Richairo Zivkovic

Richairo Juliano Zivkovic (born 5 September 1996) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a forward for Chinese Super League club Guangzhou R&F on loan from Changchun Yatai.

Richairo Zivkovic
Zivkovic in training with Ajax in 2016
Personal information
Full name Richairo Juliano Zivkovic[1]
Date of birth (1996-09-05) 5 September 1996[2]
Place of birth Assen, Netherlands
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)[3]
Position(s) Forward
Club information
Current team
Guangzhou R&F
(on loan from Changchun Yatai)
Number 9
Youth career
2003–2007 FVV Foxhol
2007–2012 FC Groningen
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012–2014 FC Groningen 33 (10)
2014–2017 Ajax 7 (1)
2014–2016 Jong Ajax 40 (27)
2015Willem II (loan) 16 (2)
2016–2017FC Utrecht (loan) 34 (9)
2017–2019 Oostende 50 (12)
2019– Changchun Yatai 25 (15)
2020Sheffield United (loan) 5 (0)
2020–Guangzhou R&F (loan) 6 (1)
National team
Netherlands U18 1 (0)
2013–2015 Netherlands U19 10 (4)
2015–2016 Netherlands U20 6 (0)
2017–2018 Netherlands U21 9 (4)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 10 November 2020

Club career

FC Groningen

Born in Assen, Zivkovic began playing football at FVV from Foxhol. He was noticed early on due to his agility and speed, and at the age of 11 he left for the youth academy of FC Groningen where he progressed. He brought more attention to himself due to his performance for the reserves team, and by the end of 2012 he signed a three-year contract with the club.[4]

On 2 December 2012, Zivkovic came on as an 84th-minute substitute in the first team's 2–0 win over Heracles Almelo,[5] making him the youngest debutant in the history of the club.[6] On 3 August 2013, the first match day of the 2013–14 Eredivisie season, he scored his first regular season goal for the club, thereby relieving Arjen Robben as the youngest to have ever scored for Groningen.[7] His talent did not go unnoticed, with 11 top football clubs enquiring about him by November 2013,[8][9] including the likes of Real Madrid and FC Barcelona.[10]

Ajax

On 17 March 2014, Zivkovic agreed to sign for Ajax, taking a three-year contract starting 1 July 2014.[11] FC Groningen also received Ajax forward Danny Hoesen, as well as a percentage of Zivkovic's transfer fee should Ajax sell the player before the expiration of his contract, hereby following in the footsteps of Luis Suárez who had transferred from Groningen to Ajax before him.[12] On 5 June 2014, Zivkovic made his debut for Ajax in a friendly match against Wacker Innsbruck concluding the club's pre-season training camp in Austria. He scored the final goal in the 46th minute of the 5–1 victory.[13] He made his competitive debut for the reserves team Jong Ajax in the Eerste Divisie season opener, a North Holland derby match which resulted in a 3–0 win at home against SC Telstar.[14] He scored his first goal for the reserves in his second appearance from a penalty kick in the 55th minute against Fortuna Sittard, which resulted in a 2–0 win.[15] He made his third appearance for the reserves team in another North Holland derby match against neighbouring FC Volendam. The game ended in a 5–0 loss at home. Zivkovic was sent off receiving a red card in the 59th minute following the ejection of Ajax goalkeeper Peter Leeuwenburgh in the 35th minute of the match.[16]

On 28 October 2014, Zivkovic made his regular season debut in the first team, playing in the third round KNVB Cup away match against SV Urk. Coming on as 46th-minute substitute for Arkadiusz Milik, he scored the final goal in the 89th minute of the 4–0 victory.[17] Scoring on his debut for the first team, Zivkovic became the 50th Ajax player to do so since the introduction of professional football in the Netherlands.[18]

Willem II (loan)

On 22 June 2015, Zivkovic was sent on loan at Willem II, together with Lesly de Sa and Ruben Ligeon. On 1 July 2015, he scored the first four goals in a friendly game against Jong Brabant which ended 0–12. Lesley de Sa also added a goal in that game.[19] However, he already returned to Ajax in February 2016, as his loan at Willem II did not turn out to be a success.[20]

FC Utrecht (loan)

Zivkovic started the 2016-17 season with Jong Ajax for which he scored three times in two matches. Especially after the arrival of Bertrand Traoré at Ajax, his prospects for playing time with the first team of Ajax decreased. On 16 August 2016, he was sent on loan to FC Utrecht until the end of the season.[21]

KV Oostende

On 16 June 2017, Zivkovic signed for Belgian Pro League club KV Oostende on a four-year contract. The transfer fee was not announced, however FC Groningen would receive 10% of the amount received by Ajax in the transfer.[22]

