very proficient left winger, Džajić has been known for his "great crosses and passes, unstoppable dribbling with great pace, natural technique and some of the best left footed free kicks ever seen". Džajić is viewed by some football experts as perhaps one of the most underrated players in European football, partly because he played in Yugoslavia. In December 2011, Džajić was named in being part of "the greatest European Championship XI of all time" by Goal.com.
- 23Dec. at 77 (1907-1984)Blagoje "Moša" Marjanović (Serbian Cyrillic: Благоје "Моша" Марјановић, pronounced [blâɡoje marjǎːnoʋitɕ]; 9 September 1907 – 1 October 1984) was a Yugoslav football player and manager.
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Dušan Bajević
Age: 75Dušan Bajević (Serbian Cyrillic: Душан Бајевић, pronounced [dǔʃan bǎjeʋitɕ]; Greek: Ντούσαν Μπάγεβιτς, Doúsan Báyevits; born 10 December 1948) is a Bosnian-Herzegovinian football manager and former player. Bajević was born in Mostar, SFR Yugoslavia. - 25
Dejan Savićević
Age: 57Dejan Savićević (Serbian Cyrillic: Дејан Савићевић, pronounced [dějan saʋǐːtɕeʋitɕ]; born 15 September 1966) is a Montenegrin former football player who played as an attacking midfielder. Since 2004 he has been the president of the Montenegrin Football Association (FSCG).After beginning his career with Budućnost Titograd, Savićević moved to Red Star Belgrade, and was a part of the team that won the 1990–91 European Cup, before joining Italian club A.C. Milan in 1992. With Milan, he won three Serie A titles and the 1993–94 UEFA Champions League, among other trophies. He later returned to Red Star for half a season in 1999, before ending his career with Rapid Wien in 2001. At international level, he represented Yugoslavia at the 1990 and 1998 FIFA World Cups and, after his retirement from playing, coached the Serbia and Montenegro national team between 2001 and 2003. Following an illustrious professional playing career that lasted 18 seasons, as well as a short and unsuccessful head coaching stint during the early 2000s, he has turned to administrative matters – becoming, during the summer of 2004, the president of the Montenegrin FA. - 26
Jovan Aćimović
Age: 75Jovan "Kule" Aćimović (Serbian Cyrillic: Јован Аћимовић Kулe; born 21 June 1948) is a former Serbian football player. His son Đorđe was also a footballer who played for Red Star Belgrade in the 1990–91 and 1991–92 seasons. - 27Age: 65Zlatko Vujović (Serbian Cyrillic: Златко Вујовић, pronounced [zlâtko ʋûːjoʋitɕ]; born 26 August 1958) is a former Croatian footballer who played as a striker. His twin brother, Zoran, was also a professional footballer. Both were Yugoslav internationals, and both spent a large part of their professional careers in France.
- 28Age: 37Zoran Tošić (Serbian Cyrillic: Зоран Тошић, pronounced [zǒran tǒʃitɕ, - tôː-]; born 28 April 1987) is a Serbian footballer who plays as a winger for Partizan and the Serbia national team. He has built a reputation as a free-kick specialist and a tricky dribbler.Tošić began his career with his local side Proleter Zrenjanin, before making his debuts with Mladost Lukićevo. He then joined Budućnost Banatski Dvor, who then merged with Proleter to form Banat Zrenjanin. A year later, he signed for Serbian giants Partizan, for whom he played for two years before a high-profile move to Manchester United of England. After he struggled to break into the Red Devils first-team, he was sent on a six-month loan to German side 1. FC Köln in January 2010, and was then transferred to CSKA Moscow of Russia that summer. A full international since 2007, Tošić has earned 76 caps for Serbia. He was part of their teams at the 2008 Summer Olympics and the 2010 World Cup.
