Predrag Stanković

Predrag Stanković (Serbian Cyrillic: Пpeдpaг Cтaнкoвић; born 17 September 1968 in Leskovac, Jablanica District) is a Serbian retired footballer who played as a central defender.

Predrag Stanković
Personal information
Full name Predrag Stanković
Date of birth (1968-09-17) 17 September 1968
Place of birth Leskovac, Yugoslavia
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing position(s) Centre back
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1988–1991 OFK Beograd 73 (7)
1991–1994 Zemun
1994–1996 Red Star
1997–2000 Hércules 75 (5)
2000 Mérida 0 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Football career

In his country, Stanković played for OFK Beograd, FK Zemun and Red Star Belgrade. At age 28, in January 1997, he moved abroad, signing with Spanish side Hércules CF.

On 5 January, Stanković made his La Liga debut in a home match against Sporting de Gijón (1–1),[1] and managed to appear regularly until the end of the season as his team was eventually relegated. He shared teams with compatriot Josip Višnjić during his spell in Alicante.

In 1999, Stanković and Hércules suffered another relegation, now to the third division. He then signed with CP Mérida but the club folded soon after, immerse in a deep financial crisis, and the player retired at 32.

Drug scandal

After retiring, Stanković settled in Spain and became a player's agent. In February 2009 he, alongside Rayo Vallecano footballer Carlos de la Vega, was arrested in connection with an anti-drug operation in Madrid.[2] He was condemned to nine years in 2014 (confirmation in 2015) alongside fellow footballer Txutxi – as five other people received sentences that ranged from four to 12 years, with de la Vega being one of two persons acquitted – for smuggling 950 kg of cocaine into the country.[3][4]

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References
  1. La falta de puntería pasa factura al Hércules (Hércules rues inefficiency); Mundo Deportivo, 6 January 1997 (in Spanish)
  2. El jugador del Rayo Carlos de la Vega a prisión por tráfico de drogas (Rayo Vallecano player Carlos de la Vega in jail for drug traffic); La Razón, 18 September 2009 (in Spanish)
  3. Stankoviću devet godina zatvora (Nine years in prison for Stanković); B92, 14 March 2014 (in Serbian)
  4. Nueve años de cárcel por narcotráfico a Stankovic y a Txutxi (Nine years in prison for Stankovic and Txutxi for drug traffic); Marca, 9 February 2015 (in Spanish)
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