Zoran Milinković (footballer)

Zoran Milinković (Serbian Cyrillic: Зоран Милинковић; born 18 July 1968) is a Serbian football manager and former player. He is the current manager of Saudi club Al-Zulfi.

Zoran Milinković
Personal information
Date of birth (1968-07-18) 18 July 1968 (age 56)
Place of birth Belgrade, SFR Yugoslavia
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
Al-Zulfi (manager)
Youth career
1975–1977 TEK Sloga Veliki Crljeni
1977–1987 Partizan
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1987–1989 Mladost Petrinja
1990 Partizan 2 (0)
1991 Vojvodina 10 (0)
1991–1992 Mogren 25 (6)
1992–1993 Borac Banja Luka
1993–1994 Radnički Niš 31 (5)
1994 Kispest-Honvéd 13 (1)
1995 Tosu Futures 25 (4)
1996 Waregem 13 (1)
1996–1998 Nice 63 (2)
1998–1999 Hansa Rostock 6 (0)
1999–2001 Anorthosis Famagusta 40 (3)
2001–2002 Doxa Katokopia 8 (0)
Managerial career
2004 Obilić
2005–2008 BSK Borča
2008 Kolubara
2009 Srem
2009–2010 Spartak Subotica
2010–2011 Vojvodina
2012 Spartak Subotica
2012–2013 OFK Beograd
2013 Aris Thessaloniki
2014–2015 Voždovac
2015 Partizan
2016 Anorthosis
2017 Borac Banja Luka
2018 Rad
2019–2020 Kolubara
2020–2021 Kolubara
2021 Borac Banja Luka
2021–2022 Radnički 1923
2022 Napredak Kruševac
2022–2023 Al-Nasr Benghazi
2023–2024 Al-Ain
2024– Al-Zulfi
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Playing career

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Milinković came through the youth system of Partizan, before starting his senior career at lower league club Mladost Petrinja. He returned to Partizan and made two league appearances during the first part of the 1990–91 season, before moving to Vojvodina. Milinković also played for Mogren, Borac Banja Luka, Radnički Niš, Kispest-Honvéd, Tosu Futures, Waregem, Nice, Hansa Rostock, Anorthosis Famagusta and Doxa Katokopia.

Managerial career

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Milinković started his managerial career as an assistant manager to Ratko Dostanić at Obilić during the 2002–03 season, before they both left and took up identical roles at Sartid Smederevo ahead of the 2003–04 season. He was appointed as the manager of Obilić in August 2004,[1] but was released after only two months.[2] He then became the manager of BSK Borča, having a lot of success in the following three seasons. He left the club before they made their Serbian SuperLiga debut. After leaving BSK Borča, Milinković had unassuming brief spells at Kolubara and Srem.[3]

In the summer of 2009, he was appointed manager of newly promoted SuperLiga club Spartak Subotica. He also worked at Vojvodina, OFK Beograd, Aris Thessaloniki and Voždovac.

Partizan

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On 25 March 2015, Milinković was named manager of FK Partizan after Marko Nikolić was sacked.[4] On 4 April 2015, he made his debut on the bench of Partizan in a 2–1 home win against Radnički Kragujevac. In the spring part of the 2014–15 season, Milinković has returned the title of champion of Serbia to Partizan, which was last season won by Red Star Belgrade. Milinković enrolled 7 wins with Partizan in the Serbian SuperLiga in the spring part of the 2014–15 season and three draws, while in the Serbian Cup he enrolled one win and one defeat.

He began the 2015–16 season in a win over Dila Gori in the second qualifying round for the UEFA Champions League on 14 July 2015. In the Serbian SuperLiga he also had a great start, defeating Metalac Gornji Milanovac 4–0, while in the second round Partizan won against Jagodina 6–0. On 5 August 2015, Milinković and his squad won against Romanian champions Steaua București in the second leg of the third qualifying round for the Champions League and so qualified Partizan to the Champions League qualifying play-off. The last time that Partizan qualified to the Champions League play-off was when it was led by Aleksandar Stanojević in the summer of 2010.

On 26 August 2015, Milinković's Partizan was defeated by BATE Borisov and as a result entered the group stage of the UEFA Europa League.

Al-Ain

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On 9 November 2023, Milinković was appointed as head coach of Saudi club Al-Ain.[5]

Al-Zulfi

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On 3 June 2024, Milinković was appointed as head coach of Saudi club Al-Zulfi.[6]

Honours

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Manager

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Partizan

References

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  1. ^ "Bozovic bows out at Obilic". uefa.com. 8 August 2004. Retrieved 29 March 2015.
  2. ^ "Milinković napustio Obilić" (in Serbian). b92.net. 23 October 2004. Retrieved 29 March 2015.
  3. ^ PLS: Srem brzo našao novog trenera
  4. ^ Soccer-Partizan name Milinkovic as coach to replace Nikolic
  5. ^ "إدارة نادي #العين تنهي إجراءات التعاقد مع المدرب الصربي زوران ميلينكوفيتش".
  6. ^ "الصربي زوران ميلينكوفيتش مديراً فنياً للفريق الأول لكرة القدم للموسم الرياضي القادم 2024_2025".
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