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Branko Oblak
Age: 77Branko Oblak (born 27 May 1947) is a Slovenian football coach and former international player. He usually played as an attacking midfielder or deep-lying playmaker. - 30Dec. at 76 (1938-2014)Milan Galić (Serbian Cyrillic: Милан Галић, pronounced [mǐlaŋ ɡǎːlitɕ]; 8 March 1938 – 13 September 2014) was a Yugoslav professional footballer who played as a striker. During his active career, Galić played for four clubs, namely Proleter Zrenjanin, Partizan, Standard Liège and Reims. He also represented Yugoslavia internationally, earning 51 caps and scoring 37 goals, being the second-highest scorer in the history of the national team, only behind Stjepan Bobek with 38.After finishing his playing career, Galić was employed at the Football Association of Yugoslavia.
- 31Age: 39Miloš Krasić (Serbian Cyrillic: Милош Красић; born 1 November 1984) is a former Serbian football player who last played for Polish club Lechia Gdańsk as a winger. He represented the Serbia national team at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and at one point in his career, he was named by FourFourTwo as one of the 100 best players in the world.
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Gustav Lechner
Dec. at 73 (1913-1987)Gustav Lechner (17 February 1913 – 5 February 1987) was a footballer who represented both the Yugoslavian and Croatian national sides. - 33Dec. at 74 (1923-1998)Zlatko "Čik" Čajkovski (24 November 1923 – 27 July 1998) was a Croatian and Yugoslavian football player and coach. His brother, Željko Čajkovski, was a football player as well. Normally a defensive midfielder, Čajkovski was renowned for his tremendous physical condition and marking ability and is considered to be one of the finest Yugoslav footballers. Despite his normally defensive role he was also a fine passer and possessed top-class technical ability.
- 34Age: 40Vladimir Stojković (Serbian Cyrillic: Владимир Стојковић, pronounced [ʋlǎdimiːr stǒːjkoʋitɕ]; born 28 July 1983) is a Serbian professional footballer who plays for FK Partizan and the Serbia national team as a goalkeeper. During his career he played for the two biggest clubs in his country, Red Star and Partizan, but also represented teams in seven other countries, notably with Sporting Clube de Portugal who loaned him several times for the duration of his contract. A Serbian international on 84 occasions, Stojković was selected for three World Cups and the 2008 Olympics.
- 35Age: 40Antonio Rukavina (Serbian Cyrillic: Антонио Рукавина, pronounced [ǎntonio rukǎʋina]; born 26 January 1984) is a Serbian professional footballer who plays as a defender for Kazakh club Astana and the Serbia national team.
- 36Dec. at 85 (1928-2014)Vladimir Beara (pronounced [ʋlǎdimiːr beâra]; 26 August 1928 – 11 August 2014) was a professional football goalkeeper, and also manager. He is considered to have been one of the best goalkeepers of his era.
- 37Dec. at 86 (1923-2010)Stjepan Bobek (Croatian pronunciation: [stjêpaːn bǒbek]; 3 December 1923 in Zagreb – 22 August 2010 in Belgrade) was a Yugoslav football striker and later football manager. Usually a forward or attacking midfielder, Bobek was renowned for his technique, vision and goalscoring ability and is commonly regarded as one of Yugoslavia's greatest players. Ferenc Puskás once said: "Bobek's technique with the ball is unrivaled. I'm not ashamed to admit, that I tried to copy him. How God-like that guy dribbled and his back-heel pass was impeccable. He still is one of the most noble artists in football."Bobek started playing at a very young age and had spells with several clubs in Zagreb but is mainly remembered for his time at the Serbian side Partizan Belgrade, where he moved to following the end of World War II. He played for Partizan between 1945 and 1959 helping them win two Yugoslav First League titles and four Yugoslav Cups, and was named the club's greatest player in history in 1995. Internationally, he is the all-time top scorer for the Yugoslavia national team, scoring 38 goals in 63 appearances between 1946 and 1956, and was member of Yugoslav squads which won two Olympic silver medals (in 1948 and 1952) and played in two FIFA World Cups (in 1950 and 1954). After retiring from active football in 1959, he was a successful manager, winning Yugoslav and Greek national titles with Partizan and Panathinaikos, and also had managing spells in Poland and Tunisia.
