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Darko Kovačević

{{short description|Serbian footballer (born 1973)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2017}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Darko Kovačević

| image = Chelsea Olympiakos CL07-08 04 - Darko Kovačević (cropped).jpg

| caption = Kovačević with Olympiacos in 2008

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1973|11|18}}

| birth_place = Kovin, SR Serbia, Yugoslavia

| height = 1.87m

| position = Striker

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Radnički Kovin

| years1 = 1992–1994

| clubs1 = Proleter Zrenjanin

| caps1 = 63

| goals1 = 25

| years2 = 1994–1995

| clubs2 = Red Star Belgrade

| caps2 = 47

| goals2 = 37

| years3 = 1995–1996

| clubs3 = Sheffield Wednesday

| caps3 = 16

| goals3 = 4

| years4 = 1996–1999

| clubs4 = Real Sociedad

| caps4 = 98

| goals4 = 41

| years5 = 1999–2001

| clubs5 = Juventus

| caps5 = 47

| goals5 = 11

| years6 = 2001

| clubs6 = Lazio

| caps6 = 7

| goals6 = 0

| years7 = 2001–2007

| clubs7 = Real Sociedad

| caps7 = 163

| goals7 = 51

| years8 = 2007–2009

| clubs8 = Olympiacos

| caps8 = 41

| goals8 = 21

| totalcaps = 482

| totalgoals = 190

| nationalyears1 = 1994–2004

| nationalteam1 = Serbia and Montenegro{{Cref2|a}}

| nationalcaps1 = 59

| nationalgoals1 = 10

}}

Darko Kovačević ({{lang-sr-Cyrl|Дарко Ковачевић}}; born 18 November 1973) is a Serbian former professional footballer who played as a forward.

Kovačević began his career in his native country 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, Kovačević represented Yugoslavia at the 1998 FIFA World Cup and at the UEFA Euro 2000.

Club career

=Proleter and Red Star Belgrade=

Beginning his career with his hometown club Radnički Kovin, he was soon spotted by Zrenjanin-based top league club Proleter Zrenjanin. Spending two seasons with the club, Kovačević managed over a goal every other game, was signed by Serbian giants Red Star Belgrade. Kovačević won a Yugoslav League title and two Yugoslav Cups, earning a call-up to the Yugoslavia national team.

=Sheffield Wednesday=

Kovačević was then signed by Premier League club Sheffield Wednesday in December 1995, valued at £2.5m in a joint £4.5m transfer also involving Dejan Stefanovic. Kovačević's notable goals for The Owls were two against Bolton Wanderers at Hillsborough and an important finish versus Liverpool, also at home.

Kovačević played the remainder of the 1995/96 season, but his failure to adapt and settle into the UK way of life prompted a bid of £2.5m from Real Sociedad to be accepted. A sell-on clause in the transfer agreement ensured Sheffield Wednesday received a further £2.0m (taking the transfer to £4.5m) when Real Sociedad later sold him to Juventus.

=Real Sociedad=

Kovačević moved to La Liga side Real Sociedad in 1996. Larger clubs soon came calling, with Italian giants Juventus acquiring the big Serbian in the summer of 1999 for 33 billion lire (£12 million).{{cite web|url=http://www.juvenews.eu/notizie-juve/da-baggio-a-zidane-passando-per-del-piero-e-inzaghi-i-top-acquisti-della-juve-negli-anni-90/10/|title=Da Baggio a Zidane, passando per Del Piero e Inzaghi: i top acquisti della Juve negli anni 90|publisher=www.juvenews.eu|language=it|date=11 July 2017|access-date=11 July 2017|archive-date=14 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170714034425/http://www.juvenews.eu/notizie-juve/da-baggio-a-zidane-passando-per-del-piero-e-inzaghi-i-top-acquisti-della-juve-negli-anni-90/10/|url-status=dead}}

=Juventus and Lazio=

File:Juventus FC (1999) - Luciano Moggi, Darko Kovačević.jpg upon signing with Juventus in 1999]]

At Juventus, 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).{{cite web|url=http://www.espnfc.com/euro2000/yugoslavia/player/Kovacevic.html|title=Darko Kovacevic|publisher=ESPN FC|date=13 July 2000|access-date=11 July 2017}}

The following season, 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). 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 his transfer.{{cite news| url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/scottish/rangers-set-to-renew-pursuit-of-kovacevic-696633.html | work=The Independent | location=London | title=Rangers set to renew pursuit of Kovacevic | first=Calum | last=Philip | date=5 August 2000 | access-date=1 May 2010}} 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.

