Siniša Mihajlović facts for kids
Mihajlović as manager of Fiorentina in 2010
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| Personal information | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 20 February 1969 | |||||||||
| Place of birth | Vukovar, SR Croatia, SFR Yugoslavia | |||||||||
| Date of death | 16 December 2022 (aged 53) | |||||||||
| Place of death | Rome, Italy | |||||||||
| Height | 1.85 m | |||||||||
| Playing position | Defender | |||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||
| Borovo | ||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | |||||||
| 1986–1988 | Borovo | |||||||||
| 1988–1990 | Vojvodina | 73 | (19) | |||||||
| 1990–1992 | Red Star Belgrade | 38 | (9) | |||||||
| 1992–1994 | Roma | 54 | (1) | |||||||
| 1994–1998 | Sampdoria | 110 | (12) | |||||||
| 1998–2004 | Lazio | 126 | (20) | |||||||
| 2004–2006 | Inter Milan | 25 | (5) | |||||||
| Total | 426 | (66) | ||||||||
| National team | ||||||||||
| 1991–2003 | FR Yugoslavia | 63 | (10) | |||||||
| Teams managed | ||||||||||
| 2008–2009 | Bologna | |||||||||
| 2009–2010 | Catania | |||||||||
| 2010–2011 | Fiorentina | |||||||||
| 2012–2013 | Serbia | |||||||||
| 2013–2015 | Sampdoria | |||||||||
| 2015–2016 | A.C. Milan | |||||||||
| 2016–2018 | Torino | |||||||||
| 2018 | Sporting CP | |||||||||
| 2019–2022 | Bologna | |||||||||
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Honours
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Siniša Mihajlović (Serbian Cyrillic: Синиша Михајловић 20 February 1969 – 16 December 2022) was a famous Serbian football player and manager. He was known for his powerful and accurate free kicks.
During his playing career, he was a defender or midfielder. He won the European Cup with Red Star Belgrade in 1991. He played most of his career in Italy's Serie A league. He made 353 appearances for Roma, Sampdoria, Lazio, and Inter Milan. He won league titles with Lazio and Inter Milan. Many people consider him one of the best free-kick takers ever. He holds the record in Serie A for the most goals from free kicks, with 28. He played 63 games for Yugoslavia and scored 10 goals. He also played in the 1998 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2000 tournaments.
Mihajlović stopped playing in 2006 and became an assistant manager at Inter. He managed six Serie A clubs from 2008 to 2022. He started and finished his managing career with Bologna. He also managed Fiorentina, Torino, and A.C. Milan. He was also the coach of the Serbia national team from 2012 to 2013.
Contents
Early Life and Youth Football
Siniša Mihajlović was born in Vukovar. His father was a Serb, and his mother was a Croat. He grew up in Borovo Naselje with his younger brother, Dražen. His father was a truck driver, and his mother worked in a shoe factory. Siniša considered himself a Serb but also viewed Croatia as his country.
When he was a teenager, Mihajlović was part of a talented group of Yugoslav players. This group won the 1987 FIFA World Youth Championship. However, he was not chosen for the team that went to the tournament.
During the Croatian War of Independence, his family's home was destroyed. His parents had to leave their home. Siniša later helped save his maternal uncle during the war. He said in an interview that he forgave a childhood friend who was involved in the conflict.
Club Career Highlights
Starting His Football Journey
Mihajlović began playing football at NK Borovo, a local club in his hometown. He quickly showed he was a very talented young player. He made his first team debut in 1986 at just 17 years old. He even scored a goal in his first game.
In 1987, big clubs like Dinamo Zagreb were interested in him. However, no deal was made, and he stayed with NK Borovo.
Playing for Vojvodina
In 1988, Mihajlović joined Vojvodina. He was one of several new players who helped the team. Vojvodina surprisingly won the Yugoslav league title that season. Young Mihajlović quickly became an important midfielder. He played in 31 league matches and scored 4 goals.
