Zoran Mirkovic
Encyclopedia
Zoran "Bata" Mirković is a former Serbian
footballer.
during the 1990–91 season. But even before that he and his teammates won the Yugoslav title in the under-21 category, the biggest success this club ever had. Mirković spent three seasons in Rad as a professional player, and all together played 62 games (five in 1990–91 season, 26 in 1991–92 season and 31 in 1992–93 season), scoring a goal. His talent didn't go unnoticed by Partizan
officials and they invited him to defend black and white colors.
Mirković always describes the three years he spent in Partizan as the most beautiful years of his career and says Partizan is the club he loves the most. In those three years he established himself as a player, became a first choice player in Yugoslav national team and won three titles (Yugoslav Championship 1993–94 and 1994–95 and Yugoslav Cup 1993–94). He wore the number 2 jersey. He became a hero of Partizan fans because he is such a fighter, because of all FK Crvena zvezda players he had beaten up and because he, in those difficult times (war and sanctions) upheld his obligations towards Partizan and stayed for all three years stipulated in his contract. He played 82 games in Partizan jersey (26 in 1993–94 season, 29 in 1994–95 season and 27 in 1995–96 season), scoring one goal.
Mirković spent two seasons with Atalanta
. He got injured in the first game in Serie A
league and had to take a three month break. He played a role of midfielder/defender and his performance was so good that the then Juventus
coach Marcello Lippi
invited him to join Juve. He was very popular among the Atalanta fans and when the club wanted to sell him to Fiorentina
hell almost break loose.
Mirković's career in Juventus can be divided in two different periods. Under coach Lippi, Bata played 19 Serie A games, scoring one goal. He also played UEFA Champions League
matches. When Carlo Ancelotti
took over in spring of 1999, Mirković was no longer a first choice Juve player, playing mostly Italian Cup
matches.
In summer 2000, Mirković signed a three-year contract with Fenerbahçe. It proved to be a very smart decision indeed. In his first season in Istanbul
he won a Turkish League title and was a finalist in Turkish Cup. In his second season in Turkey he played Champions League and came second in Turkish League. His third season in Fenerbahçe was not so successful. Three coaches and problems in the club caused Fenerbahçe to end the season in the sixth place.
Then in January 2004, following a 6-month break from football, Mirković became Partizan player again. He signed a contract for two and a half years. On 6 March 2006, Mirković announced his retirement due to a recurring back injury at the age of 34.
in France
but missed Euro 2000 because of a three-game ban following an incident in the last qualifying match, played against Croatia
in Zagreb
, where he grabbed Robert Jarni's
testicles and therefore was sent off.
(FSS) appointed Mirković as sporting director of the national team, responsible for the A squad and the under-21 squad. However, he quit by the early December, citing poor professional cooperation with the FSS leadership headed at the time by Zvezdan Terzić
. FSS president Terzić (who would soon afterwards be indicted on embezzlement charges) commented Mirković's resignation as follows: "Mirković is my mistake since I didn't know him well enough as a man before I brought him into the FSS. He's a wonderful person, but couldn't manage to be a part of the system and even said so on several occasions to both myself and general secretary Zoran Laković".
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
footballer.
Club career
Mirković made his first appearance for FK RadFK Rad
FK Rad is a football club from Belgrade, Serbia. It plays at Stadion Kralj Petar I, which is located in the southern part of the city's Banjica neighbourhood....
during the 1990–91 season. But even before that he and his teammates won the Yugoslav title in the under-21 category, the biggest success this club ever had. Mirković spent three seasons in Rad as a professional player, and all together played 62 games (five in 1990–91 season, 26 in 1991–92 season and 31 in 1992–93 season), scoring a goal. His talent didn't go unnoticed by Partizan
FK Partizan
Fudbalski klub Partizan is a professional football club based in Belgrade, Serbia. In its long history, FK Partizan won as many as 37 trophies. The club is the holder of 23 national championships, 12 national cups and 1 national supercup, and has also won the Mitropa Cup in 1978...
officials and they invited him to defend black and white colors.
Mirković always describes the three years he spent in Partizan as the most beautiful years of his career and says Partizan is the club he loves the most. In those three years he established himself as a player, became a first choice player in Yugoslav national team and won three titles (Yugoslav Championship 1993–94 and 1994–95 and Yugoslav Cup 1993–94). He wore the number 2 jersey. He became a hero of Partizan fans because he is such a fighter, because of all FK Crvena zvezda players he had beaten up and because he, in those difficult times (war and sanctions) upheld his obligations towards Partizan and stayed for all three years stipulated in his contract. He played 82 games in Partizan jersey (26 in 1993–94 season, 29 in 1994–95 season and 27 in 1995–96 season), scoring one goal.