=Return to Real Sociedad=

In 2001, Kovačević returned to Real Sociedad, where he spent six more seasons at the club, netting 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.{{cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/nationalassociations/teams/50123--real-sociedad/|title=Real Sociedad de Fútbol|publisher=UEFA|access-date=11 July 2017}}

Kovačević scored 107 goals in his stages with Real Sociedad in nine seasons, with a total average of between eleven and twelve goals per season. They are only surpassed by Jesús María Satrústegui and López Ufarte in the txuri-urdin team. He is the most efficient foreigner that Real Sociedad has had in all its years of existence.{{cite web|url=https://www.realsociedad.eus/en/historical-file/player/93|title=Kovacevic goal contributions at the Anoeta Stadium|publisher=Real Sociedad.Eus|language=en|date=3 Nov 2019|accessdate=22 Nov 2022}}

=Olympiacos=

In 2007, Kovačević signed with Greek champions Olympiacos. In early 2009, he was diagnosed with a blocked artery; he successfully underwent heart surgery to improve the flow of blood to his heart.[http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/olympics/wires/01/13/2080.ap.soc.olympiakos.kovacevic.hospitalized.1st.ld.writethru.0130/index.html Kovacevic Hospitalized for Artery Problem]{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} SI.com, 13 January 2009 His doctors advised to retire from football, and Kovačević officially retired in May 2009, playing a final friendly match for Olympiacos to celebrate the winning of the Greek domestic double.[http://www.mirosport.net/2009/soccer/2543/crvena-zvezda-zvezda-with-darko-kovacevic/ Crvena Zveda Zveda With Darko Kovacevic] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090222053644/http://www.mirosport.net/2009/soccer/2543/crvena-zvezda-zvezda-with-darko-kovacevic/ |date=22 February 2009 }} Mirosport.net, 17 January 2009 With Olympiacos, Kovačević won two Greek SuperLeague titles, two Greek Cups and a Greek Super Cup.

International career

On the national level, Kovačević made his debut for Serbia and Montenegro in a December 1994 friendly match away against Argentina, coming on as a 74th-minute substitute for Predrag Mijatović, and earned a total of 59 caps, scoring 10 goals.{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/joeg-recintlp.html|title=Serbia (Serbia (and Montenegro)) – Record International Players|first1=Luis Fernando Passo|last1=Alpuin|first2 =Roberto|last2=Mamrud|first3=Misha|last3=Miladinovich|publisher=Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation|date=20 February 2009|access-date=12 March 2009}} He would go on to compete in both UEFA Euro 2000 and the 1998 FIFA World Cup.{{cite web|url=http://reprezentacija.rs/index.php/statistika/najvise-utakmica/1192|title= Kovačević Darko |access-date=3 October 2017|website=reprezentacija.rs|language=sr}} His final international was a March 2004 friendly against Norway.{{cite web|url=https://eu-football.info/_player.php?id=11171|title=Darko Kovačević, international football player|access-date=12 October 2024|website=EU-football.info}}

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.{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/news/y=2014/m=11/news=happy-birthday-to-you-2475131.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222114032/http://www.fifa.com/news/y=2014/m=11/news=happy-birthday-to-you-2475131.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=22 December 2015|title=Happy Birthday to you!|publisher=FIFA.com|date=16 November 2014|access-date=19 December 2015}}{{cite web|url=https://www.tuttojuve.com/gli-eroi-bianconeri/gli-eroi-in-bianconero-darko-kovaevi-344284|title=Gli eroi in bianconero: Darko KOVAČEVIĆ|publisher=Tutto Juve|language=it|author1=Stefano Bedeschi|date=18 November 2016|access-date=11 July 2017}}

