Darko Kovačević

Darko Kovačević (Serbian Cyrillic: Дарко Ковачевић, pronounced [dǎːrko koʋǎːtʃeʋitɕ]; born 18 November 1973) is a Serbian former footballer who played as a forward. He began his career in Serbia with Proleter Zrenjanin and subsequently played for Red Star Belgrade, with whom he won a Yugoslav League title and two Yugoslav Cups. His prolific performances earned him a move to Premier League side Sheffield Wednesday, although his time in England was less successful. He is mainly known for his spells at Real Sociedad where his offensive partnership with Nihat Kahveci was one of the best in Spain. Kovačević also had positive spells with Italian club Juventus and Greek side Olympiacos. Internationally, he represented Yugoslavia at the 1998 FIFA World Cup and at the UEFA Euro 2000.[2][3]

Darko Kovačević
Kovačević in 2020
Personal information
Date of birth (1973-11-18) 18 November 1973
Place of birth Kovin, SFR Yugoslavia
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)[1]
Playing position(s) Striker
Youth career
Radnički Kovin
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1992–1994 Proleter Zrenjanin 57 (37)
1994–1996 Red Star Belgrade 47 (37)
1996 Sheffield Wednesday 16 (4)
1996–1999 Real Sociedad 98 (41)
1999–2001 Juventus 63 (21)
2001 Lazio 7 (0)
2001–2007 Real Sociedad 163 (51)
2007–2009 Olympiacos 60 (31)
Total 482 (222)
National team
1994–2004 Serbia and Montenegro[a] 59 (10)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Club career

Proleter and Red Star Belgrade

Beginning his career with his birth-town club FK Radnički Kovin, but was soon spotted by Zrenjanin based Serbian top league club FK Proleter Zrenjanin and it became clear, at the young age of 19, that Kovačević would become one of the country's greatest ever goalscorers. Spending two seasons with the club, Kovačević managed over a goal every other game, and was quickly snatched up by Serbian giants Red Star Belgrade. Kovačević flourished at the Belgrade club, winning a Yugoslav League title and two Yugoslav Cups, becoming one of Europe's hottest prospects and earning a call-up to the Yugoslavia national team. Netting in an astonishing 37 goals in just 47 games, Kovačević was eventually picked up by Premier League club Sheffield Wednesday in December 1995 for £2m.[2][3]

Sheffield Wednesday

Given the opportunity to showcase his skills in one of the top leagues in Europe, Kovačević initially looked good, impressive in the air, and scoring 2 goals in one game against Bolton Wanderers in a 4–2 victory that saw him likened to Les Ferdinand, but the rest of his skills failed to leave any mark with the English club. Kovačević's transfer turned out to be a disaster for Sheffield Wednesday as the striker managed only 4 goals in his lone half-season at the club. In July 2007, his move to Wednesday from Red Star was named No. 10 on The 50 worst transfers in Premier League history list by British newspaper The Times.[4]

Real Sociedad

Hoping to reach top form once again, Kovačević moved to La Liga side Real Sociedad in 1996. It was with the Spanish club that Kovačević put on some of his best performances and became one of Europe's best once again, finishing as one of the top scorers in the UEFA Cup during the 1998–99 season, with 8 goals. Larger clubs soon came calling, with Italian giants Juventus acquiring the big Serbian in the summer of 1999 for 33 billion lire (£12 million).[5][6]