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Mateja Kežman
Age: 45Mateja Kežman (Serbian Cyrillic: Матеја Кежман [mǎteja kêʒman]; born 12 April 1979) is a Serbian former professional footballer who played as a striker. Upon playing in his homeland, Kežman went on to play top-flight football in the Netherlands, England, Spain, Turkey, France, Russia, Hong Kong and Belarus. He is arguably best known for his career at PSV, earning numerous awards and worldwide recognition as having the potential to be one of the greatest strikers of his generation, being named Dutch Footballer of the Year in 2003. Kežman was subsequently labeled as a flop after his spell at Chelsea, as there were extremely high expectations of him. By the end of his illustrious career, he had amassed a record number of championship medals in the top-tier competitions of five different countries. Internationally, Kežman represented FR Yugoslavia / Serbia and Montenegro in one European Championship and one World Cup. After finishing his professional playing career, Kežman became a sports agent, currently representing Sergej Milinković-Savić among other players. He also served as a director of football at Vojvodina in 2013. - 39
Zoran Mirković
Age: 52Zoran "Bata" Mirković (Serbian Cyrillic: Зоран Бата Мирковић, pronounced [zǒran bâ:ta mǐrkoʋitɕ]; born 21 September 1971) is a retired Serbian footballer and current manager. - 40Dec. at 82 (1931-2014)Vujadin Boškov (Serbian Cyrillic: Вујадин Бошков, pronounced [ʋujǎdin bǒʃkoʋ]; 16 May 1931 – 27 April 2014) was a Serbian footballer and coach. Throughout his career as a football manager, he stood out both for his many successes, as well as due to his unique sense of humour and memorable ironic comments, which were used to dissolve tension during post-match interviews; these led him to become a popular figure with football fans during his time in Italy.
- 41Age: 43Milan Jovanović (Serbian Cyrillic: Милан Јовановић; born 18 April 1981) is a former Serbian footballer who played as a winger. He began his career with FK Vojvodina and had brief spells at Shakhtar Donetsk and Lokomotiv Moscow before joining Standard Liège, where he was named Belgian Pro League player of the year in 2008 and Belgian Golden Shoe the following year. In 2010–11, he spent the season at Liverpool, returning to Belgium afterwards to spend the rest of his career at Anderlecht. Jovanović earned 44 caps for the Serbian national team from his debut in 2007, and scored 11 international goals. Coach Radomir Antić created a wing-tandem with Jovanović and Miloš Krasić which is remembered as the best wing-partnership in the modern history of the Serbian national team. He represented Serbia at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He is commonly referred to by his nickname of Lane.
- 42Age: 32Nemanja "Neno" Gudelj (Serbian Cyrillic: Немања Гудељ; born 16 November 1991) is a Serbian footballer who plays as a central midfielder for La Liga side Sevilla and the Serbian national team. He is the son of former NAC player Nebojša Gudelj and the older brother of Dragiša Gudelj. He holds both Serbian and Dutch citizenship.
