Nikola Žigić facts for kids

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Nikola Žigić

With Birmingham City in 2012 pre-season
Personal information
Full name	Nikola Žigić
Date of birth	(1980-09-25) 25 September 1980 (age 44)
Place of birth	Bačka Topola, SR Serbia, SFR Yugoslavia
Height	2.02 m (6 ft 8 in)
Position(s)	Centre forward
Youth career
1991–1998	AIK Bačka Topola
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1998–2001	AIK Bačka Topola	76	(68)
2001–2002	Mornar	23	(15)
2002	Kolubara	8	(3)
2003–2006	Red Star Belgrade	79	(47)
2003	→ Spartak Subotica (loan)	11	(14)
2006–2007	Racing Santander	32	(11)
2007–2010	Valencia	28	(5)
2009	→ Racing Santander (loan)	19	(13)
2010–2014	Birmingham City	128	(32)
2014–2015	Birmingham City	9	(0)
Total		413	(208)
International career
2004–2011	Serbia and Montenegro/Serbia	57	(20)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Nikola Žigić (born 25 September 1980) is a Serbian former professional footballer. He played as a centre forward, which means he was a main attacker who scored goals.

Nikola Žigić was born in Bačka Topola, a town in what was then SFR Yugoslavia (now Serbia). He started playing football when he was young with a team called AIK Bačka Topola. He was a great scorer, getting 68 goals in 76 games over three years in the third division of Yugoslav football. After serving in the military, he continued playing and scoring goals for Mornar, a team in the second division.

In 2003, Nikola became a professional player with Red Star Belgrade, one of the biggest clubs in his country. Even though some people thought he was too tall (at 2.02 meters or 6 feet 7 inches) for football, he proved them wrong. He became the top scorer in the league and helped Red Star win the league title and the cup in his first season. He won both the league and cup again in 2006. In total, he scored 70 goals in 109 games for Red Star.

In 2006, Nikola moved to Spain to play for Racing Santander. His goals and teamwork helped them do well in La Liga, Spain's top football league. He then joined Valencia, another Spanish club, but didn't play as much as he wanted. He went back to Racing Santander on loan in 2009 and scored 13 goals in just 19 matches.

In 2010, Nikola joined Birmingham City in England's Premier League. In his first season, he scored a goal in their big League Cup win. Even when the team moved down to a lower league, he stayed with Birmingham for four years. He later rejoined the club for a short time in 2014.

Nikola also played for his country. He made his international debut for Serbia and Montenegro in 2004. After Serbia became an independent country in 2006, he played for the Serbian national team until 2011. He played 57 games for his country and scored 20 goals. He was part of the Serbian teams that played in the 2006 and 2010 World Cups. He even captained his country for a short time in 2011.

Nikola Žigić's Personal Life

Nikola Žigić was born in Bačka Topola, in what was then Yugoslavia. His father, Jovan, used to play football, and his mother, Milica, was a basketball player. Nikola finished school for mechanical engineering in his hometown.

His younger brother, Branko, also became a footballer. During the Yugoslav Wars in 1999, Nikola's hometown was in the path of planes heading for Belgrade. For much of that time, his family's home did not have electricity or running water.

Nikola is married to Sanja, and they have two daughters and a son. As of 2018, they were living near Valencia, Spain. Nikola was helping with his agent's business.

Nikola Žigić's Club Career

Starting Out in Football

Nikola joined his hometown club, AIK Bačka Topola, when he was young. He started playing for the senior team in 1998. At first, he played as a defender, but he soon realized he liked scoring goals more! His parents wanted him to finish his education before taking football too seriously. He stayed with AIK Bačka Topola until 2001, scoring an amazing 68 goals in 76 games in the third division of Yugoslav football.

When he had to do military service in Bar, he was able to play for the local club, Mornar. There, he scored 15 goals in 23 games in the second division. After trying out for some clubs in France, Nikola returned home. He played 8 games for Kolubara, another third-division team, and scored 3 goals.

Becoming a Professional Player

Nikola signed his first professional contract in January 2003 with Red Star Belgrade, the biggest football club in Serbia. At first, he wasn't thought to be ready for the main team. So, he spent some time on loan at Spartak Subotica, another third-division team. He scored even more goals there, with 14 goals in just 11 league games!