Juventus and Lazio

At the Turin based club, Kovačević found goals in both the Serie A and competitions such as the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup becoming their leading European goal scorer, and the top-scorer of the UEFA Cup during the 1999–2000 season, with 10 goals; despite facing competition from the club's starting attacking partnership of Filippo Inzaghi and Alessandro Del Piero, Kovačević made a total of 44 appearances in all competitions in his first season with the club (27 in Serie A, 3 in the Coppa Italia, and 11 in European competitions), scoring 21 goals in all competitions (eight in Serie A, two in the Coppa Italia, and 11 in European competitions, one of which came in Juventus's victorious UEFA Intertoto Cup campaign, which enabled them to qualify for the UEFA Cup), including a notable brace in a 2–1 away win over rivals Inter at the San Siro stadium in Milan.[2][3][5][6] The following season, however, due to the arrival of French striker David Trezeguet, Kovačević found less space in the squad under manager Carlo Ancelotti, making 27 appearances in all competitions (20 of which came in Serie A), mostly from the bench, and scoring only six goals (five in Serie A).[3] The Juventus management felt Kovačević was underachieving and soon both parties were looking for a move out of Italy, with clubs such as Rangers willing to offer £12m for the Serbian's services.[7] In 2001 Kovačević spent a brief time with Lazio (as part-swap deal with Marcelo Salas), making only seven appearances, before moving back to Spain in the middle of the season.[3]

Kovačević with Olympiacos in 2008

Return to Real Sociedad

In 2001 Kovačević eventually returned to the club at which he found his most success, Real Sociedad. Kovačević would go on to spend 6 more seasons at the club, netting in 51 goals in his second spell with Sociedad. The 2006–07 season would be Kovačević's last season with the Spanish side, ending in the club's relegation. Alongside Jesús María Satrústegui, Kovačević is Real Sociedad's all-time top goalscorer in European club competitions, with 10 goals.[8]

Olympiacos

In 2007 Kovačević signed with Greek champions Olympiacos. Kovačević once again reached top form for the Piraeus based club, scoring 17 goals in the Greek Superleague to lead Olympiacos to the league championship, and adding 3 goals in the Champions League as the team reached as far as the Round of 16.

Kovačević scored twice in the UEFA Cup 1st round 5–0 home leg win against FC Nordsjælland.

In early 2009, he was diagnosed with a blocked artery; he successfully underwent heart surgery to improve the flow of blood to his heart.[9] His doctors have advised him that he should retire from football, and Kovacevic officially retired in May 2009, playing a final friendly match for Olympiakos to celebrate the winning of the Greek domestic double.[10] With Olympiacos, Kovačević won two Greek SuperLeague titles, two Greek Cups and a Greek Super Cup.[2][3]

International career

Kovačević made 59 appearances for the then Serbia and Montenegro. Beginning his international career in 1994, Kovačević would go on to score 10 goals and compete in both UEFA Euro 2000 and the 1998 FIFA World Cup.[11][12]

Style of play

A quick and powerful striker, with good movement, technique, and an eye for goal, Kovačević's key attributes were his strength and aerial ability.[2][3]

After retirement

After his retirement Kovačević stated that he may take another role for his former team Olympiacos. Kovačević and his children, Darko jr and Stella, who were at St. Lawrence College at the time, subsequently all returned to Spain. However, Kovačević returned to Greece as he loved the country and worked for several months as a columnist. In June 2010 the new president of Olympiakos, Evangelos Marinakis, hired Kovacevic as a Chief Scout for the club; he eventually become the sports director of Olympiacos.[13] He remained in that position until 2018. He is the current sports director of the Serbian football association.[14]

Personal life

Kovačević has three children, Mia, Darko (Jr.) and Stella.[15]

Career statistics

Club

[16]

Club Season League Cup Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Proleter Zrenjanin First League of FR Yugoslavia 1992–93 326——326
1993–94 3119——3119
Total 6325——6325
Red Star Belgrade First League of FR Yugoslavia 1994–95 3124——3124
1995–96 161320—1813
Total 473720—4937
Sheffield Wednesday Premier League 1995–96 1641000—174
Total 1641000—174
Real Sociedad La Liga 1996–97 35811——369
1997–98 331743——3720
1998–99 30161068—3724
Total 98416468—11053
Juventus Serie A 1999–00 266431411—4420
2000–01 2152041—276
Total 4711631812—7126
Lazio Serie A 2001–02 701030—110
Total 701030—110
Real Sociedad La Liga 2001–02 19800——198
2002–03 362010——3720
2003–04 3680072—4310
2004–05 30821——329
2005–06 9400——94
2006–07 33310——343
Total 163514172—17454
Olympiacos Superleague Greece 2007–08 27174483—3924
2008–09 1441162—217
Total 412155145—6031
Career total 48219023135027—555230

