Jovanović at Liverpool in 2010 |
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Personal information | |||
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Full name | Milan Jovanović | ||
Date of birth | 18 April 1981 | ||
Place of birth | Bajina Bašta, SFR Yugoslavia | ||
Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) [1] | ||
Playing position | Forward | ||
Club information | |||
Current club | Anderlecht | ||
Number | 11 | ||
Youth career | |||
Vojvodina | |||
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– | Anderlecht | 15 | (4) |
National team‡ | |||
2007– | Serbia | 42 | (11) |
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 20:52, 27 December 2011 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). |
Milan Jovanović (Serbian Cyrillic: Милан Јовановић Лане, born 18 April 1981) is a Serbian footballer who plays for Anderlecht and the Serbia national team.
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Born the son of Stamenko and Gordana, Jovanović grew up in Bajina Bašta before moving to Valjevo, Novi Sad, and Belgrade in pursuit of a football career.[2]
Jovanović made his debut with FK Vojvodina during the 1999–2000 season. He spent most of his early career at Shakhtar Donetsk and Lokomotiv Moscow, before arriving at Standard Liège in 2006. At Standard Liège, Jovanović quickly became a fan favorite, 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.[3] 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.
Jovanović joined English Premier League club Liverpool F.C. on 8 July 2010 on a free transfer.[4] 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 Internazionale, but Jovanović confirmed his intention to honour his contract, and was given squad number 14.[5][6][7] On 29 July 2010, Jovanović made his competitive debut for Liverpool, starting in a 2–0 away win against FK Rabotnički in the Europa League [8] and made his home debut in the second leg.[9] He went on to make his Premier League debut on 15 August 2010, against Arsenal in a 1–1 draw at Anfield.[10] He scored his first goal for Liverpool in the League Cup tie against League Two side Northampton Town at Anfield.[11] After Kenny Dalglish took over as Liverpool manager, in early 2011, Jovanović was rarely called upon, occasionally not even being named to the bench.
In August 2011, Jovanović moved to Belgian club R.S.C. Anderlecht, signing a two-year contract.[12][13]
In October 2011 Jovanović was mentioned in the Australian soap opera Neighbours, where he was described as "one of the greatest football players in the world."[14] Several commentators in the football community expressed surprise at this statement,[15][16] as it is generally accepted that Jovanović's achievements are not enough to afford him this status.[17][18]
Club | Season | League | Cup | League Cup | Europe | Other[19] | Total | ||||||
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Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Shakhtar Donetsk | 2002–03 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | |
2003–04 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | – | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | ||
Total | 6 | 1 | 3 | 1 | – | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 2 | ||
Lokomotiv Moscow | 2004 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
2005 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
Total | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||
Standard Liège | 2006–07 | 29 | 14 | 6 | 9 | – | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 24 | |
2007–08 | 31 | 16 | 4 | 2 | – | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 18 | ||
2008–09 | 30 | 12 | 0 | 0 | – | 8 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 40 | 14 | ||
2009–10 | 26 | 10 | 0 | 0 | – | 11 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 38 | 13 | ||
Total | 116 | 52 | 10 | 11 | – | 24 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 153 | 69 | ||
Liverpool | 2010–11 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 2 |
Total | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 2 | |
Anderlecht | 2011–12 | 15 | 4 | 0 | 0 | – | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 7 | |
Total | 15 | 4 | 0 | 0 | – | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 7 | ||
Career total | 150 | 57 | 14 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 38 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 206 | 80 |
He 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 on the 2010 World Cup Qualifier. On 21 May 2010, he was included by coach Radomir Antić in Serbia's initial 23 man squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.[20] 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.[21]
Jovanović – goals for Serbia | ||||||
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# | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
1. | 2 June 2007 | Helsinki Olympic Stadium, Helsinki, Finland | Finland | 0–2 | 0–2 | UEFA Euro 2008 qual. |
2. | 15 October 2008 | Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria | Austria | 0–2 | 1–3 | 2010 World Cup qual. |
3. | 19 November 2008 | Stadion FK Partizan, Beograd, Serbia | Bulgaria | 1–0 | 6–1 | Friendly |
4. | 19 November 2008 | Stadion FK Partizan, Beograd, Serbia | Bulgaria | 2–1 | 6–1 | Friendly |
5. | 10 February 2009 | GSP Stadium, Nicosia, Cyprus | Cyprus | 0–1 | 0–2 | Friendly |
6. | 28 March 2009 | Stadionul Farul, Constanţa, Romania | Romania | 0–1 | 2–3 | 2010 World Cup qual. |
7. | 10 June 2009 | Tórsvøllur, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands | Faroe Islands | 0–1 | 0–2 | 2010 World Cup qual. |
8. | 10 October 2009 | Stadion FK Crvena zvezda, Beograd, Serbia | Romania | 4–0 | 5–0 | 2010 World Cup qual. |
9. | 10 October 2009 | Stadion FK Crvena zvezda, Beograd, Serbia | Romania | 5–0 | 5–0 | 2010 World Cup qual. |
10. | 18 June 2010 | Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth, South Africa | Germany | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2010 FIFA World Cup |
11. | 6 September 2011 | Stadion FK Partizan, Belgrade, Serbia | Faroe Islands | 1–0 | 3–1 | Euro 2012 qual. |
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