The next season, Vojvodina played in the European Cup. They were knocked out early by Honvéd from Hungary.
Success with Red Star Belgrade
In December 1990, Mihajlović joined Red Star Belgrade. This was a big move, and the club paid a lot of money for him. He joined a team full of rising stars like Dejan Savićević and Robert Prosinečki.
He quickly became a key player. In the 1991 European Cup semi-final, he scored both goals against Bayern Munich. Red Star won the final against Olympique de Marseille on penalties. Mihajlović scored one of the penalties.
Later that year, Red Star Belgrade also won the Intercontinental Cup. They beat Colo-Colo 3–0. Mihajlović was part of the team. He was also chosen for the UEFA Euro 1992, but Yugoslavia was not allowed to play due to the Yugoslav Wars.
Time at Roma
In 1992, Mihajlović moved to Italy to play for Roma. He joined the team with his former coach, Vujadin Boškov. He played as a left midfielder and scored one goal in 29 league games. However, the team did not do well in the league.
During his second season at Roma, a new coach, Carlo Mazzone, took over. Mihajlović often played as a left back, a position he did not enjoy as much. He later said that his time at Roma was "the two worst seasons of my entire career."
Moving to Sampdoria
In 1994, Mihajlović joined Sampdoria. The team was coached by Sven-Göran Eriksson. He reunited with his former Red Star teammate Vladimir Jugović.
He had limited success in the Serie A with Sampdoria. However, he helped them reach the semi-final of the 1994–95 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. In June 1998, he played for Yugoslavia in the 1998 FIFA World Cup. He scored a goal against Iran. He also scored an own goal against Germany. This made him one of only five players to score both a goal and an own goal in a World Cup.
Winning Trophies with Lazio
In 1998, Mihajlović joined Lazio. He was brought in by coach Sven-Göran Eriksson. He quickly won his first trophy in Italy, the Supercoppa Italiana.
Lazio was a very ambitious team. With Mihajlović, they won the 1999 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. They also won the 1999 UEFA Super Cup. He played 26 games and scored seven goals in the Serie A 1999–2000 season. Lazio won their second league title in club history that year. Mihajlović also helped Lazio win the 2000 Coppa Italia.
He played for Yugoslavia again at UEFA Euro 2000. He was sent off in the first game but returned to play the last two matches. He won his last trophy with Lazio in 2004, beating Juventus in the Coppa Italia final.
Final Years as a Player at Inter Milan
In 2004, Mihajlović joined Inter Milan on a free transfer. He reunited with his friend and former teammate Roberto Mancini, who was the coach. He signed a one-year deal and then extended it for another year.
On 9 April 2006, he scored his 27th career free-kick goal in Serie A. This showed his amazing skill. Mihajlović ended his playing career after the 2005–06 season at age 37. He won one Serie A title, two Coppa Italia trophies, and a Supercoppa Italia title with Inter.
Playing Style
Siniša Mihajlović was known for his amazing ability to strike the ball from long distances. He could also cross and pass very well. His powerful left-footed shots, especially from free kicks, were famous. He often scored spectacular goals this way. He once said he could score free kicks from as far as 35 yards. He also mentioned trying to score directly from corners.
He is considered one of the best free-kick takers ever. He holds the record for the most goals from free kicks in Serie A, with 28. He is also one of only two players to score three goals from free kicks in a single Serie A game. He did this for Lazio in 1998.
Early in his career, he played as a winger or attacking midfielder. He was known for his speed and ability to run down the field. When he moved to Italy, he started playing as a left back. Later, at Sampdoria, he moved to the center of the defense. He became an excellent centre back. Coaches praised his strong defense, intelligence, and leadership. He was also good at passing the ball out from the back.
Managerial Career
Starting as an Assistant at Inter Milan
After he stopped playing, Mihajlović immediately started coaching at Inter Milan. He became an assistant to head coach Roberto Mancini. They were good friends from their playing days together.
