Nikola Mitrović Explained

Nikola Mitrović
Birth Date:2 January 1987
Birth Place:Kruševac, SFR Yugoslavia
Height:1.80 m
Position:Defensive midfielder
Currentclub:BVSC-Zugló
Clubnumber:18
Youthyears1:1997–2004
Youthclubs1:Napredak Kruševac
Years1:2004–2007
Clubs1:Napredak Kruševac
Caps1:103
Goals1:5
Years2:2007–2008
Clubs2:Partizan
Caps2:15
Goals2:0
Years3:2008
Clubs3:Napredak Kruševac (loan)
Caps3:16
Goals3:2
Years4:2009
Clubs4:Volga Nizhny Novgorod
Caps4:20
Goals4:2
Years5:2010
Clubs5:Napredak Kruševac
Caps5:14
Goals5:2
Years6:2010–2011
Clubs6:Újpest
Caps6:29
Goals6:1
Years7:2011–2013
Clubs7:Videoton
Caps7:55
Goals7:7
Years8:2013–2016
Clubs8:Maccabi Tel Aviv
Caps8:81
Goals8:4
Years9:2016
Clubs9:Shanghai Shenxin
Caps9:4
Goals9:0
Years10:2016–2017
Clubs10:Bnei Yehuda
Caps10:16
Goals10:0
Years11:2017
Clubs11:Anorthosis
Caps11:14
Goals11:1
Years12:2017
Clubs12:Napredak Kruševac
Caps12:12
Goals12:2
Years13:2018
Clubs13:Wisła Kraków
Caps13:15
Goals13:0
Years14:2018–2019
Clubs14:Keşlə
Caps14:25
Goals14:2
Years15:2019–2020
Clubs15:Zalaegerszeg
Caps15:31
Goals15:3
Years16:2020–2022
Clubs16:Újpest
Caps16:62
Goals16:5
Years17:2022–2023
Clubs17:Budapest Honvéd
Caps17:29
Goals17:0
Years18:2023–
Clubs18:BVSC-Zugló
Caps18:15
Goals18:1
Nationalyears1:2004
Nationalteam1:Serbia and Montenegro U17
Nationalcaps1:3
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:2010
Nationalteam2:Serbia
Nationalcaps2:1
Nationalgoals2:0
Pcupdate:21 December 2023

Nikola Mitrović (; born 2 January 1987) is a Serbian professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Hungarian club BVSC-Zugló.

Club career

Early years

In 1997, aged 10, Mitrović joined the youth system of his hometown club Napredak Kruševac. He was promoted to the senior squad in 2004. Over the next three seasons, Mitrović amassed over 100 competitive appearances for the side, as they were promoted to the top flight in 2007.

Partizan

On 23 July 2007, Mitrović agreed to a three-year contract with Partizan.[1] He served mainly as a backup to Brazilian defensive midfielder Juca throughout the season, making 18 appearances (league and cup), as the club won the double. Due to strong competition in his position, Mitrović was loaned to his parent club Napredak Kruševac in the 2008 summer transfer window. He was transferred to Russian club Volga Nizhny Novgorod six months later, spending the entire year there, before again returning to Napredak Kruševac in early 2010.

Újpest and Videoton

In the summer of 2010, Mitrović moved abroad for the second time and joined Hungarian club Újpest. He missed just one out of 30 league games, managing to score once in a 6–0 victory over Újpest's fierce rivals Ferencváros.[2] On 28 June 2011, Mitrović joined Hungarian champions Videoton, signing a two-year contract.[3] He was a regular in his debut season at the club, helping them win the League Cup. In the next 2012–13 campaign, Mitrović collected 50 appearances and netted nine goals in all competitions, both career-highs.

