Zoran Milinković (footballer)

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Zoran Milinković

| image =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1968|07|18|df=y}}

| birth_place = Belgrade, SFR Yugoslavia

| height = 1.75 m

| position = Defender

| currentclub =

| youthyears1 = 1975–1977

| youthclubs1 = TEK Sloga Veliki Crljeni

| youthyears2 = 1977–1987

| youthclubs2 = Partizan

| years1 = 1987–1989

| clubs1 = Mladost Petrinja

| caps1 =

| goals1 =

| years2 = 1990

| clubs2 = Partizan

| caps2 = 2

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 1991

| clubs3 = Vojvodina

| caps3 = 10

| goals3 = 0

| years4 = 1991–1992

| clubs4 = Mogren

| caps4 = 25

| goals4 = 6

| years5 = 1992–1993

| clubs5 = Borac Banja Luka

| caps5 = 16

| goals5 = 1

| years6 = 1993–1994

| clubs6 = Radnički Niš

| caps6 = 31

| goals6 = 5

| years7 = 1994

| clubs7 = Kispest-Honvéd

| caps7 = 13

| goals7 = 1

| years8 = 1995

| clubs8 = Tosu Futures

| caps8 = 25

| goals8 = 4

| years9 = 1996

| clubs9 = Waregem

| caps9 = 13

| goals9 = 1

| years10 = 1996–1998

| clubs10 = Nice

| caps10 = 63

| goals10 = 2

| years11 = 1998–1999

| clubs11 = Hansa Rostock

| caps11 = 6

| goals11 = 0

| years12 = 1999–2001

| clubs12 = Anorthosis Famagusta

| caps12 = 40

| goals12 = 3

| years13 = 2001–2002

| clubs13 = Doxa Katokopia

| caps13 = 8

| goals13 = 0

| manageryears1 = 2004

| managerclubs1 = Obilić

| manageryears2 = 2005–2008

| managerclubs2 = BSK Borča

| manageryears3 = 2008

| managerclubs3 = Kolubara

| manageryears4 = 2009

| managerclubs4 = Srem

| manageryears5 = 2009–2010

| managerclubs5 = Spartak Subotica

| manageryears6 = 2010–2011

| managerclubs6 = Vojvodina

| manageryears7 = 2012

| managerclubs7 = Spartak Subotica

| manageryears8 = 2012–2013

| managerclubs8 = OFK Beograd

| manageryears9 = 2013

| managerclubs9 = Aris Thessaloniki

| manageryears10 = 2014–2015

| managerclubs10 = Voždovac

| manageryears11 = 2015

| managerclubs11 = Partizan

| manageryears12 = 2016

| managerclubs12 = Anorthosis

| manageryears13 = 2017

| managerclubs13 = Borac Banja Luka

| manageryears14 = 2018

| managerclubs14 = Rad

| manageryears15 = 2019–2020

| managerclubs15 = Kolubara

| manageryears16 = 2020–2021

| managerclubs16 = Kolubara

| manageryears17 = 2021

| managerclubs17 = Borac Banja Luka

| manageryears18 = 2021–2022

| managerclubs18 = Radnički 1923

| manageryears19 = 2022

| managerclubs19 = Napredak Kruševac

| manageryears20 = 2022–2023

| managerclubs20 = Al-Nasr Benghazi

| manageryears21 = 2023–2024

| managerclubs21 = Al-Ain

| manageryears22 = 2024–2025

| managerclubs22 = Al-Zulfi

}}

Zoran Milinković ({{lang-sr-Cyrl|Зоран Милинковић}}; born 18 July 1968) is a Serbian football manager and former player.

Playing career

Milinković came through the youth system of Partizan, before starting his senior career at lower league club Mladost Petrinja. He returned to Partizan and made two league appearances during the first part of the 1990–91 season, before moving to Vojvodina. Milinković also played for Mogren, Borac Banja Luka, Radnički Niš, Kispest-Honvéd, Tosu Futures, Waregem, Nice, Hansa Rostock, Anorthosis Famagusta and Doxa Katokopia.

