Dejan Petković facts for kids
Petković in 2010
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 10 September 1972 | ||
| Place of birth | Majdanpek, SR Serbia, SFR Yugoslavia | ||
| Height | 1.72 m | ||
| Playing position | Attacking midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1987 | Majdanpek | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1988–1992 | Radnički Niš | 53 | (34) |
| 1992–1995 | Red Star Belgrade | 132 | (38) |
| 1995–1997 | Real Madrid | 5 | (0) |
| 1996 | → Sevilla (loan) | 8 | (1) |
| 1997 | → Racing de Santander (loan) | 8 | (1) |
| 1997–1999 | Vitória | 29 | (16) |
| 1999 | Venezia | 14 | (1) |
| 2000–2002 | Flamengo | 44 | (18) |
| 2002–2003 | Vasco da Gama | 19 | (2) |
| 2003–2004 | Shanghai Shenhua | 22 | (7) |
| 2004 | Vasco da Gama | 36 | (18) |
| 2005 | Al-Ittihad | 0 | (0) |
| 2005–2006 | Fluminense | 39 | (11) |
| 2007 | Goiás | 2 | (0) |
| 2007 | Santos | 21 | (1) |
| 2008 | Atlético Mineiro | 27 | (4) |
| 2009–2011 | Flamengo | 53 | (14) |
| Total | 508 | (165) | |
| National team | |||
| 1995–1998 | FR Yugoslavia | 6 | (1) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 2014 | Atlético Paranaense U23 | ||
| 2015 | Criciúma | ||
| 2016 | Sampaio Corrêa | ||
| 2017 | Vitória | ||
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Dejan Petković (born September 10, 1972) is a famous Serbian football player who is now retired. In his home country, people call him Rambo. In Brazil, where he played for many years, he is known as Pet. He played six times for the FR Yugoslavia and scored one goal. Petković played for seven different clubs in Brazil. He was even made an honorary consul for Serbia in Brazil.
Contents
Early Life and First Clubs
Dejan Petković was born in a small mining town called Majdanpek. His parents, Dobrivoje and Milena, met there while looking for work. Young Dejan loved football from a very early age.
Starting at Radnički Niš
Petković began his football career in 1988 at a club called Radnički Niš. He was only 16 years and 15 days old when he played his first official match on September 25, 1988. This made him the youngest player ever to play in the old Yugoslav First League at that time. Radnički won that game 4–0. Petković still helps his first club, which has faced some tough times since then.
Moving to Red Star Belgrade
In July 1992, Petković joined Red Star Belgrade, a very well-known club. Even though he was not yet 20, he was known as a very skilled player who could create chances for his team. Many older, famous players left Red Star that summer. This gave Petković a chance to play in the first team right away. He played in 30 league matches and scored 5 goals in his first season.
He stayed with Red Star for three and a half seasons, winning two Yugoslav First League titles. He was supposed to move to Real Madrid in 1995. However, Red Star wanted him to stay for the 1995–96 UEFA Cup. They hoped to do well in Europe after being allowed to play again. But they were knocked out early by a Swiss club.
Playing in Spain: Real Madrid and Loans
In December 1995, 23-year-old Petković joined the famous Spanish club Real Madrid. When he arrived, the team was not doing as well as they wanted in the league.
Petković played his first league game for Real Madrid on December 17. He came on as a substitute in the second half. He played a few more times as a substitute but never started a game. After only one month, he was loaned out to another Spanish team.
Loan Spells in Spain
In January 1996, Petković was loaned to Sevilla. This club was also struggling and close to the relegation zone. Petković started his first game for Sevilla. He played in 8 league matches for Sevilla, scoring 1 goal.
In the summer of 1996, Petković returned to Real Madrid. The team had many new, famous players, making it even harder for him to get a spot. He played only two more games for Real Madrid as a late substitute.
He was then loaned out again in January 1997, this time to Racing de Santander. After a short time there, he briefly returned to Real Madrid. Soon after, a Brazilian club called Vitória discovered him during a friendly tournament.
Success in Brazil
Petković moved to Brazil and joined Vitória. This was the start of his very successful career in Brazil. He won two Bahia State Championships and a Copa do Nordeste with Vitória. He stayed there until 1999.
Joining Flamengo
After a short time in Italy, Petković quickly returned to Brazil. He joined Flamengo, a big club in Rio de Janeiro. At Flamengo, his amazing skills helped the team win two important titles against their rivals, Vasco, from 1999 to 2001.
One month later, Petković scored another goal from a free kick. This goal helped Flamengo win the Copa dos Campeões. This win allowed them to play in the Copa Libertadores the next year. He became very popular and fans called him "Pet".
Playing for Vasco da Gama
In 2002, Petković moved to Vasco da Gama, where he played until 2004. During this time, he also played briefly for a Chinese club, Shanghai Shenhua. They won the 2003 league title, but this title was later taken away because of a scandal.
