Nikola Ninković

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Nikola Ninković

| image =

| full_name =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1994|12|19|df=y}}

| birth_place = Bogatić, FR Yugoslavia

| height = 1.82 m

| position = Attacking midfielder

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Partizan

| years1 = 2011–2016

| clubs1 = Partizan

| caps1 = 81

| goals1 = 13

| years2 = 2016–2018

| clubs2 = Genoa

| caps2 = 17

| goals2 = 2

| years3 = 2016

| clubs3 = → Chievo (loan)

| caps3 = 1

| goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2017–2018

| clubs4 = → Empoli (loan)

| caps4 = 20

| goals4 = 4

| 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 = 2023–2024

| clubs9 = Torpedo Kutaisi

| caps9 = 37

| goals9 = 10

| nationalyears1 = 2011

| nationalteam1 = Serbia U17{{Efn|name=UEFA|Only official UEFA matches included}}

| nationalcaps1 = 2

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalyears2 = 2012

| nationalteam2 = Serbia U19{{Efn|name=UEFA}}

| nationalcaps2 = 5

| nationalgoals2 = 3

| nationalyears3 = 2012–2016

| nationalteam3 = Serbia U21

| nationalcaps3 = 4

| nationalgoals3 = 1

| club-update = 11 December 2024

| nationalteam-update =

}}

Nikola Ninković ({{lang-sr-Cyrl|Никола Нинковић}}; born 19 December 1994) is a Serbian professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder.

Club career

=Partizan=

On 11 July 2011, alongside Lazar Marković, Ninković signed his first professional contract with Partizan, on a five-year deal.{{Cite web | url=http://sport.blic.rs/Fudbal/Domaci-fudbal/200111/Partizan-osvezio-vezni-red-svojim-talentima-Ninkovicem-i-Markovicem | title=Partizan osvežio vezni red svojim talentima, Ninkovićem i Markovićem | language=Serbian | publisher=blic.rs | date=11 July 2011 | accessdate=11 July 2011}} 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.{{Cite web | url=https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/match/2007511--shkendija-vs-partizan/ | title=Polished Partizan prevail against Shkëndija | publisher=UEFA | date=19 July 2011 | access-date=22 July 2011}} 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.{{Cite web | url=http://sport.blic.rs/Fudbal/Domaci-fudbal/218819/Neumoljivi-Partizan-sa-sedam-golova-ispratio-BSK-Stojkovic-pogodio-sa-penala | title=Neumoljivi Partizan sa sedam golova ispratio BSK, Stojković pogodio sa penala | language=Serbian | publisher=blic.rs | date=11 August 2012 | accessdate=29 November 2015}} 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.{{Cite web | url=http://sport.blic.rs/Fudbal/Domaci-fudbal/222789/Ninkovic-nasledio-Jovetica-i-postao-najmladji-kapiten-u-istoriji-Partizana | title=Ninković nasledio Jovetića i postao najmlađi kapiten u istoriji Partizana | language=Serbian | publisher=blic.rs | date=31 October 2012 | accessdate=13 September 2013}} The record was later broken by Andrija Živković.{{cite web | url=http://www.kurir-info.rs/najmladi-kapiten-andrija-zivkovic-usao-u-istoriju-clanak-1256073 | title=NAJMLAĐI KAPITEN: Andrija Živković ušao u istoriju | language=Serbian | publisher=kurir-info.rs | date=4 March 2014 | accessdate=21 April 2014}}

On 30 October 2013, Ninković scored a brace in a 3–0 Serbian Cup win away at Radnički Niš.{{Cite web | url=http://www.b92.net/sport/fudbal/vesti.php?yyyy=2013&mm=10&dd=30&nav_id=771587 | title=Ninković nosio Partizan u Nišu | language=Serbian | publisher=b92.net | date=30 October 2013 | accessdate=29 November 2015}} 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.{{Cite web | url=http://sport.blic.rs/Fudbal/Domaci-fudbal/248702/Preokret-Partizana-protiv-Nislija-iskljucenje-Ninkovica-pa-slavlje-crnobele-Humske | title=Preokret Partizana protiv Nišlija, isključenje Ninkovića, pa slavlje crno-bele Humske! | language=Serbian | publisher=blic.rs | date=1 March 2014 | accessdate=29 November 2015}}

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.{{Cite web | url=https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/025a-0ea7a1bb014e-ccc7cf35cac8-1000--hb-no-match-for-partizan/ | title=HB no match for Partizan | publisher=UEFA | date=22 July 2014 | access-date=29 November 2015}} 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.{{Cite web | url=http://www.sr.partizan.rs/131054-ninkovic-presao-u-denovu/ | title=Ninković prešao u Đenovu | language=Serbian | publisher=partizan.rs | date=1 February 2016 | accessdate=11 February 2017}} 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.{{cite web|url=https://www.pianetagenoa1893.net/rassegna-stampa/tuttosport-la-rivincita-di-nikola-ninkovic/|author=Matteo Albanese|work=Pianetagenoa1893.net|title=Tuttosport, la rivincita di Nikola Ninkovic|language=Italian|date=20 November 2018}}

