Siniša Mihajlović

Infobox Football biography
playername = Siniša Mihajlović


fullname = Siniša Mihajlović
nickname = "Miha", "Bomber from Borovo"
dateofbirth = birth date and age|df=yes|1969|2|20
cityofbirth = Vukovar
height = height|meters=1.85
countryofbirth = SFR Yugoslavia
currentclub = Retired
position = Left Back / Defensive Midfielder
years = 1988-1991 1991-1992 1992-1994 1994-1998 1998-2004
2004-2006
clubs = FK Vojvodina Red Star Belgrade AS Roma UC Sampdoria Lazio
Internazionale
caps(goals) = 73 (19) 38 (9) 54 (1) 110 (12) 125 (22)
24 (5)
nationalyears = 1991-2003
nationalteam = SFRY / FRY
nationalcaps(goals) = 63 (9)
manageryears = 2006-2008
managerclubs = Internazionale "(assistant)"

Siniša Mihajlović (Serbian Cyrillic: Синиша Михајловић) (born 20 February 1969 in Vukovar, Croatia, SFR Yugoslavia) is a retired Serbian football player. Mihajlović has 63 caps and scored 9 goals for the Yugoslav and Serbia and Montenegro national team. He played in the 1998 FIFA World Cup and Euro 2000 tournaments.

Biography

Mihajlović is the son of Bogdan (of Serbian parentage) and Viktorija (of Croatian parentage). Both parents declared themselves Yugoslavs. He could have played for either Croatia or FR Yugoslavia (now Serbia) but chose Yugoslavia since he felt more Serbian due to the war and his religion (Serbian Orthodox Christian). He was part of the golden generation of Yugoslav players who won the 1987 World Youth Cup in Chile, but was not selected in the team that went for the tournament.

Career

At club level, Mihajlović started his career in SFR Yugoslavia, playing for NK Borovo (1986-1988), Vojvodina Novi Sad (1988-1991), and Red Star Belgrade (1991-1992) He won the European Cup in the 1990-91 season with Red Star Belgrade. In the final, Red Star Belgrade defeated Olympique Marseille on penalties, after a 0-0 draw at full time, with Mihajlović being one of the scorers. Mihajlović was also in the team later that year when Red Star Belgrade won the Intercontinental Cup, defeating Colo Colo 3-0.

In 1992, Mihajlović moved abroad to play for Italian club A.S. Roma. He played two seasons at Roma, helping the club finish 10th and 7th in the Serie A championship. In 1994, he joined defending Serie A bronze medalists from Sampdoria. In his four seasons at Sampdoria, Mihajlović saw limited success in the Serie A. In the European competitions, however, he helped Sampdoria reach the semi-final of the 1995 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, where they were defeated by Arsenal F.C.. In June 1998, Mihajlović represented Yugoslavia at the 1998 FIFA World Cup, playing all Yugoslav matches in the tournament. He scored a goal against Iran, and conceded an own goal against Germany. This made Mihajlović one of only four players to score both a goal and an own goal in the World Cup; the other ones being Ernie Brandts, Ruud Krol and Gustavo Peña.

In the summer 1998, Mihajlović was brought to S.S. Lazio by manager Sven-Göran Eriksson. He won his first trophy in Italy in 1998, as Lazio beat Juventus FC in the Supercoppa Italiana. With Lazio, Mihajlović reached the final of the 1999 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, winning the last edition of that competition with a 2-1 victory against RCD Mallorca. Lazio also won the 1999 UEFA Super Cup. Playing 26 games and scoring seven goals during the Serie A 1999-00 season as Lazio won the second "Scudetto" in club history. Mihajlović completed the double by helping Lazio win the 2000 Coppa Italia. Mihajlović represented Yugoslavia internationally again, as he selected to compete at the Euro 2000 tournament. In the first Yugoslav game of the tournament, Mihajlović was sent off against Slovenia. He served a one-game suspension, before playing the last two games of the tournament.

In December, 2000, Mihajlovic came under investigation following alleged racist remarks towards Patrick Vieira. The remarks fell during an October 2000 match against Arsenal F.C. in the UEFA Champions League. The racist remarks were revealed to be "black shit," which Mihajlovic conveyed back to Patrick Vieira, in English. Mihajlović subsequently apologized, but contended that his words were in retaliation to Vieira's racist remarks, calling Mihajlovic a "gypsy shit." [Gabriele Marcotti, [http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_game/gabriele_marcotti/news/2001/01/02/marcotti_insider/ Making Mihajlovic into a villian not really fair] , CNN Sports Illustrated, 2 January 2001.] On 7 November 2003 Lazio's Sinisa Mihajlovic received an eight match suspension by UEFA for spitting and kicking Chelsea's Adrian Mutu during a Champions League game. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/champions_league/3251405.stm Uefa bans Mihajlovic] , BBC Sport, 7 November 2003.] He won his last trophy with Lazio in 2004, beating Juventus in the Coppa Italia final.

In the summer 2004, Mihajlović was released from Lazio and joined his friend and former team-mate Roberto Mancini at Inter Milan on a free transfer, signing a one-year deal. On 9 April 2006, in a league away game versus Ascoli Calcio Mihajlović scored his 27th career free-kick goal in the Serie A championship, an absolute record. Mihajlović ended his playing career after the 2005/2006 season, having one Serie A championship, two Coppa Italia trophies and a Supercoppa Italia title as an Inter Milan player. He started a coaching career in Inter, as assistant to head coach Roberto Mancini. In August 2006, Mihajlovic was reunited with Patrick Vieria, who joined Inter Milan from Juventus FC. He was fired by Internazionale on 29 May 2008, as Roberto Mancini also left the club.

Honours

* UEFA Champions League: 1991
* Intercontinental Cup : 1991
* UEFA Cup Winners Cup: 1999
* UEFA Super Cup: 1999

* Yugoslav First League: 1989, 1991, 1992
* Italian Super Cup: 1998, 2000, 2005
* Italian Serie A: 2000, 2006
* Coppa Italia: 2000, 2004, 2005, 2006

* Yugoslav Footballer of the Year: 1999

References

External links

* [http://www.reprezentacija.co.yu/cgi-bin/index.pl?str=igraci&strana=Mihajlovic%20Sinisa Serbian national football team website]
* [http://www.footballdatabase.com/site/players/index.php?dumpPlayer=349 FootballDatabase provides Siniša Mihajlović's profile and stats]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DE2U31EB7-s Sinisa Mihajlovic - Collection of goals from the freekick speacialist]