International
  • Includes caps for FR Yugoslavia (1994–2002) and Serbia and Montenegro (2003–2004)
National teamYearAppsGoals
FR Yugoslavia 199410
199563
199640
199740
1998111
199961
200081
200140
200273
Serbia and Montenegro
200371
200410
Total5910

International goals
  • Scores and results list FR Yugoslavia/Serbia and Montenegro's goal tally first. Score column indicates score after each Kovačević goal.[17]
#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
14 February 1995Hong Kong Stadium, So Kon Po, Hong Kong South Korea1–01–01995 Lunar New Year Cup
28 April 1995Estadio Tecnológico, Monterrey, Mexico Mexico1–04–1Friendly
32–0
429 May 1998Red Star Stadium, Belgrade, FR Yugoslavia Nigeria3–03–0
58 June 1999Toumba Stadium, Thessaloniki, Greece Malta3–14–1UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying
625 May 2000Workers' Stadium, Beijing, China China PR2–02–0Friendly
719 May 2002Central Dynamo Stadium, Moscow, Russia Russia1–11–12002 LG Cup
821 August 2002Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina2–02–0Friendly
916 October 2002Red Star Stadium, Belgrade, FR Yugoslavia Finland1–02–0UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying
1027 March 2003Mladost Stadium, Kruševac, Serbia and Montenegro Bulgaria1–11–2Friendly

Honours

Red Star Belgrade[2][18]

Juventus[2]

Olympiakos[1][2]

Individual

Notes
  1. ^
    Known as FR Yugoslavia until 4 February 2003.
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References
  1. "D. Kovačević". Soccerway. Retrieved 19 December 2015.
  2. "Happy Birthday to you!". FIFA.com. 16 November 2014. Retrieved 19 December 2015.
  3. Stefano Bedeschi (18 November 2016). "Gli eroi in bianconero: Darko KOVAČEVIĆ" (in Italian). Tutto Juve. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  4. Edgar, Bill (18 July 2007). "The 50 worst transfers". The Times. London. Retrieved 1 May 2010.
  5. "Da Baggio a Zidane, passando per Del Piero e Inzaghi: i top acquisti della Juve negli anni 90" (in Italian). www.juvenews.eu. 11 July 2017. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  6. "Darko Kovacevic". ESPN FC. 13 July 2000. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  7. Philip, Calum (5 August 2000). "Rangers set to renew pursuit of Kovacevic". The Independent. London. Retrieved 1 May 2010.
  8. "Real Sociedad de Fútbol". UEFA. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  9. Kovacevic Hospitalized for Artery Problem SI.com, 13 January 2009
  10. Crvena Zveda Zveda With Darko Kovacevic Archived 22 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine Mirosport.net, 17 January 2009
  11. Alpuin, Luis Fernando Passo; Mamrud, Roberto; Miladinovich, Misha (20 February 2009). "Serbia (Serbia (and Montenegro)) – Record International Players". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 12 March 2009.
  12. "Kovačević Darko". reprezentacija.rs (in Serbian). Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  13. "Π.Α.Ε. Ολυμπιακός - Ανακοίνωση". www.olympiacos.org.
  14. http://www.fss.rs/index.php?id=40194
  15. "Kovacevic, un Vieri serbo per la Juve Moggi deciso: «La campagna acquisti è conclusa, ora aspetto di incontrare Del Piero per la firma»". Il Tirreno (in Italian). 17 June 1999. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  16. Darko Kovačević at WorldFootball.net
  17. "Darko Kovacevic - International Appearances". RSSSF. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  18. "Darko Kovacevic". Eurosport. Retrieved 19 December 2015.
  19. Roberto Mamrud; Jarek Owsianski; Davide Rota (11 June 2015). "Fairs/UEFA Cup Topscorers". RSSSF. Retrieved 19 December 2015.
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