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Mladen Krstajić
Age: 50Mladen Krstajić (Serbian Cyrillic: Младен Крстајић, pronounced [mlǎden krstâjitɕ]; born 4 March 1974) is a Serbian football manager and former footballer who played as a centre back. He was most recently the manager of the Serbia national team. He represented Serbia and Montenegro at the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Since January 2015, Krstajić has also been serving the role of president of Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina club FK Radnik Bijeljina. - 44
Vladimir Petrović
Age: 68Vladimir Petrović (Serbian Cyrillic: Владимир Петровић, pronounced [ʋlǎdimiːr pětroʋitɕ]; born 1 July 1955) is a Serbian football manager and former player. He is widely known domestically by his nickname Pižon (Serbian: Пижон), after the French for pigeon. - 45
Dragan Holcer
Age: 79Dragan Holcer (19 January 1945 – 23 September 2015) was a Yugoslav association football defender.Holcer was born in captivity in a Nazi prison camp to Slovenian father Franc Holcer and Italian-Austrian mother Ida Orelli who lived in Niš. His father fought in World War II as part of Yugoslav Partisans. His father was killed in battle while his pregnant mother was rounded up in Slovenia and imprisoned in Germany along with her three daughters. Shortly after the war ended his mother took the family to her hometown Niš in Serbia where Holcer grew up. On the national level he played for Yugoslavia national team (52 matches), and was a participant at Euro 1968. Holcer, who was considered to be a legend of Hajduk Split, died in Split on 23 September 2015, aged 70. - 46Dec. at 34 (1937-1972)Vladimir Durković (Serbian Cyrillic: Владимир Дурковић; 6 November 1937 – 22 June 1972) was a Serbian football defender who was successful for both club and country.
- 47Age: 58Miroslav Đukić (Serbian Cyrillic: Мирослав Ђукић, pronounced [mǐroslaʋ dʑǔkitɕ]; born 19 February 1966) is a Serbian former footballer who played as a sweeper, and is a manager. He spent 14 years of his professional career in Spain, notably at the service of Deportivo de La Coruña and Valencia, amassing La Liga totals of 368 games and 11 goals and winning six major titles for the two clubs combined. Đukić represented FR Yugoslavia in one World Cup and one European Championship. After retiring, he embarked in a managerial career at both club and international level.
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Albert Nađ
Age: 49Albert Nađ (Serbian Cyrillic: Алберт Нађ, pronounced [ǎlbert nâdʑ]; born 29 October 1974) is a Serbian retired professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder. At international level, Nađ represented his country under different names at two major tournaments, one European Championship (as FR Yugoslavia) and one World Cup (as Serbia and Montenegro). - 49Dec. at 80 (1921-2002)Branislav "Branko" Stanković (Serbian Cyrillic: Бpaниcлaв "Бpaнкo" Cтaнкoвић, pronounced [brǎnislaʋ brâːŋko stǎːŋkoʋitɕ]; October 31, 1921 – February 20, 2002) was a Bosnian Serb footballer and manager, from Sarajevo.
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Slaviša Jokanović
Age: 55Slaviša Jokanović (Serbian Cyrillic: Славиша Јокановић, pronounced [slǎʋiʃa jokȃnoʋitɕ, - jǒːka-]; born 16 August 1968) is a Serbian former footballer, currently manager of Qatari club Al-Gharafa. A physical player considered strong in the air, the defensive midfielder impressed at Partizan before spending seven seasons in La Liga at the service of three clubs, appearing in 208 matches and scoring 31 goals, mainly for Tenerife. He also played two years with Chelsea towards the end of his career, and represented FR Yugoslavia at the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000, earning 64 caps and scoring ten goals in an 11-year international career. Jokanović began his managerial career in 2007, winning two consecutive doubles with Partizan, the 2012 Thai Premier League with Muangthong United and leading Watford and Fulham to promotion to the Premier League in 2015 and 2018 respectively. - 51Dec. at 86 (1926-2012)Ivan "Ivica" Horvat (16 July 1926 – 27 August 2012) was a Croatian footballer and manager who played for Yugoslavia. In 2004, he received the Croatian Olympic Committee's Matija Ljubek Award.
- 52Age: 65Zoran Vujović (born 26 August 1958) is a former Croatian footballer who played as a defender. His twin brother, Zlatko, was also a professional footballer. Both were Yugoslavian internationals, and both spent a large part of their professional careers in France.
- 53Dec. at 69 (1933-2003)Miloš Milutinović (Serbian Cyrillic: Милош Милутиновић; 5 February 1933 – 28 January 2003) was a Serbian footballer and manager from Yugoslavia. Milutinović is regarded as one of the most talented players in his country's history and one of the most talented wingers/forwards of all time, being nicknamed Plava čigra (The Blond Buzzer) for his skills.
