Nikola Ninković Explained

Nikola Ninković
Birth Date:19 December 1994
Birth Place:Bogatić, FR Yugoslavia
Height:1.82 m
Position:Attacking midfielder
Clubnumber:10
Youthclubs1:Partizan
Years1:2011–2016
Clubs1:Partizan
Caps1:81
Goals1:13
Years2:2016–2018
Clubs2:Genoa
Caps2:20
Goals2:3
Years3:2016
Clubs3:Chievo (loan)
Caps3:1
Goals3:0
Years4:2017–2018
Clubs4:Empoli (loan)
Caps4:17
Goals4:2
Years5:2018–2021
Clubs5:Ascoli
Caps5:62
Goals5:15
Years6:2021
Clubs6:Brescia
Caps6:0
Goals6:0
Years7:2021–2022
Clubs7:Proleter Novi Sad
Caps7:18
Goals7:2
Years8:2022–2023
Clubs8:Borac Banja Luka
Caps8:20
Goals8:3
Years9:2023–
Clubs9:Torpedo Kutaisi
Caps9:30
Goals9:9
Nationalyears1:2011
Nationalteam1:Serbia U17
Nationalcaps1:2
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:2012
Nationalteam2:Serbia U19
Nationalcaps2:5
Nationalgoals2:3
Nationalyears3:2012–2016
Nationalteam3:Serbia U21
Nationalcaps3:4
Nationalgoals3:1
Club-Update:2 June 2024

Nikola Ninković (Serbian: Никола Нинковић; born 19 December 1994) is a Serbian professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Torpedo Kutaisi.

Club career

Partizan

On 11 July 2011, alongside Lazar Marković, Ninković signed his first professional contract with Partizan, on a five-year deal.[1] He made his competitive debut for the club in the return leg of the UEFA Champions League second qualifying round, coming on as a substitute for Zvonimir Vukić in a 1–0 away win over Shkëndija on 19 July 2011.[2] After missing the vast majority of the 2011–12 season due to mononucleosis, Ninković made his league debut in a 4–1 away victory against Rad on 31 March 2012. He recorded three more appearances until the end of the season, as the club won the league title.

On 11 August 2012, Ninković scored his first competitive goal for Partizan in a 7–0 home league victory over BSK Borča.[3] He became the club's youngest captain ever on 31 October 2012 at 17 years, 10 months and 12 days, coming on as a substitute in a 1–2 Serbian Cup loss to Borac Čačak, thus surpassing Stevan Jovetić.[4] The record was later broken by Andrija Živković.[5]

On 30 October 2013, Ninković scored a brace in a 3–0 Serbian Cup win away at Radnički Niš.[6] He also scored an 86th-minute winning goal in a 2–1 home league victory over the same opponent on 1 March 2014, before being sent off in the 88th minute of the game.[7]

On 22 July 2014, Ninković scored his first goal for Partizan in UEFA competitions, scoring an equalizer in a 3–1 away win against HB Tórshavn.[8] He made a total of 38 appearances and scored six goals in all competitions during the 2014–15 campaign.

Genoa

On 1 February 2016, Ninković was transferred to Italian club Genoa, being immediately loaned to fellow Serie A side Chievo until the end of the 2015–16 season.[9] He subsequently returned to Genoa for the 2016–17 season, making 19 appearances and scoring three goals in the process. Under coach Ivan Jurić, he was deployed as a play-making left back in a 3-4-2-1 formation.[10]

Ascoli

On 18 August 2018, Ninković signed a three-season contract with Serie B team Ascoli.[11]

Brescia

On 1 February 2021, Ninković signed with Serie B club Brescia.[12]

International career

Ninković represented Serbia at the 2011 UEFA Under-17 Championship that was hosted by his country.[13] He was also a member of the team at the 2012 UEFA Under-19 Championship that took place in Estonia.[14] In the second game of the group stage, Ninković scored directly from a corner kick in a 1–2 loss to England on 6 July 2012.[15]

