Miljan Miljanić facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Miljan Miljanić

Miljanić as Red Star Belgrade manager in 1971
Personal information
Full name	Miljan Miljanić
Date of birth	(1930-05-04)4 May 1930
Place of birth	Bitola, Kingdom of Yugoslavia
Date of death	13 January 2012(2012-01-13) (aged 81)
Place of death	Belgrade, Serbia
Playing position	Defender
Youth career
1946–1951	Red Star Belgrade
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1951–1952	Red Star Belgrade	1	(0)
Teams managed
1965–1966	Yugoslavia
1966–1974	Red Star Belgrade
1973–1974	Yugoslavia
1974–1977	Real Madrid
1979–1982	Yugoslavia
1982–1983	Valencia
1983–1984	Qadsia
1984–1986	Al Ain
1992	Yugoslavia
Honours Men's Football Representing  Yugoslavia Universiade Gold 1953 Dortmund Team
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Miljan Miljanić (Serbian Cyrillic: Миљан Миљанић; born May 4, 1930 – died January 13, 2012) was a famous Yugoslav and Serbian football expert. He was a defender as a player. Later, he became a coach and a leader in football.

Miljanić was the powerful President of the Football Association of Yugoslavia (FSJ). He held this important job for 20 years, from 1981 to 2001.

He was born in Bitola, which was then part of Kingdom of Yugoslavia. His family came from a region in Montenegro. Miljanić spent his early years in what is now North Macedonia.

During his long career, Miljanić coached several big teams. He led Red Star Belgrade to win 10 trophies. He also coached Real Madrid, where they won two La Liga titles in a row. This included winning both the league and the cup in the 1974–75 season. He also coached Valencia CF and the Yugoslavia national football team. He was the head coach for Yugoslavia in the 1974 and 1982 World Cups.

Miljanić had a huge impact on football in Yugoslavia. Many future coaches learned from him. Some people admired his work, but others felt his careful and defensive style of play led to poor results for the national team.

In 2002, Miljanić received the FIFA Order of Merit. This is the highest award given by FIFA for contributions to football.

Early Life and Football Beginnings

Miljanić was born in 1930 in Bitola. His father, Akim Miljanić, was a geometer (someone who measures land). The family moved to Bitola in 1928 for his father's job. Miljan had two sisters, Mira and Nada.

In 1941, during World War II, the family had to leave Bitola. They moved to Jagodina and then to Kragujevac. In 1944, when he was 14, Miljanić joined a group fighting in the war. After the war ended, his family moved to Belgrade in 1946.

Miljanić started his football journey as a player. He played as a defender for Red Star Belgrade from 1951 to 1952. He played one match for the team.

Coaching Career Highlights

Miljanić became a very successful football coach. He was known for his detailed approach to training.

Leading the Yugoslavia National Team

Miljanić coached the Yugoslavia national football team three times. His first time was from 1965 to 1966. He returned from 1973 to 1974 and again from 1979 to 1982. He led the national team in two FIFA World Cup tournaments: in 1974 and 1982.

In 1992, Yugoslavia's team had qualified for UEFA Euro 1992. However, due to conflicts in the region, the team was banned from the tournament. Miljanić was part of the coaching staff at that time. He was very sad about the ban.

Success with Real Madrid

Miljanić joined Real Madrid as head coach in the summer of 1974. The club's president, Santiago Bernabéu Yeste, wanted big changes. Miljanić had been a target for Real Madrid for a few years. He finally agreed to a two-year contract.

When he arrived, Miljanić brought new training ideas. He increased the number of daily training sessions from one to three. Two sessions focused on fitness, and one on ball skills. He also brought in a fitness coach, Srećko "Felix" Radišić. This was the first time Real Madrid had a dedicated fitness coach.

Miljanić made some tactical changes too. He moved player Pirri to a defensive role. He also focused on long passes and teamwork. Even though some fans found their play less exciting, Real Madrid had great success.

Winning the League and Cup

In his first season, 1974–75, Real Madrid won both the league (La Liga) and the cup (Copa del Rey). This was a fantastic achievement.

In the Cup Winners' Cup, Real Madrid played against Miljanić's old team, Red Star Belgrade. The teams were tied after two matches. Miljanić chose not to travel to Belgrade for the second match. He said he could not coach against his former team. Real Madrid lost in a penalty shootout.

Miljanić continued to coach Real Madrid for several seasons. He won another league title in 1975–76. He resigned in September 1977 after a tough start to the season.

After leaving Real Madrid, Miljanić took a break from coaching. He considered offers from other clubs, but decided not to join them. Soon after, he became the manager of the Yugoslavia national team again.

Personal Life

Miljanić was married to Olivera "Vera" Reljić. They had two children: a son named Miloš Miljanić and a daughter named Zorka. His son Miloš also became a footballer and later a manager.

Miljan Miljanić passed away on January 13, 2012, in Belgrade, Serbia. He was 81 years old and had been ill for several years. Real Madrid players wore black armbands in their next match to honor him.

Honours and Awards

Miljan Miljanić achieved many successes during his career.

Manager

Red Star Belgrade

• Yugoslav First League: 1967–68, 1968–69, 1969–70, 1972–73
• Yugoslav Cup: 1967–68, 1969–70, 1970–71
• Mitropa Cup: 1967–68

Real Madrid

• La Liga: 1974–75, 1975–76
• Copa del Generalísimo: 1974–75

Individual

• FIFA Order of Merit: 2002
• Don Balón Award: 1976

See also

In Spanish: Miljan Miljanić para niños