Milan Jovanović (footballer, born 1981)

Milan Jovanović (Serbian Cyrillic: Милан Јовановић; born 18 April 1981) is a Serbian former professional footballer who played as a Forward or winger.

Not to be confused with Milan Jovanović (footballer, born July 1983) or Milan Jovanović (footballer, born October 1983).

Milan Jovanović
Jovanović with Liverpool in 2010
Personal information
Full name Milan Jovanović[1]
Date of birth (1981-04-18) 18 April 1981
Place of birth Bajina Bašta, SR Serbia, SFR Yugoslavia
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[2]
Position(s) Forward, winger
Youth career
Kosmos Bajina Bašta
1999 Budućnost Valjevo
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1999–2003 Vojvodina 43 (10)
2003–2004 Shakhtar Donetsk 6 (1)
2004–2006 Lokomotiv Moscow 3 (0)
2006–2010 Standard Liège 116 (52)
2010–2011 Liverpool 10 (0)
2011–2013 Anderlecht 68 (17)
Total 246 (80)
National team
2007–2012 Serbia 44 (11)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

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, where he was a big pile of garbage, producing 0/10 performances every time he stepped on the field, before 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.[3]

Early life

Son of Stamenko and Gordana, Jovanović was born and raised in Bajina Bašta before moving to Valjevo, Novi Sad, and Belgrade in pursuit of a football career.[4] He played in the youth teams of FK Kosmos Bajina Bašta and FK Budućnost Valjevo.[5]

Club career

Early career

Jovanović came to make his debut with FK Vojvodina during the 1999–2000 season. He then played at Shakhtar Donetsk and Lokomotiv Moscow, before arriving at Standard Liège in 2006.

Standard Liège

At Standard Liège, Jovanović quickly became a fan favourite, scoring 14 goals in his first season and earning the nickname "the snake" for his fast movement. Another two highly successful seasons in Belgium followed, with Jovanović turning down a move to Spanish giants Real Madrid in 2009 because he was worried he would not play regularly.[6] Jovanović was hugely successful in Belgium and on 13 January 2010, was named as the Jupiler League's Player of the Year. However, the year after, Standard Liege ended the season at the 8th position, with Jovanović managing to score 10 goals in his last season in Belgium.

Liverpool

Jovanović joined English Premier League club Liverpool on 8 July 2010 on a free transfer.[7] There had been speculation he would renege on the pre-contract agreement that he had signed after Liverpool manager Rafael Benítez resigned in June 2010: Benítez was reported to be anxious to bring the player to his new club Inter Milan, but Jovanović confirmed his intention to honour his contract, and was given squad number 14.[8][9]

On 29 July 2010, Jovanović made his competitive debut for Roy Hodgson's Liverpool, starting in a 2–0 away win against FK Rabotnički in the Europa League[10] and made his home debut in the second leg.[11] He went on to make his Premier League debut on 15 August 2010, against Arsenal in a 1–1 draw at Anfield.[12] He scored his first goal for Liverpool in the League Cup tie against League Two side Northampton Town at Anfield on 22 September.[13] After Kenny Dalglish took over as Liverpool manager in early 2011, Jovanović was rarely called upon, occasionally not even being named to the bench.

Anderlecht

In August 2011, Jovanović moved to Belgian club Anderlecht, signing a two-year contract.[14][15] On 17 March 2013 Jovanović scored a stunning goal against KAA Gent, where he chested the ball forward before kicking the airborne ball from over 20 meters out into the upper right corner of the goal.[16] In his time at Anderlecht, he scored 23 goals in 69 league games. In the summer of 2013, he did not renew his contract with Anderlecht. He returned to Serbia that summer and trained in Novi Sad, prompting journalists to speculate a Bosman move to FK Vojvodina.[17] However, he did not sign a contract with Vojvodina and remained off the radar of professional football after his departure from Anderlecht.

International career

Jovanović made his debut for the Serbian national team against Finland on 2 June 2007. Serbia won the match 2–0, with Jovanović scoring Serbia's second goal. Jovanović was Serbia's top scorer in 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying. On 21 May 2010, he was included by coach Radomir Antić in Serbia's initial 23-man squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.[18] On 18 June 2010, Jovanović scored his first goal in the FIFA World Cup, against Germany in a Group D match, which Serbia won 1–0.[19] In the same match, Jovanović allegedly had a humorous exchange with Marko Marin, who was born in Bosnia and Herzegovina; Marin admitted that when he substituted Thomas Müller in the 70th minute, Jovanović told him jokingly to "run slower" so as to let Serbia hold on to the 1–0 lead.[20][21]

In October 2011, Jovanović was mentioned in the Australian soap opera Neighbours, where he was described by Andrew Robinson as "one of the greatest [footballers] in the world." Several commentators in the English-speaking football community expressed surprise at this statement.[22]

Personal life

He is married to Nataša and has three children named Lazar, Dušan and Miloš.[3]

