Sergej Milinkovic-Savic

Sergej Milinkovic-Savic was born on February 27, 1995, in Lleida, Spain, into a family with a strong sports background; his father was a professional footballer and his mother a professional basketball player. His early football training began at Sporting CP in Portugal, followed by a period at Grazer AK in Austria, before he settled in Serbia. Milinkovic-Savic’s career began in the youth academy of FK Vojvodina, where he quickly made a name for himself. He signed his first professional contract with Vojvodina on December 26, 2012, and made his senior debut in November 2013. During the 2013–14 season, he played 13 league games, scoring three goals, and contributed to Vojvodina winning the Serbian Cup in the club’s centennial year.

In June 2014, Milinkovic-Savic moved to Belgian club Genk, signing a five-year contract. He played 24 league matches during the 2014–15 season, scoring five goals. His performance at Genk attracted the attention of Italian club Lazio, whom he joined on July 31, 2015. Over eight seasons with Lazio, Milinkovic-Savic made over 300 appearances, scoring 69 goals across all competitions. Significant achievements with Lazio include winning the Coppa Italia in 2018–19 and the Supercoppa Italiana in 2017 and 2019. He was named in the Serie A Team of the Year for 2017–18 and 2021–22, and received the Serie A Best Midfielder award in 2018–19. He became Lazio’s highest-scoring midfielder on December 5, 2021.

Internationally, Milinkovic-Savic has represented Serbia at various youth levels, including winning the 2013 UEFA European Under-19 Championship and the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup, where he also received the Bronze Ball award. He made his senior international debut in 2017 and has participated in the FIFA World Cup in 2018 and 2022, and UEFA Euro 2024. In July 2023, he transferred to Saudi club Al Hilal SFC for a reported fee of €40 million. With Al Hilal, he has won the Saudi Pro League (2023–24), King’s Cup (2023–24), and the Saudi Super Cup (2023, 2024). His playing style is characterized by versatility, combining attacking movement and finishing ability with physical presence and defensive work rate.