Mirković spent two seasons with Atalanta
Atalanta B.C.
Atalanta Bergamasca Calcio, commonly known as just Atalanta, Atalanta Bergamo or the abbreviation Atalanta BC, is an Italian football club based in Bergamo, Lombardy.They are nicknamed the Nerazzurri and the orobici...
. He got injured in the first game in Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
league and had to take a three month break. He played a role of midfielder/defender and his performance was so good that the then Juventus
Juventus F.C.
Juventus Football Club S.p.A. , commonly referred to as Juventus and colloquially as Juve , are a professional Italian association football club based in Turin, Piedmont...
coach Marcello Lippi
Marcello Lippi
Marcello Lippi, Commendatore OMRI is a former Italian World Cup-winning football manager and former player. He served as Italian national team head coach from 16 July 2004 to 12 July 2006 and led Italy to win the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He was re-appointed as Italian head coach in the summer of 2008...
invited him to join Juve. He was very popular among the Atalanta fans and when the club wanted to sell him to Fiorentina
ACF Fiorentina
ACF Fiorentina, commonly referred to as simply Fiorentina, is a professional Italian football club from Florence, Tuscany. Founded by a merger in 1926, Fiorentina have played at the top level of Italian football for the majority of their existence; only four clubs have played in more Serie A...
hell almost break loose.
Mirković's career in Juventus can be divided in two different periods. Under coach Lippi, Bata played 19 Serie A games, scoring one goal. He also played UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
matches. When Carlo Ancelotti
Carlo Ancelotti
Carlo Ancelotti is an Italian football manager, Nicknamed Carletto, Ancelotti played as a midfielder and had a successful career with Roma – captaining the team – with whom he won one Scudetto and 4 Coppa Italia and was part of the legendary late 80's Milan team, with whom he won two Scudetti and...
took over in spring of 1999, Mirković was no longer a first choice Juve player, playing mostly Italian Cup
Coppa Italia
The Coppa Italia is an Italian football annual cup competition. Its first edition was held in 1922, but the second champions were not crowned until 1936. Roma and Juventus lead the way with nine wins. Roma has contested more finals, 16, while Torino and Juventus follow with 13...
matches.
In summer 2000, Mirković signed a three-year contract with Fenerbahçe. It proved to be a very smart decision indeed. In his first season in Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
he won a Turkish League title and was a finalist in Turkish Cup. In his second season in Turkey he played Champions League and came second in Turkish League. His third season in Fenerbahçe was not so successful. Three coaches and problems in the club caused Fenerbahçe to end the season in the sixth place.
Then in January 2004, following a 6-month break from football, Mirković became Partizan player again. He signed a contract for two and a half years. On 6 March 2006, Mirković announced his retirement due to a recurring back injury at the age of 34.
International career
Mirković was a first choice player for Serbia and Montenegro where he usually played right back position and wore the number 2 jersey. He played 59 games with the national A team. He was a participant in the 1998 FIFA World Cup1998 FIFA World Cup
The 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 16th FIFA World Cup, was held in France from 10 June to 12 July 1998. France was chosen as host nation by FIFA on 2 July 1992. The tournament was won by France, who beat Brazil 3-0 in the final...
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
but missed Euro 2000 because of a three-game ban following an incident in the last qualifying match, played against Croatia
Croatia national football team
The Croatia national football team represents Croatia in international football. The team is controlled by the Croatian Football Federation, the governing body for football in the country, and has been managed since 2006 by former player Slaven Bilić...
in Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
, where he grabbed Robert Jarni's
Robert Jarni
Robert Jarni is a retired Croatian footballer who played as left winger or wingback. He is now a manager, but is currently without a club after resigning from his managerial post at Istra 1961 in September 2010....
testicles and therefore was sent off.
Post-retirement
On 24 April 2007, Football Association of SerbiaFootball Association of Serbia
The Football Association of Serbia is the governing body of football in Serbia, based in Belgrade. It organizes Serbian football leagues, namely the Serbian Superliga, the Serbia national football team, as well as the Second Leagues....
(FSS) appointed Mirković as sporting director of the national team, responsible for the A squad and the under-21 squad. However, he quit by the early December, citing poor professional cooperation with the FSS leadership headed at the time by Zvezdan Terzić
Zvezdan Terzic
Zvezdan Terzić is a Serbian retired football player and current administrator of Montenegrin origin...