Managerial career

Milinković started his managerial career as an assistant manager to Ratko Dostanić at Obilić during the 2002–03 season, before they both left and took up identical roles at Sartid Smederevo ahead of the 2003–04 season. He was appointed as the manager of Obilić in August 2004,{{Cite web | url=https://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/01a0-0f84577e50ea-afc815009a43-1000--bozovic-bows-out-at-obilic/ | title=Bozovic bows out at Obilic | publisher=UEFA | date=8 August 2004 | access-date=29 March 2015}} but was released after only two months.{{Cite web | url=http://www.b92.net/sport/fudbal/vesti.php?yyyy=2004&mm=10&dd=23&nav_id=154032 | title=Milinković napustio Obilić | language=sr | publisher=b92.net | date=23 October 2004 | access-date=29 March 2015}} He then became the manager of BSK Borča, having a lot of success in the following three seasons. He left the club before they made their Serbian SuperLiga debut. After leaving BSK Borča, Milinković had unassuming brief spells at Kolubara and Srem.[http://mondo.rs/a134145/Sport/Fudbal/PLS-Srem-brzo-nasao-novog-trenera.html PLS: Srem brzo našao novog trenera]

In the summer of 2009, he was appointed manager of newly promoted SuperLiga club Spartak Subotica. He also worked at Vojvodina, OFK Beograd, Aris Thessaloniki and Voždovac.

=Partizan=

On 25 March 2015, Milinković was named manager of FK Partizan after Marko Nikolić was sacked.[https://web.archive.org/web/20160307165204/http://uk.reuters.com/article/soccer-serbia-partizan-milinkovic-idUKL3N0WR48M20150325 Soccer-Partizan name Milinkovic as coach to replace Nikolic] On 4 April 2015, he made his debut on the bench of Partizan in a 2–1 home win against Radnički Kragujevac. In the spring part of the 2014–15 season, Milinković has returned the title of champion of Serbia to Partizan, which was last season won by Red Star Belgrade. Milinković enrolled 7 wins with Partizan in the Serbian SuperLiga in the spring part of the 2014–15 season and three draws, while in the Serbian Cup he enrolled one win and one defeat.

He began the 2015–16 season in a win over Dila Gori in the second qualifying round for the UEFA Champions League on 14 July 2015. In the Serbian SuperLiga he also had a great start, defeating Metalac Gornji Milanovac 4–0, while in the second round Partizan won against Jagodina 6–0. On 5 August 2015, Milinković and his squad won against Romanian champions Steaua București in the second leg of the third qualifying round for the Champions League and so qualified Partizan to the Champions League qualifying play-off. The last time that Partizan qualified to the Champions League play-off was when it was led by Aleksandar Stanojević in the summer of 2010.

On 26 August 2015, Milinković's Partizan was defeated by BATE Borisov and as a result entered the group stage of the UEFA Europa League.

=Al-Ain=

On 9 November 2023, Milinković was appointed as head coach of Saudi club Al-Ain.{{cite web |title=إدارة نادي #العين تنهي إجراءات التعاقد مع المدرب الصربي زوران ميلينكوفيتش |url=https://twitter.com/alain_ksa/status/1722638216438640671}}

=Al-Zulfi=

On 3 June 2024, Milinković was appointed as head coach of Saudi club Al-Zulfi.{{cite web |title=الصربي زوران ميلينكوفيتش مديراً فنياً للفريق الأول لكرة القدم للموسم الرياضي القادم 2024_2025 |url=https://x.com/club_zulfi/status/1797635492282044677}} He was sacked on 5 March 2025.{{cite web |title=قررت إدارة النادي إنهاء العلاقة التعاقدية مع مدرب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم المدرب / زوران ميلينكوفيتش |url=https://x.com/club_zulfi/status/1897325103656132743}}