On 7 September 2012, Ninković scored the equalizing goal on his under-21 debut in a 1–1 away draw with Denmark.[16] He also appeared in a 0–1 home loss to England in the UEFA Under-21 Championship 2013 qualification play-offs.[17] On 25 October 2012, alongside Ognjen Mudrinski, Ninković received a one-year ban from the Football Association of Serbia following incidents after the game with England.[18]

In late 2016, ahead of the UEFA Under-21 Championship 2017 qualification play-offs, Ninković was called up to the under-21 team for the first time after the Kruševac incident.[19]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueCupContinentalTotal
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Partizan2011–1240102070
2012–132141050274
2013–141922250264
2014–1523451101386
2015–161431080233
Total811310330112117
Chievo (loan)2015–16100010
Genoa2016–1717221193
2017–18001010
Total1723100203
Empoli (loan)2017–1820400204
2018–1931600316
2019–2031930349
Total6215306515
Career total1813416430122739

Honours

Partizan

Empoli

Torpedo Kutaisi

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Partizan osvežio vezni red svojim talentima, Ninkovićem i Markovićem . Serbian . blic.rs . 11 July 2011 . 11 July 2011.
  2. Web site: Polished Partizan prevail against Shkëndija . UEFA . 19 July 2011 . 22 July 2011.
  3. Web site: Neumoljivi Partizan sa sedam golova ispratio BSK, Stojković pogodio sa penala . Serbian . blic.rs . 11 August 2012 . 29 November 2015.
  4. Web site: Ninković nasledio Jovetića i postao najmlađi kapiten u istoriji Partizana . Serbian . blic.rs . 31 October 2012 . 13 September 2013.
  5. Web site: NAJMLAĐI KAPITEN: Andrija Živković ušao u istoriju . Serbian . kurir-info.rs . 4 March 2014 . 21 April 2014.
  6. Web site: Ninković nosio Partizan u Nišu . Serbian . b92.net . 30 October 2013 . 29 November 2015.
  7. Web site: Preokret Partizana protiv Nišlija, isključenje Ninkovića, pa slavlje crno-bele Humske! . Serbian . blic.rs . 1 March 2014 . 29 November 2015.
  8. Web site: HB no match for Partizan . UEFA . 22 July 2014 . 29 November 2015.
  9. Web site: Ninković prešao u Đenovu . Serbian . partizan.rs . 1 February 2016 . 11 February 2017.
  10. Web site: Tuttosport, la rivincita di Nikola Ninkovic. Matteo Albanese. Pianetagenoa1893.net. Italian. 20 November 2018.
  11. Web site: Ascoli Calcio, i gol nel campionato italiano del nuovo attaccante Ninkovic. Picenotime. Italian. 18 August 2018. 21 November 2018.
  12. Web site: Brescia. Nikola Ninković è un nuovo calciatore del Brescia. 1 February 2021. it.
  13. Web site: Talents to watch from U17 finals . UEFA . 16 May 2011 . 29 November 2015.
  14. Web site: Ten talents to track from Under-19 finals . UEFA . 16 July 2012 . 29 November 2015.
  15. Web site: EP: Poraz Orlića, evrogol Ninkovića . Serbian . b92.net . 6 July 2012 . 29 November 2015.
  16. Web site: Serbia secure late draw in Denmark . UEFA . 7 September 2012 . 29 November 2015.
  17. Web site: England see off Serbia to seal Israel trip . UEFA . 16 October 2012 . 29 November 2015.
  18. Web site: Ninković i Mudrinski suspendovani! . Serbian . b92.net . 25 October 2012 . 29 November 2015.
  19. Web site: Ninković dočekao novu šansu u mladoj reprezentaciji: Zna se zbog koga nisam igrao . Serbian . novosti.rs . 1 November 2016 . 11 February 2017.