In his second time at Vasco, he helped his team avoid being relegated from the league. He was the club's top scorer and had the most assists. Vasco struggled a lot when Petković wasn't playing. Because of his great help, he won the Bola de Prata award, which names him one of the best midfielders in the league.
Fourth Brazilian Team: Fluminense
In August 2005, Petković returned to Rio de Janeiro to play for Fluminense. He was 33 years old, and some fans were unsure about him because he had played for their rival, Flamengo. However, he quickly won them over with an amazing performance in his third match. He scored two goals in a 6–2 win. His first goal was the 1000th goal scored by Fluminense in the Brazilian Championship! He received a special award for this.
After more great games, he won his second straight Silver Ball award. He left the club after a difficult season in 2006.
Other Clubs and Return to Flamengo
In 2007, Petković played for Santos. In 2008, he joined Atlético Mineiro. His contract was not renewed at the end of the season.
On May 20, 2009, Flamengo announced that Petković was returning. Many people doubted if the 37-year-old could still play well. However, Petković played a very important role for Flamengo. He scored 8 goals, including two directly from corner kicks. He helped the club win its sixth Brazilian Championship title, which was his first.
He was praised by the Brazilian media for many outstanding performances. On November 20, 2009, he was added to the Brazilian Hall of Fame in the Maracana stadium. He was only the fifth non-Brazilian and third European to receive this honor. On December 7, he won the Bola de Prata (Silver Ball) award again for best midfielder. This was his third time winning the award.
On June 5, 2011, Petković retired as a professional player. To celebrate his retirement, all Flamengo players wore his name on the back of their jerseys for his last match.
International Career
Petković started playing for SFR Yugoslavia youth teams when he was 15. He even scored one of the fastest goals in football history, just three seconds into a match against Cyprus.
He was called up to the senior national team for the UEFA Euro 1992 tournament. However, the Yugoslavia team was suspended due to civil wars, just ten days before the tournament began. This meant Petković could not play.
He later played for the FR Yugoslavia team. He earned his first official cap (appearance) on March 31, 1995, against Uruguay. In his second game, against Russia, he scored a goal. He played a few more matches in 1995.
Petković had some disagreements with the national team coach, which affected his chances to play. He was not chosen for the 1998 FIFA World Cup. He played his last official match for the national team in September 1998 against Brazil.
Many people believed that Petković should have played more for his country. Some thought it was because he played for Brazilian clubs, making it harder for coaches to watch him. Others believed there were problems with the football association. In 2006, there was a campaign in Serbia to get him selected for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. However, the coach decided not to call him up.
Petković retired without ever playing for the White Eagles (the Serbian national team after Yugoslavia split). He often said he wished he could have played in a World Cup.
Playing Style and Legacy
Dejan Petković is considered one of the best foreign players to have ever played in Brazil. He was known for his amazing free kicks and corner kicks, and for being a great passer. In 2006, he scored a goal directly from a corner kick. He scored eight goals directly from corner kicks in his career, which is a record in football history.
- His success in Brazil led to more Serbian players joining Brazilian football clubs.
- A documentary film about Petković's life and career, called O Gringo, was made by Serbian director Darko Bajić.
- His important role in Flamengo's league title win even inspired a pop song called "É o Pet".
- After retiring, Petković decided to continue living in Brazil.
- He worked as a football commentator and analyst for a Brazilian sports TV channel during the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Honours
Red Star Belgrade
- Yugoslav First League: 1991–92, 1994–95
- Yugoslav Cup: 1992–93, 1994–95
Real Madrid
- La Liga: 1996–97
- Supercopa de España: 1997
Vitória
- Bahia State Championship: 1997, 1999
- Copa do Nordeste: 1999
Flamengo
- Campeonato Carioca: 2000, 2001
- Copa dos Campeões: 2001
- Campeonato Brasileiro Série A: 2009
Shanghai Shenhua
- Chinese Jia-A League: 2003 (title later taken away)
Vasco da Gama
- Campeonato Carioca: 2003
Al Ittihad
- Arab Champions League: 2005
Individual Awards
- Campeonato Brasileiro Série A Team of the Year: 2005, 2009
- Bola de Prata: 2004, 2005, 2009
- Troféu Mesa Redonda Best Player: 2009
- Niš Sportsperson of the Year: 2009
Special Achievements
- Voted EC Vitória's Player of the Twentieth Century by fans.
- Scored the 1000th goal for Fluminense FC in the Campeonato Brasileiro.
- Holds the record for most goals scored directly from corner kicks (8).
- His name is on the Maracanã Walk of Fame.
- Named an Honorary Citizen of Rio de Janeiro.
Diplomatic Career
On June 20, 2010, the Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs announced that Dejan Petković was appointed as the Honorary Consul of Serbia in Brazil. This means he helps represent Serbia in Brazil.
Images for kids
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Petković in 2010
See also
In Spanish: Dejan Petković para niños
