The Serbian Connection

Source Wikipedia

Serbia is famous for its rich history and Roman roots, medieval monasteries, breathtaking nature, the capital Belgrade's electric nightlife and Novi Sad music festival, its hospitality and cuisine (including ćevapi and pljeskavica) and for being the raspberry capital.

It has produced characters such as scientific genius Nikola Tesla, mathematician Milutin Milanković, physicist Mihajlo Pupin, artist Marina Abramović, novelist Ivo Andrić, filmaker Emir Kusturica and many more of Serbian descent (including Karl Malden, Peter Bogdanovich, Rade Šerbedžija and Milla Jovovich).

In sport it is famous for its basketball tradition (including legends Vlade Divac and Nikola Jokić), tennis (Novak Djokovic and Ana Ivanovic), volleyball (Nikola and Vladimir Grbić), waterpolo (Igor Miljković and Aleksandar Šapić), handball (Svetlana Dašić-Kitić and Dragan Škrbić) but also for its football. Serbia have produced hundreds of great players but so far have not come together to make up a top competitive national side.

Serbia were obviously once part of Yugoslavia. After the war and break up in 1992 Serbia played their first game as an independent nation in 1994 and were limited by international sanctions. Between 2003 and 2006 they played as Serbia and Montenegro and then just as Serbia.

Serbia have taken part in six World Cups; as Yugoslavia (1930, 1932), as FR Yugoslavia /Serbia and Montenegro (1998) and as Serbia (2010, 2018 and 2022). They finished 4th in 1930, reached the Round of 16 in 1998 while as Serbia they have always gone out in the group stage. The Slavs have also participated in four European Championships ;as Jugoslavia (runners -up both in 1960 and 1968), as FR Yugoslavia (quarter-finals in 2000) and as Serbia group stage 2024).

The White Eagles are currently ranked 39th by FIFA and play at the iconic Marakana in Belgrade.

At club level the most winning teams are: Red Star Belgrade (Crvena zvezda) with 36 league titles, FK Parizan Belgrade with 27, Beograd 5 and FC Vojvodina 2. Red Star Belgrade have also won a UEFA Champions League in 1991 (Olympique Marseille on penalties) and an Intercontinental Cup in 1991 (Colo-Colo 3-0) while Partizan reached the European Cup final in 1966 (Real Madrid 1-2).

Serbia have had many great players including; Dragoslav Sekularac, Todor Veselinovic, Milutin Soksic, Dragan Džajić, Milan Galic, Slobodan Komljenovic, Dragan Stojković, Predrag Mijatović, Vladimir Beara, Nemanja Vidić, Vladimir Jugovic, Sinisa Mihajlovic, Dejan Stanković, Savo Milošević, Aleksandar Kolarov, Branislav Ivanovic to present day Dušan Tadić, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Nemanja Matić and Dušan Vlahovic. A special mention also for Vujadin Boškov, the coach who was in Italy for many years and won a Scudetto with Sampdoria (1991).

The top five most capped players are; Dušan Tadić (111), Aleksandar Mitrović (106), Branislav Ivanović (105), Dejan Stanković (103) and Savo Milošević (102).

The top five goal scorers are; Aleksandar Mitrović (64), Savo Milošević (37), Predrag Mijatović (26), Dušan Tadić (23) and Nikola Žigić (20).

Many of these have played in Italy and some with Lazio.

Milorad Nikolić - forward, in 1945 he had trials with Lazio and Roma. He played a few friendlies for Lazio and even scored but then signed for Lausanne and then went to the States. He earned 3 caps for Yugoslavia.

Aleksandar Arangelovic - forward, he passed through the Lazio world in July 1948 when he had a trial at Lazio. He did well but was not signed due to bureaucratic problems and therefore stayed at Padova and later played for Roma, Novara, RC Paris and Atlético Madrid.

Vladimir Jugović - midfielder, he arrived at Lazio in 1997 and stayed one season. He won a Coppa Italia. He previously played for Red Star Belgrade (2 league titles, a Champions League and Intercontinental Cup), Sampdoria (a Coppa Italia) and Juventus (a Scudetto, Supercoppa, Intercontinental Cup and UEFA Super Cup). He left for Atlético Madrid, Inter, Monaco (League Cup), Admira Wacker and LR Ahlen.