Playing for Red Star Belgrade

When coach Slavoljub Muslin returned to Red Star, he brought Nikola into the main team for the 2003–04 season. Nikola made his first appearance on the opening day. His height (2.02 meters) made some people think he might be better at basketball. But Nikola quickly showed them he was a great footballer.

He scored his first league goal in the next game. He also scored three goals in a UEFA Cup qualifying match against Nistru. He even scored twice in the big "Eternal Derby" against Partizan. He celebrated by pretending to shoot a basketball! By the middle of the season, he had 12 league goals and 6 goals in the UEFA Cup. He was named Player of the Year for 2003. He finished the season as the league's top scorer with 18 goals. Red Star won their 23rd league title, and Nikola scored the winning goal in the cup final.

Nikola continued to score many goals in the next season. He helped Red Star get a draw in a Champions League qualifier by scoring two late goals. He scored 15 league goals as Red Star finished second. He also helped Red Star reach the cup final.

In September 2005, Nikola signed a new contract with Red Star. He helped his team in the UEFA Cup. He scored two goals and set up another as Red Star beat Roma 3–1. One of his goals was amazing: he took the ball from an opponent, got past two more, and then shot the ball into the top corner from 25 meters with his weaker left foot! He said he had never scored a goal like that before.

For the second time, Nikola was chosen as the best domestic player of the year in 2005. He was also named the best male athlete of 2005 by the Red Star Sport Association. Nikola and Boško Janković were the top scorers for Red Star in the league with 12 goals each. The club won their 24th league title. They also won the cup again, beating OFK 4–2 in the final. Nikola scored a free kick and a header in that game.

Moving to Spain: Racing Santander

Nikola started the 2006–07 season with Red Star. But on 29 August 2006, he signed a four-year contract with Spanish club Racing Santander. He joined for a fee that was reported to be between €4.5 million and €7 million. Nikola felt he would get more playing time at Racing.

He played alongside a smaller player named Pedro Munitis. Nikola scored 11 goals, including three goals in one game against Athletic Bilbao. He also made four assists and won five penalties for his team. Racing finished tenth in the league. Their effective partnership earned them the nickname "Dúo Sacapuntos," which means "the Two Point-getters." His great performances earned him the award for best player based abroad in 2006. He also received the Football Association of Serbia Golden Ball award in 2007.

Playing for Valencia

Nikola signed for Valencia in August 2007. The fee was reported to be around €15 million to €20 million. He had other offers, but he wanted to stay in Spain because he liked the league, language, and culture. When he arrived, he had an ankle injury, which made it harder for him to join the team. He made his debut in October in a Champions League game against Chelsea.

He didn't play very often for Valencia. In December, Valencia had not scored for six games. Nikola came on as a substitute in a cup game and scored twice to help his team win. He scored again in the next league game. He only played in nine league games that season.

In October 2008, Nikola had a chance to go back to Racing Santander on loan. He played in four more cup games for Valencia and scored in three of them, but he didn't play in any league games.

Loan Spell at Racing Santander

The loan deal finally happened, and Nikola returned to Racing Santander in January 2009. He said the club and city "feel like home." He started playing with Pedro Munitis again. Nikola scored the only goal in his first game back against Real Valladolid. He scored again two weeks later against Getafe and in the next game against Sevilla. He finished the season as Racing's top scorer, with 13 goals in only 19 games.

Back at Valencia

In 2009, there were rumors that Nikola might move to other clubs, but he wanted to succeed at Valencia. He played in 26 games for Valencia in the 2009–10 season, more than in the previous two seasons combined. He scored the only goal against Racing in October, but out of respect for his old club, he didn't celebrate. In January 2010, his header in the 93rd minute against Espanyol helped Valencia move up to third place in the league. He also scored two goals in a cup game against Deportivo La Coruña. In May, he scored two goals against Espanyol that helped Valencia get a spot in the next season's Champions League.

Time at Birmingham City

On 25 May 2010, Nikola signed a four-year contract with English club Birmingham City. The fee was reported to be around £6 million. He made his first appearance on the opening day of the season against Sunderland. He came close to scoring and made the opposing team's defense nervous.

