Darko Kovačević facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Darko Kovačević

Kovačević with Olympiacos in 2008
Personal information
Date of birth	(1973-11-18) 18 November 1973 (age 51)
Place of birth	Kovin, SR Serbia, Yugoslavia
Height	1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s)	Striker
Youth career
	Radnički Kovin
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1992–1994	Proleter Zrenjanin	63	(25)
1994–1995	Red Star Belgrade	47	(37)
1995–1996	Sheffield Wednesday	16	(4)
1996–1999	Real Sociedad	98	(41)
1999–2001	Juventus	47	(11)
2001	Lazio	7	(0)
2001–2007	Real Sociedad	163	(51)
2007–2009	Olympiacos	41	(21)
Total		482	(190)
International career
1994–2004	Serbia and Montenegro	59	(10)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Darko Kovačević (born November 18, 1973) is a famous Serbian former football player. He played as a forward, which means he was a goal-scorer for his team.

Darko started his career in his home country, Serbia. He played for teams like Proleter Zrenjanin and Red Star Belgrade. With Red Star, he won a league title and two cups. He became known for scoring many goals.

Later, he moved to play for big clubs in other countries. He played for Real Sociedad in Spain, Juventus in Italy, and Olympiacos in Greece. He was especially well-known for his time at Real Sociedad. Darko also played for his country, Yugoslavia, in major tournaments like the 1998 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2000.

Club Career Highlights

Darko Kovačević played for several important football clubs during his career. He was known for his strong play and ability to score goals.

Early Days in Serbia

Darko began his football journey with his local team, Radnički Kovin. Soon, a bigger club, Proleter Zrenjanin, noticed his talent. He played there for two seasons. He scored a lot of goals, almost one every two games.

Because of his great performance, he joined one of Serbia's biggest clubs, Red Star Belgrade. With Red Star, he helped his team win the Yugoslav League title once. They also won the Yugoslav Cup twice. His success there led to him being called up to play for the national team.

Playing in England: Sheffield Wednesday

In December 1995, Darko moved to England to play for Premier League club Sheffield Wednesday. This was a big move for him. He scored a couple of important goals for the team.

However, he found it hard to get used to life in England. So, after a short time, he moved to Spain.

Success in Spain: Real Sociedad

In 1996, Darko joined La Liga team Real Sociedad in Spain. This is where he really shined. He played very well and scored many goals. His strong performances made bigger clubs interested in him.

Time in Italy: Juventus and Lazio

Kovačević with Luciano Moggi when he joined Juventus in 1999

In 1999, Darko moved to Italy to play for the famous club Juventus. He scored goals in both the Italian league and in European competitions. He was even the top scorer in the UEFA Cup during the 1999–2000 season, scoring 10 goals.

Even though he scored a lot, Juventus brought in another striker, David Trezeguet. This meant Darko played less often. After two seasons, he left Juventus. In 2001, he had a very short time with Lazio, playing only seven games. Then, he decided to go back to Spain.

Return to Real Sociedad

Darko returned to Real Sociedad in 2001. He played there for six more seasons. He continued to be a key player, scoring 51 more goals for the club. He is one of Real Sociedad's all-time top goal scorers in European competitions.

He scored a total of 107 goals for Real Sociedad over his two periods with the club. This makes him one of their most successful foreign players ever.

Final Years in Greece: Olympiacos

In 2007, Darko joined Greek champions Olympiacos. He continued to score goals and help his team win. In early 2009, he had a health issue that required heart surgery. His doctors advised him to stop playing football.

Darko officially retired in May 2009. He played one last friendly match for Olympiacos to celebrate their league and cup wins. With Olympiacos, he won two Greek SuperLeague titles and two Greek Cups.

Playing for His Country

Darko Kovačević played for the national team of Yugoslavia (later Serbia and Montenegro). He made his first appearance in December 1994. He played a total of 59 games for his country and scored 10 goals.

He represented his country in two major international tournaments. These were the 1998 FIFA World Cup and the UEFA Euro 2000. His last international game was in March 2004.

How Darko Played

Darko Kovačević was known as a strong and fast striker. He had good movement on the field and was skilled with the ball. His main strengths were his physical power and his ability to score goals with his head.

Life After Football

After retiring from playing, Darko Kovačević stayed involved in football. He returned to Greece, a country he loved. For a while, he worked as a columnist, writing about sports.

In June 2010, he was hired by Olympiacos, his former club, as a chief scout. This meant he looked for new talented players. Later, he became the sports director for the club, a very important role. He held this position until 2018. Today, he is the sports director for the Serbian Football Association.

Personal Life

Darko Kovačević is a family man. He has three children named Mia, Darko Jr., and Stella.

Career Numbers

Here are some of Darko Kovačević's career statistics:

Club Appearances and Goals

International Appearances and Goals

Awards and Achievements

Darko Kovačević won many awards and titles during his football career:

With Red Star Belgrade

• Yugoslav League: 1994–95
• Yugoslav Cup: 1994–95, 1995–96

With Juventus

• UEFA Intertoto Cup: 1999

With Olympiacos

• Super League Greece: 2007–08, 2008–09
• Greek Cup: 2007–08, 2008–09
• Greek Super Cup: 2007

Individual Awards

• UEFA Cup Top Scorer: 1998–99 (8 goals), 1999–2000 (10 goals)
• Super League Greece Best Foreign Player: 2007–08

See also

In Spanish: Darko Kovačević para niños