He earned 41 caps with 3 goals for Yugoslavia.

At Lazio he played 42 games with 6 goals. He was a great success, a dynamic, hard working, skilful box to box midfielder. He had a great impact and it was a pity he only stayed one season.

Dejan Stanković - midfielder, he arrived at Lazio in 1998 and stayed until January 2004. He won a Scudetto, a Coppa Italia, the Supercoppa twice, the Cup Winners Cup and UEFA Super Cup). He arrived from Red Star Belgrade (a league title and 3 domestic cups) and left for Inter (the Scudetto 5 times, the Coppa Italia 4 times, the Supercoppa 3 times, a Champions League and a World 

Cup for Clubs). He is now a manager.

He earned 39 caps for Yugoslavia with 9 goals, 22 caps for Serbia and Montenegro with 4 goals and 42 caps for Serbia with 3 goals

He played 208 games for Lazio with 34 goals. He was a strong versatile midfielder with an excellent shot. He was with Lazio during the glory years and then continued to win at Inter.

Siniša Mihajlović - defender, he arrived at Lazio in 1998 and stayed until 2004. He won a Scudetto, the Coppa Italia twice, the Supercoppa twice, a Cup Winners Cup and a UEFA Super Cup. He previously played for Vojvodina (a league title), Red Star Belgrade (2 league titles, a European Cup and Intercontinental Cup), Roma, Sampdoria. He left Lazio for Inter (a Scudetto, the Coppa Italia twice and a Supercoppa). He then became a manager (including Bologna, Fiorentina, Sampdoria, Milan and Torino).

Source Wikipedia

He earned 62 caps for Yugoslavia with 10 goals and 1 for Serbia and Montenegro.

At Lazio he played 193 games with 33 goals. He started as a midfielder but by the time he arrived at Lazio he was central defender. A tough but skilful player he was famous for his phenomenal freekicks and once at Lazio scored three in one game. He paired up well with Alessandro Nesta and was very popular at Lazio. 

Sadly he passed away in 2022 after a long battle with leukemia. He always remained a self proclaimed Lazio fan.

Darko Kovačević - forward, he was at Lazio from July 2001 to December 2001. His previous clubs included Red Star Belgrade (a league title and domestic cup), Sheffield Wednesday, Real Sociedad and Juventus. After his brief stint at Lazio he returned to Real Sociedad and then Olympiakos (2 league titles and 2 domestic cups). He was top UEFA Cup scorer twice; 1998-99 with 8 goals (Real Sociedad) and 1999-2000 with 10 goals (Juventus).

He played 51 games for Yugoslavia with 9 goals and 8 for Serbia and Montenegro with 1 goal.

He was a big hardworking centre-forward and good in the air who worked more for the team than scoring goals. At Lazio he arrived in a difficult season and had Hernan Crespo, Claudio Lopez and even Simone Inzaghi ahead of him in the pecking order. He played 7 games in Serie A and 3 in the Champions League but failed to find the net

Nikola Lazetić - midfielder, he arrived at Lazio on loan in  January 2003 and stayed six months. His previous clubs included Red Star Belgrade, Obilić, Fenerbahçe (a league title), Como and Chievo. After Lazio he went to Siena, Genoa, Livorno, Torino and back to Red Star (a domestic cup).

He earned 22 caps for Yugoslavia and 3 for Serbia and Montenegro with 1 goal (Azerbaijan).

At Lazio he played 5 league games, 1 in Coppa Italia and 4 in the UEFA Cup with 1 goal (Wisla Kraków). He was an energetic and versatile player but failed to make much impact at Lazio.  

Aleksandar Kolarov - defender, he was at Lazio from 2007-2010. He won a Coppa Italia and a Supercoppa. He arrived from OFK Belgrade and left for Manchester City (the league title twice, an FA Cup and the League Cup twice), then Roma and Inter (a Scudetto, a Coppa Italia and a Supercoppa).

He earned 94 caps for Serbia with 11 goals.

He is now a coach. He was with Serbia U21s and is now assistant manager at Inter.

Kolarov was a left full-back but could also play in midfield. He was strong, athletic and good going forward. He had a precise cross, a powerful shot and was dangerous on freekicks.

At Lazio he played 104 games with 11 goals (including box to box goal in a winning derby). He had three good years at Lazio and it was a pity he later joined Roma. He became one of the few players to have scored for both sides in the Roman derby.