Žigić with Birmingham in 2010

Nikola scored his first goal for Birmingham in a League Cup game in September. He scored his first Premier League goal in October against Arsenal. In a tough League Cup quarter-final against local rivals Aston Villa, Nikola scored a late goal that secured the win. He opened the scoring against Arsenal in the League Cup final with a header. Later, he helped set up the winning goal for Obafemi Martins. Football expert David Pleat said that Birmingham won because of their great teamwork and how they used Nikola's strengths. After the final, he had some hip and groin injuries. Birmingham was relegated to the Championship that season.

Even though his agent said Nikola wouldn't play in a lower league, he had surgery and returned to Birmingham in September. He told a local newspaper that he was happy to stay. His first goal in the Championship gave Birmingham a 1–0 win against Leeds United. In a Europa League group match, Nikola missed a penalty, and Birmingham lost the game. Later, he scored all four goals in a 4–1 win against Leeds. He finished the season with eleven league goals.

Before the 2012–13 season, Nikola was close to moving back to Spain with Real Mallorca. Birmingham was willing to let him go for free to save on his high salary, but the deal didn't happen. He started the season on the bench but scored a late goal to get a draw in the first game. The club's chief executive said that selling players was necessary because of financial problems. Nikola's wages were very high, and the club needed him to "showcase himself" to attract buyers.

He didn't leave, and in February, manager Lee Clark criticized him for a very poor training session. However, Nikola responded well and played in all the remaining games. He finished the season with nine league goals.

Nikola missed the start of the 2013–14 season with a back problem. Once he was fit, he played regularly for the team, which had many young players. The team struggled, and on the last day of the season, they needed a draw to avoid being relegated to League One. Nikola scored a goal, and then helped set up another goal in stoppage time that saved Birmingham from relegation. Birmingham hoped to keep him for another season with a lower salary, but he left when his contract ended. He was the last player remaining from the League Cup-winning team.

After being without a club, Nikola started training with Birmingham again in November 2014. He signed a new contract in December. He played nine games as a substitute in the league and two FA Cup matches. The club confirmed he would be released again when his contract ended.

Nikola Žigić's International Career

Coach Ilija Petković gave Nikola his first international game for Serbia and Montenegro on 31 March 2004. He came on as a substitute in a friendly game against Norway. His next game and first start came 14 months later in a friendly against Italy. He scored the first goal in that game, which ended in a 1–1 draw.

He also scored in his next game against Poland. He became a regular player for his country. In September 2005, he came on as a substitute in a very important World Cup qualifying game against Spain. His height and long passes caused problems for the Spanish defense. He helped set up a goal that led to an equalizer. This result put Serbia-Montenegro at the top of their group. They qualified for the World Cup when Nikola's assist led to the only goal in their next game against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Nikola's only start at the 2006 World Cup was in the last group game, after his team had already been knocked out. He scored early in the first half against Ivory Coast. This was Serbia-Montenegro's first goal of the tournament, but they lost the match 3–2.

Under the new national manager Javier Clemente, Nikola was still a regular choice. He scored the only goal in Serbia's first competitive game as a separate country in September 2006. He scored once and was sent off in a qualifying game against Kazakhstan in March 2007. He missed some games due to this and a facial injury. He still scored seven goals, but Serbia did not qualify for the tournament.

Nikola played regularly in the 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign. He scored three goals and helped Serbia qualify for a major tournament for the first time as an independent nation. Before the tournament, he said he had improved a lot since 2006. He felt he could play a big role. After losing their first game, Serbia faced Germany. Nikola headed a cross down to Milan Jovanović, who scored the only goal of the game. Serbia won 1–0. However, Serbia lost their next game and finished last in their group.

Nikola scored goals in four of Serbia's five international games in late 2010, bringing his total to 20. After Serbia failed to qualify for the Euro 2012 tournament, Nikola was made captain of the national team. He captained the team in two friendly games in 2011, which were his last games for his country.

Nikola Žigić's Playing Style

Because Nikola is very tall, he is great at playing with his head. He is dangerous from set pieces, like corners or free kicks, scoring many goals with his head. He also knocks the ball down for his teammates to score. When he joined Red Star, the coach used a formation that allowed Nikola to be the main attacker, with two wingers to help him use his height.

He used his strong physical presence to bother opposing defenders. This helped him score goals and also drew attention away from his teammates. Famous coach Pep Guardiola said in 2009 that Nikola was "almost unstoppable" in the air. Radovan Ćurčić, a Serbian national team coach, called him "the king of air play" and said he was the best in Europe at it. He also said Nikola was good at finding space and helping his teammates. Sid Lowe, a sports writer, also described him as a "tidy finisher."