Maccabi Tel Aviv

On 4 August 2013, Mitrović moved to Israeli champions Maccabi Tel Aviv on a one-year deal with an extension option.[4] He was signed by his former Videoton manager Paulo Sousa who joined the club earlier that summer. After defending the league title with Maccabi in his debut season, Mitrović helped the side win the domestic treble in the following 2014–15 campaign. He subsequently made his UEFA Champions League debut in 2015–16, collecting four appearances in the group stage under his countryman Slaviša Jokanović. On 10 January 2016, it was announced that Mitrović would be leaving the club upon his request.[5]

Later years

Just a few days following his departure from Maccabi, Mitrović joined China League One club Shanghai Shenxin. He stayed in Asia for only six months, before returning to Israel and signing for Bnei Yehuda in late August 2016.[6] In January of the following year, Mitrović moved to Cypriot club Anorthosis.[7]

In September 2017, Mitrović returned to his homeland and joined his parent club Napredak Kruševac on a free transfer. He scored the winning goal in a 1–0 home league win over Red Star Belgrade on 1 October 2017, chipping the ball from outside the box over Milan Borjan in the sixth minute of injury time.[8] [9]

In January 2018, Mitrović moved to Poland and joined Ekstraklasa club Wisła Kraków for six months.[10]

In August 2018, Mitrović signed a one-year contract with Azerbaijani club Keşlə.[11]

In July 2019, Mitrović returned to Hungary after six years and signed with Zalaegerszeg.

International career

In April 2010, Mitrović made his full international debut for Serbia, coming on as a substitute for Ljubomir Fejsa in a friendly against Japan, an eventual 3–0 success.

Career statistics

Club

[12] [13] [14]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational cupLeague cupContinentalOtherTotal
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Napredak Kruševac2004–05311311
2005–06373373
2006–07351351
Total10351035
Partizan2007–081503000180
Napredak Kruševac (loan)2008–0916220182
Volga Nizhny Novgorod200920210212
Napredak Kruševac2009–1014200142
Újpest2010–112915200343
Videoton2011–1228160912010462
2012–13276506311010509
Total557110154130209611
Maccabi Tel Aviv2013–14332000080412
2014–15342215100414
2015–1614000209010260
Total8142171170101086
Shanghai Shenxin2016400040
Bnei Yehuda2016–171601010180
Anorthosis2016–1714140181
Napredak Kruševac2017–1812210132
Wisła Kraków2017–1815000150
Keşlə2018–192522000272
Zalaegerszeg2019–2031310323
Újpest2020–213044000344
Career total480353732353003057343

International

Honours

Partizan
Videoton
Maccabi Tel Aviv

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Mitrović novo pojačanje Partizana! . Serbian . partizan.rs . 23 July 2007 . 31 March 2017.
  2. Web site: Megalázó verést kapott Újpesten a Fradi . Hungarian . origo.hu . 11 September 2010 . 5 October 2017.
  3. Web site: Nikola Mitrovics is nálunk folytatja . Hungarian . vidi.hu . 28 June 2011 . 5 October 2017.
  4. Web site: MTA SIGN SERBIAN MIDFIELDER NIKOLA MITROVIC . maccabi-tlv.co.il . 4 August 2013 . 31 March 2017.
  5. Web site: NIKOLA MITROVIC LEAVING . maccabi-tlv.co.il . 10 January 2016 . 31 March 2017.
  6. Web site: בני יהודה: ניקולה מיטרוביץ' חתם לעונה עם אופציה לעונה נוספת . Hebrew . walla.co.il . 31 August 2016 . 31 March 2017.
  7. Web site: Ανορθωσιάτης ο Νίκολα Μίτροβιτς (δηλώσεις) . Greek . anorthosisfc.com.cy . 23 January 2017 . 31 March 2017.
  8. Web site: Mitrović lobom u 96' kaznio Zvezdu! . Serbian . b92.net . 1 October 2017 . 21 September 2019.
  9. Web site: Zvezda na kolenima: Napredak do pobede u 96! . Serbian . mondo.rs . 1 October 2017 . 21 September 2019.
  10. Web site: Nikola Mitrović piłkarzem Wisły . Polish . wisla.krakow.pl . 8 January 2018 . 19 August 2018.
  11. Web site: Keşlə FK növbəti transfer reallaşdırdı . Azerbaijani . keshlafc.az . 9 August 2018 . 9 August 2018.
  12. Web site: Mitrovic, Nikola . Hungarian . nela.hu . 31 March 2017.
  13. Web site: MITROVIC NIKOLA . Hungarian . mlsz.hu . 31 March 2017.
  14. Web site: ניקולה מיטרוביץ' . Hebrew . football.org.il . 31 March 2017.