He will best be remembered at Lazio for his derby goal and his successful penalty in the Coppa Italia shoot-out against Sampdoria in 2009.

Antos Milos - midfielder, he arrived at Lazio in 2012 to play with the U-19s. He suffered a serious injury but won a youth league title in 2013. He left in January 2015 for OFK Belgrade but retired in 2016.

Filip Dordević - forward, he played for Lazio from 2014-2018.  He arrived from Nantes and previously Red Star Belgrade (a league title and domestic cup). He left for Chievo.

He earned 14 caps for Serbia with 4 goals.

He was a powerful centre-forward. He was skilful and a good provider of assists for his attacking partners. On the down side he was not particularly prolific. 

At Lazio he played 77 games with 16 goals. He had some good periods but also suffered from several injuries. A sliding doors moment was in the 2015 Coppa Italia final when with the score on 1-1 his shot in extra-time hit both posts but incredibly did not go in. Lazio then  lost 1-2, had he scored he probably would be remembered differently at Lazio.

Dušan Basta - defender, he was at Lazio from 2014-2019. He arrived from Udinese and previously Red Star Belgrade (2 league titles and 2 domestic cups) and Lecce. At Lazio he won a Coppa Italia and a Supercoppa.

He earned 2 caps for Serbia and Montenegro and 16 for Serbia with 2 goals.

At Lazio he played 116 games with 2 goals. One of his goals came in a 3-1 derby triumph. He was a tireless right back who could also play in midfield. He served Lazio well and won two trophies.

Sergej Milinković-Savić - midfielder, he was at Lazio from 2015 to 2023. He won a Coppa Italia and the Supercoppa twice. Ne arrived from Genk and previously Vojvodina and left for Al-Hilal (a  league title and the Super Cup twice).

He has earned 56 caps for Serbia with 9 goals.

Milinkovic-Savic is a strong box to box midfielder. An all rounder, exceptionally skilful for his height (1.91), good in the air and with good shooting abilities.

He played 341 games for Lazio with 69 goals. "Il Sergente" is considered one of Lazio's all time and is Lazio's foreign player with most goals. He still comes back to the Olimpico occasionally as a normal fan.

Dejan Sarac - midfielder, he signed for Lazio in 2015 and joined the U-19s. He left in 2018 for Lafnitz (Austrian 2nd tier) and then Varaždin (Croatia).

Milan Biševac - defender, he played for Lazio from January 2016 to June 2016. His previous clubs included Red Star Belgrade (a league title and domestic cup), Lens, Valenciennes, PSG and Olympique Lyonnais. He left for Metz and then Dudelange (Luxembourg, a league title and domestic cup).

He earned 19 caps for Serbia.

He was a strong and relatively quick central defender and had a decent career in France. His career was hindered by several injuries including a cruciate ligament break in 2015.

At Lazio he arrived mid-season and played 15 games with 1 goal (Carpi). He did not perform particularly well and was not kept on.

Baic Mihajlo - centre-forward, he spent a trial period at Lazio U-19s in 2019-20 but was not signed and went to Sparta Subotica. He now plays for Hajduk Mirko Mirkovci.

Pavlović Strahinja- defender, he signed for Lazio in 2019 but stayed at Partizan Belgrade on loan for a year. Problems then emerged at his medical at Lazio and the contract was cancelled.

Dimitrije Kamenović - defender, he was at Lazio from January 2022- Jan 2026 (with several loan periods in between). He arrived from Čukarički and left for Yverdon on loan (Switzerland). In January 2026 he was sold to Lokomotiv Zagreb.

He is a big defender (1.88) but was never really taken into consideration at Lazio by the various managers. He only played 1 league game (Verona, May 21, 2022) and actually played quite well but it was not enough.

Petar Ratkov - forward, is Lazio's most recent Serb as he arrived in January 2025. He arrived from Salzburg and previously played for TSC Bačka Topola.

He is a tall centre-forward (1.93) whose main asset is his aerial play. He has not been given many chances at Lazio, so far not helped by the fact that the 2025-26 manager Maurizio Sarri told the press he had never even heard of the Serb when he arrived.

He has played 8 league games with 0 goals. We will see if next manager Rino Gattuso has more faith in him.

Official SS Lazio photo