Mihajlović helped players like Zlatan Ibrahimović improve their free-kick skills. Mancini was later replaced as coach in 2008, and Mihajlović also left the club.
First Head Coach Roles
In November 2008, Mihajlović became the head coach of Bologna. The team was struggling in Serie A. His first game ended in a 1–1 draw. He was known for getting five draws in a row before his first win. He was sacked in April 2009.
In December 2009, Mihajlović took over as head coach of Catania. The team was at the bottom of the Serie A standings. In his second game, his team surprisingly beat Juventus 2–1 away from home. He helped Catania climb out of the relegation zone. They finished the season in 13th place. He resigned at the end of the season.
Managing Fiorentina
In June 2010, Mihajlović became the new head coach of Fiorentina. He signed a two-year contract. The team faced challenges, including injuries to key players like Stevan Jovetić.
The 2010–11 season started slowly, but the team's form improved. They finished the season in ninth place. The next season, 2011–12, also had a mixed start. After a series of tough results and fan criticism, Mihajlović was sacked in November 2011.
Coaching the Serbian National Team
In May 2012, the Football Association of Serbia appointed him as the head coach of the Serbia national team. His goal was to lead them to the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Serbia finished third in their qualifying group, and he left the team in November 2013.
Return to Club Management
Mihajlović returned to club coaching in November 2013, taking over Sampdoria again. He helped the team greatly improve and avoid relegation. He stayed for another season, leading them to good performances. He left Sampdoria in June 2015.
On 16 June 2015, Milan appointed Mihajlović as their new manager. He was praised for giving a chance to young goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who was only 16 at the time. Milan sacked him in April 2016.
He then became the manager of Torino in May 2016. He led them to a ninth-place finish in his first season. He was sacked in January 2018.
Briefly, in June 2018, he became the manager of Sporting CP but was sacked after only nine days due to changes in the club's leadership.
Second Time at Bologna
In January 2019, Mihajlović returned to manage Bologna for a second time. He had a very successful period, helping the team avoid relegation easily. He was confirmed as coach for the next season.
In July 2019, Mihajlović bravely announced that he was diagnosed with a serious form of leukemia. He continued to manage the club despite his illness. He underwent treatment, including chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant.
He was sacked from Bologna in September 2022 after the team had a slow start to the season.
Personal Life and Passing
Siniša Mihajlović was married to Arianna Rapaccioni, a former Italian television presenter. They had five children together: three sons and two daughters.
He publicly shared his diagnosis of acute leukaemia in July 2019. He continued to work as a manager while receiving treatment. In October 2021, he became a grandfather.
Siniša Mihajlović passed away on 16 December 2022, in a clinic in Rome. He was 53 years old. His death was due to complications from leukaemia.
Honours
Player
Vojvodina
- Yugoslav First League: 1988–89
Red Star Belgrade
- Yugoslav First League: 1990–91, 1991–92
- European Cup: 1990–91
- Intercontinental Cup: 1991
Lazio
- Serie A: 1999–2000
- Coppa Italia: 1999–2000, 2003–04
- Supercoppa Italiana: 1998, 2000
- UEFA Cup Winners Cup: 1998–99
- UEFA Super Cup: 1999
Inter Milan
- Serie A: 2005–06
- Coppa Italia: 2004–05, 2005–06
- Supercoppa Italiana: 2005
Yugoslavia U21
- UEFA European Under-21 Championship runner-up: 1990
Individual
- ESM Team of the Year: 1998–99, 1999–2000
- FR Yugoslavia player of the Year: 1999
Manager
Individual
- Serbian Coach of the Year: 2019
- Gazzetta Sport Legend Award: 2019
- Serie A Coach of the Month: April 2022
Images for kids
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Mihajlović as manager of Fiorentina in 2010
See also
In Spanish: Siniša Mihajlović para niños