Nikola is good at playing with his back to the goal. Even though he is tall, he is also agile. He prefers to play with a shorter, faster teammate. His fitness coach at Racing Santander was surprised by how well coordinated Nikola was for his height.

He likes to get the ball in the air because he can usually beat smaller players in the air. But on the ground, smaller players might be faster. Even so, he is skilled with the ball, scoring goals with his feet and helping others score. A newspaper article in 2009 said Nikola was one of the few tall players with a good touch on the ball. In 2010, German defender Per Mertesacker said Nikola was "technically a good player and very smart tactically."

Career Statistics

Club Appearances and Goals

International Appearances and Goals

Score and result columns list Serbia and Montenegro/Serbia's score first.

International goals

Goal	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	8 June 2005	Rogers Centre, Toronto, Canada	Italy	1–0	1–1	Friendly
2.	15 August 2005	Lobanovsky Dynamo Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine	Poland	1–1	2–3	Friendly
3.	13 November 2005	Nanjing Olympic Sports Center, Nanjing, China	China	2–0	2–0	Friendly
4.	21 June 2006	Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany	Ivory Coast	1–0	2–3	2006 World Cup
5.	2 September 2006	Stadion Crvena Zvezda, Belgrade, Serbia	Azerbaijan	1–0	1–0	Euro 2008 qualifying
6.	7 October 2006	Stadion Crvena Zvezda, Belgrade, Serbia	Belgium	1–0	1–0	Euro 2008 qualifying
7.	11 October 2006	Stadion Crvena Zvezda, Belgrade, Serbia	Armenia	3–0	3–0	Euro 2008 qualifying
8.	24 March 2007	Almaty Central Stadium, Almaty, Kazakhstan	Kazakhstan	1–2	1–2	Euro 2008 qualifying
9.	17 October 2007	Tofik Bakhramov Stadium, Baku, Azerbaijan	Azerbaijan	2–0	6–1	Euro 2008 qualifying
10.	17 October 2007	Tofik Bakhramov Stadium, Baku, Azerbaijan	Azerbaijan	4–1	6–1	Euro 2008 qualifying
11.	21 November 2007	Stadion Crvena Zvezda, Belgrade, Serbia	Poland	1–2	2–2	Euro 2008 qualifying
12.	6 September 2008	Stadion Crvena Zvezda, Belgrade, Serbia	Faroe Islands	2–0	2–0	2010 World Cup qualifying
13.	11 October 2008	Stadion Crvena Zvezda, Belgrade, Serbia	Lithuania	3–0	3–0	2010 World Cup qualifying
14.	1 April 2009	Stadion Partizan, Belgrade, Serbia	Sweden	1–0	2–0	Friendly
15.	10 October 2009	Stadion Crvena Zvezda, Belgrade, Serbia	Romania	1–0	5–0	2010 World Cup qualifying
16.	18 November 2009	Craven Cottage, London, England	South Korea	1–0	1–0	Friendly
17.	3 September 2010	Tórsvøllur, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands	Faroe Islands	3–0	3–0	Euro 2012 qualifying
18.	7 September 2010	Stadion Crvena Zvezda, Belgrade, Serbia	Slovenia	1–1	1–1	Euro 2012 qualifying
19.	8 October 2010	Stadion Partizan, Belgrade, Serbia	Estonia	1–0	1–3	Euro 2012 qualifying
20.	17 November 2010	Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia, Bulgaria	Bulgaria	1–0	1–0	Friendly

Honours and Awards

Red Star Belgrade

• First League of Serbia and Montenegro: 2003–04, 2005–06
• Serbia and Montenegro Cup: 2003–04, 2005–06

Valencia

• Copa del Rey: 2007–08

Birmingham City

• Football League Cup: 2010–11

Individual Awards

• Serbia and Montenegro League: Top Scorer in 2003–04
• Serbian Footballer of the Year: 2003, 2007
• Večernje novosti captains' poll:
  • Best Domestic Player of the Year: 2003, 2005
  • "Prva zvezda" (Player of the Year based abroad): 2006
• Red Star Sport Association Best Male Athlete: 2005

See also

In Spanish: Nikola Žigić para niños