. FSS president Terzić (who would soon afterwards be indicted on embezzlement charges) commented Mirković's resignation as follows: "Mirković is my mistake since I didn't know him well enough as a man before I brought him into the FSS. He's a wonderful person, but couldn't manage to be a part of the system and even said so on several occasions to both myself and general secretary Zoran Laković".
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Europe | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Rad FK Rad FK Rad is a football club from Belgrade, Serbia. It plays at Stadion Kralj Petar I, which is located in the southern part of the city's Banjica neighbourhood.... |
1990–91 | 5 | 0 | ||||||
| 1991–92 | 26 | 0 | |||||||
| 1992–93 | 31 | 1 | |||||||
| Total | 62 | 1 | |||||||
| Partizan FK Partizan Fudbalski klub Partizan is a professional football club based in Belgrade, Serbia. In its long history, FK Partizan won as many as 37 trophies. The club is the holder of 23 national championships, 12 national cups and 1 national supercup, and has also won the Mitropa Cup in 1978... |
1993–94 | 26 | 0 | ||||||
| 1994–95 | 29 | 0 | |||||||
| 1995–96 | 27 | 1 | |||||||
| Total | 82 | 1 | |||||||
| Atalanta Atalanta B.C. Atalanta Bergamasca Calcio, commonly known as just Atalanta, Atalanta Bergamo or the abbreviation Atalanta BC, is an Italian football club based in Bergamo, Lombardy.They are nicknamed the Nerazzurri and the orobici... |
1996–97 | 21 | 0 | ||||||
| 1997–98 | 30 | 0 | |||||||
| Total | 51 | 0 | |||||||
| Juventus Juventus F.C. Juventus Football Club S.p.A. , commonly referred to as Juventus and colloquially as Juve , are a professional Italian association football club based in Turin, Piedmont... |
1998–99 | 19 | 0 | ||||||
| 1999–2000 | 8 | 0 | |||||||
| Total | 27 | 0 | |||||||
| Fenerbahçe | 2000–01 | 29 | 1 | ||||||
| 2001–02 | 27 | 2 | |||||||
| 2002–03 | 15 | 0 | |||||||
| Total | 71 | 3 | |||||||
| Partizan FK Partizan Fudbalski klub Partizan is a professional football club based in Belgrade, Serbia. In its long history, FK Partizan won as many as 37 trophies. The club is the holder of 23 national championships, 12 national cups and 1 national supercup, and has also won the Mitropa Cup in 1978... |
2003–04 | 10 | 0 | ||||||
| 2004–05 | 23 | 2 | |||||||
| 2005–06 2005–06 Serbia and Montenegro SuperLiga 2005-06 Serbia and Montenegro Superliga is the last edition before the dissolution of the state union between Serbia and Montenegro.-League table:||||rowspan=5 style="background:white;"|... |
13 | 0 | |||||||
| Total | 46 | 2 | |||||||
| Career total | 339 | 7 | |||||||
Honours
- PartizanFK PartizanFudbalski klub Partizan is a professional football club based in Belgrade, Serbia. In its long history, FK Partizan won as many as 37 trophies. The club is the holder of 23 national championships, 12 national cups and 1 national supercup, and has also won the Mitropa Cup in 1978...
- First League of FR Yugoslavia:
- 1993–94, 1995–96, 2004–05
- Yugoslav CupYugoslav CupThe Yugoslav Cup, officially the Marshal Tito Cup, was one of two major football competitions in the former Yugoslavia, the other one being the Yugoslav League Championship. The Yugoslav Cup took place after the league championships when every competitive league in Yugoslavia had finished, in order...
:- 1994
- First League of FR Yugoslavia:
- JuventusJuventus F.C.Juventus Football Club S.p.A. , commonly referred to as Juventus and colloquially as Juve , are a professional Italian association football club based in Turin, Piedmont...
- UEFA Intertoto CupUEFA Intertoto CupThe UEFA Intertoto Cup, also abbreviated as UI Cup and originally called the International Football Cup, was a summer football competition for European clubs that had not qualified for one of the two major UEFA competitions, the Champions League and the UEFA Cup. The competition was discontinued...
:- 1999
- UEFA Intertoto Cup
- FenerbahçeFenerbahçe S.K. (football)Fenerbahçe Spor Kulübü is a Turkish professional football club based in the district of Kadıköy, Istanbul, and part of the larger Fenerbahçe multisports club...
- Süper Lig:
- 2000–01
- Süper Lig:
External links
- Zoran Mirković at reprezentacija.rs
- Player Details Turkish Football Federation