After retirement

After his retirement, Kovačević stated that he may take another role at his former team Olympiacos. Kovačević and his family subsequently 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 Olympiacos, Evangelos Marinakis, hired Kovačević as a chief scout; he eventually become the sports director for the club.{{cite web|url=http://www.olympiacos.org/article/23401/pae-olympiakos-anakoinosi|title=Π.Α.Ε. Ολυμπιακός - Ανακοίνωση|date=16 May 2013|publisher=www.olympiacos.org}} He remained in that position until 2018. He is the current sports director of the Serbian Football Association.{{Cite web|url=http://www.fss.rs/index.php?id=40194|title=Фудбалски савез Србије}}

Personal life

Kovačević has three children, Mia, Darko (Jr.) and Stella.{{cite news |url=https://ricerca.gelocal.it/iltirreno/archivio/iltirreno/1999/06/17/LS401.html |title=Kovacevic, un Vieri serbo per la Juve Moggi deciso: "La campagna acquisti è conclusa, ora aspetto di incontrare Del Piero per la firma" |work=Il Tirreno |language=it |date=17 June 1999 |access-date=24 January 2020 }}{{Dead link|date=January 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

Career statistics

=Club=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition{{WorldFootball.net|darko-kovacevic}}

rowspan="2"|Club

!rowspan="2"|Season

!colspan="3"|League

!colspan="2"|Cup

!colspan="2"|Continental

!colspan="2"|Other

!colspan="2"|Total

DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
rowspan="3"|Proleter Zrenjanin

|1992–93

|rowspan="2"|First League of FR Yugoslavia

|32

6colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—326
1993–94

|31

19colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—3119
colspan="2"|Total

!63

25colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—6325
rowspan="3"|Red Star Belgrade

|1994–95

|rowspan="2"|First League of FR Yugoslavia

|31

24colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—3124
1995–96

|16

1320colspan="2"|—1813
colspan="2"|Total

!47

3720colspan="2"|—4937
Sheffield Wednesday

|1995–96

|Premier League

|16

41000colspan="2"|—174
rowspan="4"|Real Sociedad

|1996–97

|rowspan="3"|La Liga

|35

811colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—369
1997–98

|33

1743colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—3720
1998–99

|30

161068colspan="2"|—3724
colspan="2"|Total

!98

416468colspan="2"|—11053
rowspan="3"|Juventus

|1999–2000

|rowspan="2"|Serie A

|26

6431411colspan="2"|—4420
2000–01

|21

52041colspan="2"|—276
colspan="2"|Total

!47

11631812colspan="2"|—7126
Lazio

|2001–02

|Serie A

|7

01030colspan="2"|—110
rowspan="7"|Real Sociedad

|2001–02

|rowspan="6"|La Liga

|19

800colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—198
2002–03

|36

2010colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—3720
2003–04

|36

80072colspan="2"|—4310
2004–05

|30

821colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—329
2005–06

|9

400colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—94
2006–07

|33

310colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—343
colspan="2"|Total

!163

514172colspan="2"|—17454
rowspan="3"|Olympiacos

|2007–08

|rowspan="2"|Super League Greece

|27

174483colspan="2"|—3924
2008–09

|14

41162colspan="2"|—217
colspan="2"|Total

!41

2155145colspan="2"|—6031
colspan="3"|Career total

!482

19023135027colspan="2"|—555230

=International=

  • Includes caps for FR Yugoslavia (1994–2002) and Serbia and Montenegro (2003–2004)

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year

National teamYearAppsGoals
rowspan="9"|FR Yugoslavia

|1994

10
199563
199640
199740
1998111
199961
200081
200140
200273
rowspan="3"|Serbia and Montenegro
200371
200410
colspan="2"|Total5910

:Scores and results list FR Yugoslavia/Serbia and Montenegro's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Kovačević goal.{{cite web|title=Darko Kovacevic - International Appearances|url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/dkovacevic-intl.html|website=RSSSF|access-date=10 August 2018}}

class="wikitable sortable"

|+ List of international goals scored by Darko Kovačević

scope="col"|No.

