Luka Jović

Luka Jović
Jović with Serbia at the 2018 FIFA World Cup
Personal information
Full name Luka Jović
Date of birth (1997-12-23) 23 December 1997
Place of birth Bijeljina, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)[1]
Playing position Striker
Club information
Current team
 Eintracht Frankfurt
(on loan from Benfica)
Number 8
Youth career
2005–2014 Red Star Belgrade
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2016 Red Star Belgrade 42 (12)
2016– Benfica 2 (0)
2016– Benfica B 18 (4)
2017– → Eintracht Frankfurt (loan) 27 (10)
National team‡
2014–2015 Serbia U17 8 (5)
2014– Serbia U19 13 (9)
2016– Serbia U20 1 (0)
2015– Serbia U21 9 (7)
2018– Serbia 2 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 7 October 2018
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 13 September 2018

Luka Jović (Serbian Cyrillic: Лука Јовић, pronounced [lûːka jǒːʋitɕ]; born 23 December 1997) is a Serbian professional footballer who plays as a striker for German club Eintracht Frankfurt, on loan from Portuguese club Benfica, and the Serbia national team.

Early life

Jović was born in the small village of Batar near Bijeljina, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina to Milan and Svetlana Jović. At the age of five, he started playing football in Loznica, where he was spotted in 2004 and offered to play in Mini Maxi, a development league for kids aged between 4 and 12 in Belgrade. After just one game where Jović scored 3 goals his father was offered 50 euros for each game he played and 2000 dinars for traveling costs from Batar to Belgrade. At one of those games he was scouted by Toma Milićević, Red Star's scout who invited him to trial with Red Star Belgrade.[2] His playing style attracted comparisons to Darko Pančev and Radamel Falcao, who is also his idol.[3][4]

Club career

Red Star Belgrade

Youth

Jović was offered the chance to play for Red Star Belgrade in 2005. Before he committed, his father took him to train with Partizan, who had been trying to sign Jović for some time. They offered his father 200 euros per month for Jović to play with them, but he insisted on staying with Red Star.[2] He was prolific in front of goal for the youth teams and is regarded as a wonderkid to watch out for in the future.

2013–14 season

On 28 May 2014, at the age of 16 years, five months and five days, Jović made his professional debut against FK Vojvodina in Novi Sad, where he broke Dejan Stanković's record as the youngest goalscorer in a competitive match in the club's history.[5][6] He scored the goal only two minutes[5] after he was brought on as substitute, and the final score of 3–3 was enough to give Red Star the 2013–14 Serbian SuperLiga title.

2014–15 season

On 18 October 2014, Jović became the youngest player ever to play in Eternal derby at the age of 16 years, 9 months and 25 days, breaking the previous record of Dejan Milovanovic who was 17 years and 6 months old at the time.[7] Jović missed some crucial chances, but in spring half of the season scored six goals. His first goal of the season came against Vojvodina, in a match where Red Star celebrated its 70th birthday. He then scored against Spartak, a double against Borac and a decisive goal against Voždovac, ahead of the Eternal derby clash.[8] He missed the end of the season and the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand due to injury. On 17 May 2015, he signed a three-year contract with Red Star to last until 2018.

2015–16 season

From the beginning of the 2015–16 season, Jović started as a first choice in Red Star attack along with Hugo Vieira and scored 3 goals in first 5 games. He scored again against Voždovac a winning goal and brought another win to Red Star at Stadion na Vračaru. He scored another game winner in Subotica, against Spartak. In November 2015, a racketeer from Loznica threatened him and his family that if they did not pay money to him, that he would "break Jović's legs".[9] A suspect was apprehended immediately afterwards.[9]

Benfica

In February 2016, Jović signed with Portuguese champions Benfica until 2021.[10] On 9 March, he debuted for the club's reserve team in a 2–2 home draw against Sporting da Covilhã in the Segunda Liga.[11] He debuted for the first-team on 20 March, as a substitute, in a 1–0 away victory against Boavista in the Primeira Liga.