- 54Age: 63Ivan Gudelj (born 21 April 1960) is a Croatian former football midfielder who represented Yugoslavia.
- 55Dec. at 90 (1913-2003)Franjo Glaser (surname sometimes written Glazer; 7 January 1913 – 1 March 2003) was a Croatian football goalkeeper and football manager. He is the only Yugoslav footballer who won national titles before and after the Second World War, with three clubs BSK Belgrade, Građanski Zagreb and FK Partizan.
- 56Age: 63Mehmed Baždarević (born 28 September 1960) is a Bosnian football manager and former player, who currently manages French Ligue 2 side Paris FC. Baždarević played for Bosnian side Željezničar Sarajevo and French outfit Sochaux-Montbéliard, among others. Nicknamed Meša in the former Yugoslavia and Mécha in France, he is considered to be one of the best football players from Bosnia and Herzegovina ever. Internationally he earned caps with Yugoslavia and took part playing at UEFA Euro 1984. He also played for Bosnia and Herzegovina after the breakup of Yugoslavia in 1992. He was the first captain of the Bosnian national side. He retired as a player in 1998 and moved into management.
- 57Age: 36Zdravko Kuzmanović (Serbian Cyrillic: Здравко Кузмановић, pronounced [zdrǎːʋko kuzmǎːnoʋitɕ]; born 22 September 1987) is a Serbian footballer who plays as a defensive or central midfielder for FC Basel. He represented Serbia in the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
- 58Age: 84Fahrudin Jusufi (Serbian Cyrillic: Фахрудин Јусуфи, pronounced [fahrǔdin jǔsufi]; 8 December 1939 – 9 August 2019) was a Yugoslav footballer who most notably played for Partizan, Eintracht Frankfurt and the Yugoslav national team.
- 59Age: 69Safet "Pape" Sušić (pronounced [sǎfet sûʃitɕ]; born 13 April 1955) is a Bosnian football manager and former player, who most recently managed Turkish club Akhisarspor. Sušić was a gifted midfielder known for his dribbling skills and technical ability, and is strongly reputed to have been one of the finest European players of his generation. Sušić played for Yugoslavia in two FIFA World Cups, 1982 and 1990, and at UEFA Euro 1984. As manager he took the Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team to the 2014 FIFA World Cup. In 2017 Safet Sušić was inducted into the PSG Hall of Fame.Sušić played as an attacking midfielder, often in a role of trequartista or fantasista (i.e. a creative playmaker), or rarely as secondary striker for FK Sarajevo, Paris Saint-Germain and Red Star Saint-Ouen and internationally for Yugoslavia and later, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Even more later during his career, he was utilized more in a role of deep-lying playmaker, both for club and national team. In 2010, France Football voted Sušić as Paris Saint-Germain's best player of all time and the best foreign player of Ligue 1 of all time, with his compatriot and friend who also had a spell with PSG, Vahid Halilhodžić, being voted 7th. As part of the UEFA Jubilee Awards in 2004, the Bosnian football association chose Sušić as the nation's greatest ever player.Following his retirement from playing, Sušić started working as a manager. He worked for a number of club sides: Cannes, İstanbulspor, Al-Hilal, Konyaspor, Ankaragücü, Çaykur Rizespor, Ankaraspor, Évian, Alanyaspor, Akhisarspor and the Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team.
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Goran Đorović
Age: 52Goran Đorović (Serbian Cyrillic: Горан Ђopoвић; born 11 November 1971) is a Serbian retired footballer who played mainly a central defender but also as a left back. In his country, he played for Priština and Red Star. He spent the rest of his career in Spain after arriving there in 1997, representing Celta, Deportivo and Elche. Đorović went into coaching upon retiring, serving as the manager of the Serbian national under-21 team.