!scope="col"|Date

!scope="col"|Venue

!scope="col"|Opponent

!scope="col"|Score

!scope="col"|Result

!scope="col"|Competition

align="center"|14 February 1995Hong Kong Stadium, So Kon Po, Hong Kong{{fb|KOR}}align="center"|1–0align="center"|1–01995 Lunar New Year Cup
align="center"|2rowspan="2"| 8 April 1995rowspan="2"| Estadio Tecnológico, Monterrey, Mexicorowspan="2"| {{fb|MEX}}align="center"|1–0rowspan="2" align="center"|4–1rowspan="3"| Friendly
align="center"|3align="center"|2–0
align="center"|429 May 1998Red Star Stadium, Belgrade, FR Yugoslavia{{fb|NGR}}align="center"|3–0align="center"|3–0
align="center"|58 June 1999Toumba Stadium, Thessaloniki, Greece{{fb|MLT}}align="center"|3–1align="center"|4–1UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying
align="center"|625 May 2000Workers' Stadium, Beijing, China{{fb|CHN}}align="center"|2–0align="center"|2–0Friendly
align="center"|719 May 2002Central Dynamo Stadium, Moscow, Russia{{fb|RUS}}align="center"|1–1align="center"|1–12002 LG Cup
align="center"|821 August 2002Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina{{fb|BIH}}align="center"|2–0align="center"|2–0Friendly
align="center"|916 October 2002Red Star Stadium, Belgrade, FR Yugoslavia{{fb|FIN}}align="center"|1–0align="center"|2–0UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying
align="center"|1027 March 2003Mladost Stadium, Kruševac, Serbia and Montenegro{{fb|BUL}}align="center"|1–1align="center"|1–2Friendly

Honours

Red Star Belgrade{{cite web|url=http://au.eurosport.com/football/darko-kovacevic_prs137/person.shtml|title=Darko Kovacevic|publisher=Eurosport|access-date=19 December 2015}}

Juventus

Olympiacos{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/darko-kovacevic/3643/|title=D. Kovačević|publisher=Soccerway|access-date=19 December 2015}}

Individual

Notes

{{Cnote2 Begin|liststyle=upper-alpha}}

{{Cnote2|a|Known as FR Yugoslavia until 4 February 2003.}}

{{Cnote2 end}}

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

{{Commons category}}

  • {{FIFA player|158767}}
  • {{NFT player|5839}}
  • {{Reprezentacija|kovacevic-darko}}
  • {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090120020142/http://www.gate7.tv/browse-Darko_Kovacevic-videos-1-date.html |title=Gate7 Tribute }}

{{UEFA Europa League top scorers}}

{{Navboxes colour

| title = FR Yugoslavia squads

| bg = #00338D

| fg = white

| bordercolor = red

| list1 =

{{Yugoslavia Squad 1998 World Cup}}

{{Yugoslavia Squad 2000 UEFA Euro}}

}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kovacevic, Darko}}

Category:1973 births

Category:Living people

Category:People from Kovin

Category:Footballers from South Banat District

Category:Men's association football forwards

Category:Serbia and Montenegro men's footballers

Category:Serbia and Montenegro men's international footballers

Category:1998 FIFA World Cup players

Category:UEFA Euro 2000 players

Category:Serbian men's footballers

Category:FK Proleter Zrenjanin players

Category:Red Star Belgrade footballers

Category:Sheffield Wednesday F.C. players

Category:Real Sociedad footballers

Category:Juventus FC players

Category:SS Lazio players

Category:Olympiacos F.C. players

Category:First League of Serbia and Montenegro players

Category:Premier League players

Category:La Liga players

Category:Serie A players

Category:Super League Greece players

Category:Serbia and Montenegro expatriate men's footballers

Category:Expatriate men's footballers in England

Category:Serbia and Montenegro expatriate sportspeople in England

Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Spain

Category:Serbia and Montenegro expatriate sportspeople in Spain

Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Italy

Category:Serbia and Montenegro expatriate sportspeople in Italy

Category:Serbian expatriate men's footballers

Category:Serbian expatriate sportspeople in Spain

Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Greece

Category:Serbian expatriate sportspeople in Greece

Category:People named in the Panama Papers