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Ranko Despotović
Personal information
Date of birth	21 January 1983 (age 41)
Place of birth	Loznica, SFR Yugoslavia
Height	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s)	Forward
Team information
Current team	Caravaca (manager)
Senior career*
Years	Team
2001–2003	Loznica
2003–2007	Vojvodina
2004–2005	→ Mačva Šabac (loan)
2008	Rapid București
2008–2010	Murcia
2009–2010	→ Salamanca (loan)
2010–2011	Girona
2011–2013	Urawa Red Diamonds
2013–2014	Sydney FC
2014–2015	Alavés
2016	Cádiz
2016	Marbella
Total
International career
2007–2011	Serbia
Managerial career
2021–2022	Minera
2022–	Caravaca
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Ranko Despotović (Serbian Cyrillic: Ранко Деспотовић, pronounced [râːŋko despǒːtoʋitɕ];^[1]^[2] born 21 January 1983) is a Serbian retired footballer who played as a forward, and the manager of UD Caravaca.

Club career

Born in Loznica, Serbia, Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Despotović made his professional debuts with local FK Loznica aged only 17, and proceeded to score almost 30 goals overall in his first three years, subsequently being acquired by FK Vojvodina.

After parts of seasons loaned to lowly FK Mačva Šabac, he returned, having a stellar 2006–07 season and helping the team to the third place in the league and coming up second in the domestic cup; to help achieve this, he topped the nation's goal charts by netting 17 times.

In January 2008, Despotović signed with FC Rapid București in Romania, and continued abroad for the ensuing summer as he joined Spain's Real Murcia for three years and €1.5 million. He was brought to the club by head coach Javier Clemente, who became aware of the player while coaching the Serbia national team.^[3]

For the 2009–10 campaign, Despotović stayed in the country and its second division, moving on a season-long loan to UD Salamanca.^[4] The following year, still in that level, he led Girona FC with 18 goals (seventh-best in the competition) as the Catalans finished comfortably in mid-table.^[5]

On 1 July 2011, Despotović signed for Japan's Urawa Red Diamonds.^[6]^[7] In late 2013, following an unsuccessful trial at former club Girona,^[8] he moved to Sydney FC, after being convinced to join by former Vojvodina teammate Nikola Petković. He made his debut for his new team against Wellington Phoenix FC, coming on as a substitute and scoring the 2–1 winner in injury time.^[9]

Despotović returned to Spain on 7 July 2014, joining second-level side Deportivo Alavés.^[10] He subsequently competed in the country's lower leagues, with Cádiz CF and Marbella FC.^[11]

International career

Despotović made his debut for Serbia in a UEFA Euro 2008 qualifier against Kazakhstan, a 1–0 home success on 24 November 2007.^[12] His fourth and final international was a June 2011 friendly match away against Australia.^[13]

Career statistics

As of 4 March 2019^[14]^[15]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club	Season	League		National cup^[a]		League cup^[b]		Continental^[c]		Total
Club	Season	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Loznica	2000–01	14	2			–		0	0	14	2
	2001–02	21	6			–		0	0	21	6
	2002–03	29	13			–		0	0	29	13
	Total	64	21			–		0	0	64	21
Mačva Šabac (loan)	2003–04	15	4			–		0	0	15	4
	2004–05	17	6			–		0	0	17	6
	Total	32	10			–		0	0	32	10
Vojvodina	2003–04	5	0	1	0	–		0	0	6	0
	2004–05	8	0	0	0	–		0	0	8	0
	2005–06	11	0	1	0	–		0	0	12	0
	2006–07	24	17	5	3	–		0	0	29	20
	2007–08	16	4	1	0	–		4	4	21	8
	Total	64	21	8	3	–		4	4	76	28
Rapid București	2007–08	8	4					0	0	8	4
Murcia	2008–09	35	8					0	0	35	8
Salamanca (loan)	2009–10	24	4	3	0			0	0	27	4
Girona	2010–11	34	18	1	1			0	0	35	19
Urawa Red Diamonds	2011	14	0	0	0	5	4	–		19	4
	2012	11	1	0	0	4	1	–		15	2
	Total	25	1	0	0	9	5	–		34	6
Sydney FC	2013–14	17	6	–		–		–		17	6
Alavés	2014–15	24	4	2	1	0	0	–		26	5
Cádiz	2015–16	16	0	0	0	0	0	–		16	0
Marbella	2016–17	15	4	0	0	0	0	–		15	4
Career total		358	101	14	5	9	5	4	4	385	115

References

^ "rȃnī". Hrvatski jezični portal (in Serbo-Croatian). Retrieved 18 March 2018. Rȃnko
^ "dèspot". Hrvatski jezični portal (in Serbo-Croatian). Retrieved 18 March 2018. Despótović
^ "Despotović predstavljen u Mursiji" [Despotović signs for Murcia] (in Serbian). B92. 4 July 2008.
^ "Despotovic y David Cuéllar se marchan al Salamanca" [Despotovic and David Cuéllar move to Salamanca]. Marca (in Spanish). 31 August 2009. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
^ "Charles escala en el podio de los goleadores extranjeros" [Charles reaches podium of foreign top scorers]. El Día de Córdoba (in Spanish). 16 May 2011. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
^ "Despotovic: traspàs històric" [Despotovic: historic transfer] (in Catalan). Girona FC. 29 June 2011. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 2 July 2011.
^ ランコデスポトビッチ選手、加入決定 (in Japanese). Urawa Red Diamonds. 2 July 2011. Archived from the original on 5 July 2011. Retrieved 2 July 2011.
^ "Despotovic, a un paso de volver al Girona" [Despotovic, on the verge of returning to Girona]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 13 July 2013. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
^ "Sydney FC debutant Ranko Despotovic scores last-minute winner to beat Wellington 2–1". Fox Sports. 23 November 2013. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
^ "El Alavés incorpora a sus filas al delantero serbio Ranko Despotovic" [Alavés add Serbian striker Ranko Despotovic to ranks] (in Spanish). Deportivo Alavés. 7 July 2014. Archived from the original on 13 September 2014. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
^ Despotovic, Chaco, Alex Serrano y Graxa, primeras bajas en el Marbella FC (Despotovic, Chaco, Alex Serrano and Graxa, first out at Marbella FC); Estepona Press, 28 December 2016 (in Spanish)
^ "Clemente names 10 debutants for Serbia's final qualifier". Reuters. 22 November 2007. Archived from the original on 19 December 2007. Retrieved 22 November 2007.
^ "Ranko Despotović, international football player". EU-football.info. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
^ "R. Despotović". Soccerway.
^ "Ranko Despotović". Worldfootball.