=Ascoli=

On 18 August 2018, Ninković signed a three-season contract with Serie B team Ascoli.{{cite web|url=http://www.picenotime.it/articoli/33475.html|work=Picenotime|title=Ascoli Calcio, i gol nel campionato italiano del nuovo attaccante Ninkovic|language=Italian|date=18 August 2018|accessdate=21 November 2018}}

== Brescia ==

On 1 February 2021, Ninković signed with Serie B club Brescia.{{Cite web|publisher=Brescia|url=https://www.bresciacalcio.it/news/ultime-news/13186/nikola-ninkovi-e-un-nuovo-calciatore-del-brescia|title=Nikola Ninković è un nuovo calciatore del Brescia|date=1 February 2021|language=it}}

International career

Ninković represented Serbia at the 2011 UEFA Under-17 Championship that was hosted by his country.{{Cite web | url=https://www.uefa.com/under17/news/0252-0cdd8db05890-8e3befb65f1f-1000--talents-to-watch-from-u17-finals/ | title=Talents to watch from U17 finals | publisher=UEFA | date=16 May 2011 | access-date=29 November 2015}} He was also a member of the team at the 2012 UEFA Under-19 Championship that took place in Estonia.{{Cite web | url=https://www.uefa.com/under19/news/0252-0ce435629652-11c2f85ec1be-1000--ten-talents-to-track-from-under-19-finals/ | title=Ten talents to track from Under-19 finals | publisher=UEFA | date=16 July 2012 | access-date=29 November 2015}} 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.{{Cite web | url=http://www.b92.net/sport/fudbal/vesti.php?yyyy=2012&mm=07&dd=06&nav_id=624412 | title=EP: Poraz Orlića, evrogol Ninkovića | language=Serbian | publisher=b92.net | date=6 July 2012 | accessdate=29 November 2015}}

On 7 September 2012, Ninković scored the equalizing goal on his under-21 debut in a 1–1 away draw with Denmark.{{Cite web | url=https://www.uefa.com/under21/match/2006860--denmark-vs-serbia/ | title=Serbia secure late draw in Denmark | publisher=UEFA | date=7 September 2012 | access-date=29 November 2015}} He also appeared in a 0–1 home loss to England in the UEFA Under-21 Championship 2013 qualification play-offs.{{Cite web | url=https://www.uefa.com/under21/match/2010667--serbia-vs-england/ | title=England see off Serbia to seal Israel trip | publisher=UEFA | date=16 October 2012 | access-date=29 November 2015}} 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.{{Cite web | url=http://www.b92.net/sport/fudbal/vesti.php?yyyy=2012&mm=10&dd=25&nav_id=654871 | title=Ninković i Mudrinski suspendovani! | language=Serbian | publisher=b92.net | date=25 October 2012 | accessdate=29 November 2015}}

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.{{Cite web | url=http://www.novosti.rs/vesti/sport.294.html:633022- | title=Ninković dočekao novu šansu u mladoj reprezentaciji: Zna se zbog koga nisam igrao | language=Serbian | publisher=novosti.rs | date=1 November 2016 | accessdate=11 February 2017}}

Career statistics

rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !colspan="2"\|League !colspan="2"\|Cup !colspan="2"\|Continental !colspan="2"\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" \|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
rowspan="6"\|Partizan \|2011–12 \|4	0	1	0	2	0	7	0
2012–13 \|21	4	1	0	5	0	27	4
2013–14 \|19	2	2	2	5	0	26	4
2014–15 \|23	4	5	1	10	1	38	6
2015–16 \|14	3	1	0	8	0	23	3
Total !81	13	10	3	30	1	121	17
Chievo (loan) \|2015–16 \|1	0	0	0	colspan="2"\|—	1	0
rowspan="3"\|Genoa \|2016–17 \|17	2	2	1	colspan="2"\|—	19	3
2017–18 \|0	0	1	0	colspan="2"\|—	1	0
\|Total !17	2	3	1	0	0	20	3
Empoli (loan) \|2017–18 \|20	4	0	0	colspan="2"\|—	20	4
rowspan="3"\|Ascoli \|2018–19 \|31	6	0	0	colspan="2"\|—	31	6
2019–20 \|31	9	3	0	colspan="2"\|—	34	9
\|Total !62	15	3	0	colspan="2"\|—	65	15
colspan="2"\|Career total !181	34	16	4	30	1	227	39