Goran Milović

Goran Milović
Personal information
Date of birth (1989-01-29) 29 January 1989 (age 35)
Place of birth Split, SR Croatia, Yugoslavia[1]
Height 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)[1]
Position(s) Centre-back
Team information
Current team
 Hajduk Split (assistant)
Youth career
RNK Split
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2012 RNK Split 80 (8)
2012–2016 Hajduk Split 115 (4)
2016–2018 Chongqing Lifan 34 (1)
2018 → Osijek (loan) 12 (2)
2018–2020 KV Oostende 66 (2)
2020–2021 Olimpija Ljubljana 8 (1)
2021 Diósgyőri 17 (1)
2021–2023 Olimpija Ljubljana 32 (1)
Total 364 (20)
International career
2015 Croatia 1 (0)
Managerial career
2024 Hajduk Split U-17 (assistant)
2024– Hajduk Split (assistant)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Goran Milović (Croatian pronunciation: [ɡǒran mîːloʋitɕ];[2][3] born 29 January 1989) is a former Croatian professional footballer who played as a defender.

Club career

RNK Split

In 2008, Goran Milović was promoted from RNK Split's youth academy to their first team, which competed in the Croatian third division at the time. After the club won back-to-back promotions, he made his Croatian top division debut on 31 July 2010 against Varaždin.[4] Overall, he made 80 league appearances for the club, scoring 8 goals.[5]

Hajduk Split

He made a move across the city and joined their city rivals Hajduk Split in a transfer where Hajduk paid no compensation for his services. Hajduk manager Krasimir Balakov played him in every game for the rest of the season after Milović made his debut against his former club RNK Split. When Mišo Krstičević was appointed as the new manager, Milović remained a vital part of the defense, making 26 appearances in the 2012–13 season. In the 2013–14 season, he made 40 appearances in all competitions and was even handed the captain's armband on four occasions.[citation needed]

Chongqing Lifan

On 2 February 2016, Milović moved to the Chinese Super League side Chongqing Lifan in an €800,000 deal.[6] He signed a three-and-a-half-year deal with the club, worth approximately €500,000 a year.[6] He made his debut for the club on 6 March 2016 in a 2–1 victory against Guangzhou Evergrande.[7] On 12 February 2018, Milović was loaned to Osijek until the end of the season, with a buying option.[8]

KV Oostende

On 13 June 2018, Milović signed a two-year contract with Belgian First Division A club KV Oostende.[9] Chongqing Lifan confirmed on the next day that Milović had terminated the contract with the club and joined KV Oostende on a free transfer.[10]

Retirement

After playing his last season in Olimpija Ljubljana where he won the league title and domestic cup in 2023, he announced his retirement from professional football on 30 September 2023.[11]

International career

In October 2015, he received his first call-up for the Croatian senior national team for a friendly game against Russia.[12] In the match against Russia, held on 17 November 2015, he made his debut after replacing Nikola Kalinić in the 75th minute in an eventual 3–1 win.[13][14]

Coaching career

In January 2024, after hanging up his boots six months earlier, Milović returned to his former club, Hajduk Split, where he was hired as assistant coach of the club's U-17 team under manager Luka Vučko.[15] Already on April 1, 2024, in the wake of Mislav Karoglan stepping down as coach of the club, Jure Ivanković was hired as the new interim coach for the rest of the season. He chose to bring Milović onto his first team staff as assistant coach.[16]

Honours

RNK Split

Hajduk Split

Olimpija Ljubljana

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Croatia – G. Milović – Soccerway". Soccerway. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  2. ^ "gòra". Hrvatski jezični portal (in Serbo-Croatian). Retrieved 17 March 2018. Gòran
  3. ^ "mȉo". Hrvatski jezični portal (in Serbo-Croatian). Retrieved 17 March 2018. Mȋlović
  4. ^ "Split vs. Varaždin – 31 July 2010 – Soccerway". Soccerway. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  5. ^ a b Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Goran Milović". national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  6. ^ a b Maršić, Ozren. "Goran Milović odlazi u Kinu, Hajduku milijun eura". Večernji List (in Croatian). Retrieved 29 December 2016.
  7. ^ "Chongqing Dangdai Lifan vs. Guangzhou Evergrande – 6 March 2016 – Soccerway". Soccerway. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  8. ^ "Potpisao Goran Milović!" (in Croatian). NK Osijek. 12 February 2018. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
  9. ^ "Ervaren Kroatische verdediger tekent bij KVO" (in Dutch). K.V. Oostende. 13 June 2018. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  10. ^ "官方：重庆斯威中卫米洛维奇加盟比甲奥斯坦德". Sohu (in Chinese). 14 June 2018. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  11. ^ "Kao kapetan Hajduka izrekao je kultnu izjavu, a za SK otkriva da završava karijeru" (in Croatian). 30 September 2023. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  12. ^ "Croatia senior national team head coach Ante Čačić has selected 20 players for November friendly international against Russia". Croatian Football Federation. 27 October 2015. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
  13. ^ "Croatia national football team continued its winning run, beating hosts Russia in a Rostov on Don friendly 3:1". Croatian Football Federation. 17 November 2015. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  14. ^ "Goran Milović, international football player". eu-football.info. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  15. ^ Goran Milović se vratio u Hajduk, dalmatinskiportal.hr, 20 January 2024
  16. ^ CHANGES IN THE PROFESSIONAL STAFF OF THE FIRST TEAM, hajduk.hr, 1 April 2024
  17. ^ Okorn, Jože (16 April 2023). "Olimpija nadigrala Maribor in postala prvak". Dnevnik (in Slovenian). Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  18. ^ Viškovič, Rok (6 May 2023). "Olimpija po drami v 130. minuti do dvojne krone, zanimiv niz Maribora je končan". Sportklub (in Slovenian). Retrieved 7 May 2023.