In June 2017, Jović joined Eintracht Frankfurt on a two-season loan while his new club secured an option to sign him on a permanent basis.[12][13]

International career

On 11 December 2013, Jović scored a hat-trick for Serbia U-17 in a 4–1 win against Croatia U-17.[14] In July 2014, he was called up by youth coach Veljko Paunović to Serbia's U19 squad for the 2014 UEFA European Under-19 Championship.[15]

In May 2018, Jović was named in Serbia's preliminary squad for the FIFA World Cup in Russia.[16] On 4 June, he made his international debut in a friendly match against Chile, coming on as a substitute for Aleksandar Mitrović in the 84th minute.[17] Later in June, Jović was included in the final 23-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup,[18] where he appeared on a match against Brazil.[19]

Club statistics

As of end of 2017–18 season[20][21]
Club Season League Cup Continental Other Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Red Star Belgrade 2013–14 110000—11
2014–15 2262000—246
2015–16 1952120—236
Total 42124120—4813
Benfica B 2015–16 72———72
2016–17 112———112
Total 184—————184
Benfica 2015–16 1000100020
2016–17 1000001020
Total 2000101040
Eintracht Frankfurt (loan) 2017–18 228510000279
Career total 84249230109726

International

As of match played 27 June 2018[21]
National teamYearAppsGoals
Serbia[22] 201820
Total20

Honours

Red Star

Benfica

Eintracht Frankfurt

References

  1. ↑ "2018 FIFA World Cup Russia: List of players" (PDF). FIFA. 19 June 2018. p. 27. Retrieved 19 June 2018.
  2. 1 2 "Mozzart Sport: Čudesan slučaj Luke Jovića, ili - Kako je klinac koji je spavao u gepeku stigao do velike pozornice" (in Serbian). 27 December 2013.
  3. ↑ OBRENOVIĆ, Aleksandar (11 August 2014). "Terzić: Luka Jović je novi Falkao".
  4. ↑ B. Cvetojevic (16 October 2013). "Zvezdin biser Jović: Hoću kao Pančev" (in Serbian).
  5. 1 2 Todorović, N. (28 May 2014). "Zvezda je rođena: Luka Jović srušio rekord Dekija Stankovića" (in Serbian). Archived from the original on 22 July 2014.
  6. ↑ ""Luka Jović neće otići dok ne napuni 18"". Mondo Portal. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
  7. ↑ Mozzart Sport: Luka Jović – najmlađi akter u istoriji večitih derbija! (Serbian) 18 October 2014
  8. ↑ Александар (18 April 2015). "Еврогол и наставак серије Луке Јовића за минималац Звезде на Врачару пред дерби!". Moja Crvena Zvezda. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
  9. 1 2 Miljan Milošević (16 November 2015). "Reketaš pretio da će Luki Joviću da polomi noge" (in Serbian). Retrieved 15 December 2015.
  10. ↑ "Jović: "Aprender e melhorar todos os dias"" [Jović: "To learn and improve everyday"] (in Portuguese). S.L. Benfica. 2 February 2016. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
  11. ↑ "SL Benfica B - SC Covilhã (Jornada 34 Ledman LigaPRO 2015-2016) - Liga Portugal". ligaportugal.pt. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
  12. ↑ "Fix: Eintracht leiht Jovic von Benfica aus". kicker Online (in German). 27 June 2017. Retrieved 27 June 2017.
  13. ↑ "Luka Jovic no Eintracht Frankfurt" [Luka Jovic at Eintracht Frankfurt]. S.L. Benfica (in Portuguese). 27 June 2017. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
  14. ↑ Mozzart Sport (author name unknown) (11 December 2013). "Luka Jović terorisao Hrvate u Pazovi!" (in Serbian).
  15. ↑ Novosti: Na Paunovićevom spisku po četiri igrača Zvezde, Vojvodine i OFK Beograda, tri Partizana... (Serbian) 8 July 2014
  16. ↑ "Један тим, срцем свим – Младен Крстајић одабрао" [One team, with all their hearts – Mladen Krstajić selects]. FSS.rs (in Serbian). Football Association of Serbia. 24 May 2018. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
  17. ↑ "Serbia vs. Chile - 4 June 2018".
  18. ↑ "Soccer: Krstajic names Serbia's final 23-man World Cup squad". reuters.com. 1 June 2018. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  19. ↑ Andrew Das (27 June 2018). "World Cup: Brazil cruises into next round with easy victory". The New York Times. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  20. ↑ Luka Jović at ForaDeJogo. Retrieved 3 January 2017. Edit this at Wikidata
  21. 1 2 Luka Jović at Soccerway. Retrieved 6 June 2018. Edit this at Wikidata
  22. ↑ "Luka Jović". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmerman. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
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