Career statistics

Club
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup League Cup Europe Other[23] Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Shakhtar Donetsk 2002–03 Ukrainian Premier League 6110–000071
2003–04 Ukrainian Premier League 0021–000021
Total 613100000092
Lokomotiv Moscow 2004 Russian Premier League 3010–000040
2005 Russian Premier League 0000–000000
Total 301000000040
Standard Liège 2006–07 Belgian First Division 291469–41003924
2007–08 Belgian First Division 311642–10003618
2008–09 Belgian First Division 301200–82204014
2009–10 Belgian First Division 261000–113103813
Total 116521011–2463015369
Liverpool 2010–11 Premier League 10000117100182
Anderlecht 2011–12 Belgian Pro League 35900–93004412
2012–13 Belgian Pro League 33852–72104612
Total 68175200165109024
Career total 2037019151147124027498

International
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Serbia 200761
200853
2009125
2010101
201191
201220
Total4411
Scores and results list Serbia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Jovanović goal.
List of international goals scored by Milan Jovanović
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1.2 June 2007Helsinki Olympic Stadium, Helsinki, Finland Finland2–02–0Euro 2008 qualification
2.15 October 2008Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria Austria2–03–12010 World Cup qualification
3.19 November 2008Stadion FK Partizan, Beograd, Serbia Bulgaria1–06–1Friendly
4.19 November 2008Stadion FK Partizan, Beograd, Serbia Bulgaria2–16–1Friendly
5.10 February 2009GSP Stadium, Nicosia, Cyprus Cyprus1–02–0Friendly
6.28 March 2009Stadionul Farul, Constanţa, Romania Romania1–03–22010 World Cup qualification
7.10 June 2009Tórsvøllur, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands Faroe Islands1–02–02010 World Cup qualification
8.10 October 2009Stadion FK Crvena zvezda, Beograd, Serbia Romania4–05–02010 World Cup qualification
9.10 October 2009Stadion FK Crvena zvezda, Beograd, Serbia Romania5–05–02010 World Cup qualification
10.18 June 2010Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth, South Africa Germany1–01–02010 FIFA World Cup
11.6 September 2011Stadion FK Partizan, Belgrade, Serbia Faroe Islands1–03–1Euro 2012 qualification

Honours

Shakhtar Donetsk

Lokomotiv Moscow

Standard Liège

R.S.C. Anderlecht

Individual

References
  1. "Premier League clubs submit squad lists" (PDF). Premier League. 1 February 2011. p. 21. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2011.
  2. "Premier League Player Profile". Premier League. Archived from the original on 19 August 2010. Retrieved 28 March 2011.
  3. Urban Book Circle (21 December 2015). "Lane by Dragoslav Bokan" (in Serbian). Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  4. Lanetova majka: To, sine moj zlatni Archived 22 June 2010 at the Wayback Machine; Kurir, 20 June 2010
  5. Milan Jovanović Archived 18 May 2012 at the Wayback Machine Reprezentacija.rs
  6. "Serbia's Milan Jovanovic to join Liverpool in summer". BBC Sport. 10 February 2010. Retrieved 11 July 2010.
  7. Walsh, Kristian (8 July 2010). "Liverpool announce signing of Milan Jovanovic". The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
  8. "Vesti dana - Kurir Dnevne novine". Kurir. Archived from the original on 4 July 2010.
  9. "Milan Jovanović Profiel". Goal.com.
  10. Vesty, Marc (29 July 2010). "Rabotnicki Skopje 0–2 Liverpool". BBC Sport. Retrieved 29 July 2010.
  11. "Cole shines as Reds cruise". Soccernet. ESPN. 5 August 2010. Archived from the original on 25 October 2012. Retrieved 5 August 2010.
  12. "Liverpool 1–1 Arsenal". Soccernet. ESPN. 15 August 2010. Retrieved 17 August 2010.
  13. "Liverpool 2 – 2 Northampton". BBC Sport. 22 September 2010. Retrieved 22 September 2010.
  14. "Milan Jovanovic signs contract for two seasons". RSCA.be (in Dutch). RSC Anderlecht. 2 August 2011. Archived from the original on 23 August 2011. Retrieved 2 August 2011.
  15. "Milan Jovanovic fully completes his move to Anderlecht". BBC Sport. 5 August 2011. Retrieved 5 August 2011.
  16. "Former Liverpool flop Milan Jovanovic scores Le Tissier-esque Golazo for Anderlecht at Gent". 101 Great Goals. 17 March 2013.
  17. "Lane Jovanović u Vojvodini!" (in Serbian). Telegraf. 10 July 2013.
  18. "Serbia cut Chelsea pair from World Cup squad". BBC Sport. 21 May 2010. Retrieved 24 May 2010.
  19. Lyon, Sam (18 June 2010). "Germany 0–1 Serbia". BBC Sport. Retrieved 19 June 2010.
  20. Jovanović zapretio Marinu da pazi kako igra protiv Srbije Kurir, 18 June 2010 (in Serbian)
  21. "Pretnja" Srbinu Marinu Mondo, 18 June 2010 (in Serbian)
  22. "Aussie soap neighbours declares Milan Jovanovic as one of the greatest soccer players in the world". Off the Post. 18 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
  23. Includes other competitive competitions, including the Belgian Super Cup, Championship playoff
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