Changchun Yatai

Zivkovic moved to Chinese side Changchun Yatai in February 2019.[23]

Sheffield United (loan)

Zivkovic signed for Premier League club Sheffield United on a six-month loan on 31 January 2020, with the deal including an option to buy.[24]

International career

Following his first Eredivisie goal earlier in the month, Zivkovic was called up to the Netherlands under-19 team on 22 August 2013.[25] He has also represented the Netherlands at under-20 and under-21 level.[26]

Personal life

Zivkovic carries the last name of his mother Mira, who is originally from Serbia. His father, who left the family when Zivkovic was little, was from Curaçao.[27] In addition to Dutch, he speaks Serbian.[28] As a young child he would visit his relatives in Serbia every summer. Through his parents he is eligible to represent Serbia (and also Montenegro), Curaçao or the Netherlands, as of yet he has not represented either nation at the senior level, but he has appeared in the Dutch youth national team system.

Career statistics

As of match played on 2 December 2020[29][30]
Club Season League Cup Continental1 Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Groningen2012–13Eredivisie4010000050
2013–1433112000003511
Total37113000004011
Ajax2014–15Eredivise71212000112
Jong Ajax2014–15Eerste Divisie25182518
2015–16136136
2016–172323
Total40270000004027
Willem II (loan)2015–16Eredivisie162220000184
Utrecht (loan)2016–17Eredivisie34943003812
KV Oostende2017–18Belgian First Division A2992200003111
2018–19Belgian First Division A213420000255
Total50126400005616
Changchun Yatai2019China League One25150000002515
Sheffield United (loan)2019–20Premier League5000000050
Guangzhou R&F (loan)2020Chinese Super League6123000084
Career total217771913400024290

1 Includes UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League matches.

References

  1. "Updated squad lists for 2019/20 Premier League". Premier League. 6 February 2020. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
  2. "Richairo Zivkovic". ESPN. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
  3. "Richairo Zivkovic: Overview". Premier League. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
  4. Talent Richairo Zivkovic blijft bij FC Groningen Gezinsbode, 8 augustus 2012
  5. "GRONINGEN VS. HERACLES 2 - 0".
  6. Zivkovic jongste debutant in clubgeschiedenis FC Groningen, 3 December 2012
  7. Zivkovic jongste doelpuntenmaker ooit voor FC Groningen RTV Noord, 4 augustus 2013
  8. Zivkovic scoort voor Oranje onder 19 Oog TV, 6 March 2014
  9. Following in the footsteps of Suarez - new Ajax wonderkid Zivkovic set for stardom Goal.com, 22 March 2014
  10. Barça en Real hebben oogje op tienertalent Zivkovic AD, 4 November 2013
  11. Ajax contracteert Zivkovic Ajax, 17 March 2014
  12. "Liverpool Admired Richario Zivkovic Poised Over Ajax Contract". Inside Futbol.
  13. "[Update] Ajax bevestigt oefenduel tegen Wacker".
  14. "Jong Ajax vs. Telstar - 11 augustus 2014 - Soccerway".
  15. "Fortuna Sittard vs. Jong Ajax - 16 augustus 2014 - Soccerway".
  16. "Rampzalige avond voor Jong Ajax".
  17. Ajax dringt via SV Urk door tot vierde ronde KNVB-beker NU, 29 October 2014
  18. Debutant Zivkovic maakt jubileumgoal Ajax.nl, 28 October 2014
  19. 'Twee andere Ajacieden volgen voorbeeld van Zivkovic en trekken naar Tilburg' (Dutch). Voetbalprimeur. 22 June 2015.
  20. Zivkovic terug bij Ajax: 'Ik ben nederig en strijdbaar' (Dutch). Voetbal International. 2 February 2016.
  21. FC Utrecht bereikt akkoord met Ajax en heeft Zivkovic binnen (Dutch). 16 August 2016. Voetbal International.
  22. Zivkovic trekt Ajax-deur dicht en verhuist naar Oostende (Dutch). 16 June 2017. Algemeen Dagblad.
  23. "Richairo Zivkovic naar Chinese tweedeklasser Changchun Yatai". www.kvo.be.
  24. "Exciting striker signs". sufc.co.uk. Sheffield United. 31 January 2020. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  25. Zivkovic en Sietsma bij voorselectie Oranje onder-19 FC Groningen, 22 August 2013
  26. Richairo Zivkovic at WorldFootball.net
  27. Telegraf (Serbian): TAMNOPUTI SRBIN S ANTILA: Mladi fudbaler zaludeo Holanđane! December 21, 2012
  28. Youtube: Kostic en Zivkovic stellen elkaar voor
  29. "Richairo Živković » Club matches". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
  30. Richairo Zivkovic at Soccerway. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
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