Serbia has never seen a poster boy quite like Sergej Milinković-Savić. Born into a sports-driven family, Sergej’s journey in football was almost predestined. His mother, Milijana Savić, and his father, Nikola Milinković, laid the foundation for his athletic pursuits. Nikola, a former professional footballer, played as a midfielder from 1991 to 2005. It’s no surprise that Sergej inherited his father’s trade, continuing the football legacy in the Milinković family.
Born for Football: Sergej Milinković-Savić’s Path from Childhood to Stardom
Growing up in Catalonia, Spain, alongside his younger brother Vanja Milinković-Savić, Sergej’s love for football blossomed from a young age. His towering height, a family trait passed down from his father, who stands at 6 ft 4 inches, gave him a physical edge on the field. Sergej was kicking a ball as soon as he could walk, his passion evident early on.
This biography tells the fascinating story of Sergej Milinković-Savić, from his early days in a sporting household to becoming one of Serbia’s most celebrated footballers. His story goes beyond his skill on the pitch, highlighting the family roots, personal dedication, and relentless pursuit of greatness that shaped his career. Join us as we explore the life of this Serbian football phenomenon, a player who has carved his own legacy in the world of football.
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic Childhood Story – Early Life and Family Background:
For Biography starters, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic was born on the 27th day of February 1995. He was born to his mother, Milijana Savić, and father, Nikola Milinković in Lleida, an autonomous community of Catalonia, Spain.
Meet Sergej Milinkovic-Savic’s Parents – His Mum (Milijana) and Dad (Nikola).
Did You Know?… Milinković-Savić was born into a sporting family. His father, Nikola Milinković, played football professionally from 1991 to 2005.
Just like Bojan Kirkic and Stefan Bajcetic, he is a Spanish Serb. This means Sergej was born to Spain to Serbian parents. Sergej’s mother, Milana Savić, was a former professional basketball player who played for Serbia.
The athlete, upon his birth, had two surnames, which are deemed rare in Serbia. Truth be told, He was handed his double surname due to a Spanish-Catalan error.
Upon his birth, the Spanish birth registry office reported an erroneously combined surname of his dad and mum instead of picking the first.
It was not long, however, before the relationship between Sergej’s parents began to fall apart, thus making them head for divorce. Unfortunately, both of Sergej Milinkovic-Savic’s Parents ended their marriage while he was still a child.
Relationship with Siblings:
Sergej grew up with his younger brother Vanja Milinković-Savić (born on the 20th day of February 1997), who is two years his junior.
Vanja is a fellow footballer and former Man United rejectee who, at the time of writing, plays as a goalkeeper for Standard Liège (on loan), a Belgium club.
Sergej’s younger brother, Vanja Milinković-Savić, born in February 1997, is a former Man United prospect and current goalkeeper for Serie A club SPAL.
The Milinkovic-Savic family is known to breed tall offspring thanks to his dad being 6 ft 4 inches and his mum also being very tall.
Did You Know?… Vanja Milinković-Savić is 2.03 m or 6 ft 8 inches tall, while our very own Sergej is 1.92 m or 6 ft 4 inches tall (similar height as his dad).
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic also grew up with his sister, who goes by the classic Orthodox name, Jana. Jana is nine years younger than her big brother Sergej. Unlike her brothers, Jana follows in the footsteps of her mother in basketball.
Meet Jana Milinković-Savić, the little sister of Sergej.
Jana was not born in Spain, thus preventing the Milinokvic-Family rule from being applied. Her name is slightly different from her brothers. Jana bears only Milinković.
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic Biography – Career Buildup:
All kids grew up liking football and basketball from birth. Literally, Sergej started kicking the ball as soon as he could walk.
Early on, he watched his Dad and Mum playing football and basketball, and all he wanted was to be like any one of them.
Sergej Milinković-Savić’s parents, Milijana and Nikola, allowed their children the freedom to choose their own paths in sports without imposing their own preferences. Both parents, who came from a sporting background themselves, took a hands-off approach, showing little insistence on what their children should pursue.
This supportive environment gave Sergej and his brother, Vanja, the space to explore their own interests and develop their talents naturally, which ultimately led Sergej to excel in football.
The Difficult Choice: Because his dad was very active as a professional footballer and his mum was a well-known Serbian basketballer, it was difficult for Sergej to pick a career early on in his life.
Speaking to FIFA about his career choice, Sergej once said,
“At last, i choose football because as a child I preferred to watch with my father more than my mother. But I love basketball and always throw a few baskets when I have the time.”
What led to the choice: It was a certain memorable game of his dad Nikola Milinkovic in the Graz stadium (home of Grazer AK Austrian football club) that made the difference.
It significantly influenced Sergej’s decision to become a footballer.
Amazing moments like this motivated Sergej to never give up on his Football Dreams.
Sergej’s dad, who was a midfielder, led his team to win the GAK 2002 Cup and even had a GAK double in 2004.
Sergej’s brother, who was taller for a basketball trade, also had a change of mind as he decided he would learn to be a goalkeeper. Despite today’s height (192 and 202 centimetres), both brothers never agreed to mom’s basketball!
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic Biography – The Slip:
Soon after making his decision, young Sergej began playing for the “Reds” in Graz. It didn’t take long before he was accepted into the youth academy in Novi Sad, where his talent started to flourish.
His early years in the academy laid the foundation for his promising career, allowing him to develop the skills that would later define him as a standout footballer.
Despite making up his mind on football early on, Sergej’s still remained unsettled, as he still had the habit of shuttling between football and basketball.
It took the intervention of his dad to put his son on the right track. According to Nikola Milinković;
I talked to him for a long time. I convinced him to react.
To train even more, to work hard to improve.
I also convince his coach of his skill. Because that’s how you need to do if you want to break through and become a winner.
Thanks to his dad, Sergej found his form, and things started turning around. After training with his youth club, Nikola Milinković still took his son to a small field near their house for supplementary and personalized training.
He taught his son how to touch the ball with his right and left. This improvement led to Sergej regaining his starting position.
The Road to Fame Story:
At this time, Sergej was all grown up and matured as a tremendous player. He followed his dad everywhere his football career took him to and passed trials that came his way.
When his dad moved to Chaves, A Portuguese football club, Sergej and his brother followed. While in Portugal, he got enrolled on a Sporting academy.
Sergej’s first impression of the ball led to fans calling him an “earthquake“ because of the way he took the ball as if it was like a “tsunami“.
Such performance followed him to Grazer AK (Austrian sports club) and Vojvodina, a club in his native homeland, Serbia, where he ended his youth career.
Milinković-Savić progressed through the youth academy of Vojvodina, becoming one of the standout midfielders to emerge from the squad that clinched two consecutive national youth championship titles. He shared this success with fellow talents like Mijat Gaćinović and Nebojša Kosović. Sergej, later earning the nickname “The Winner of Vojvodina,” quickly gained recognition among domestic football fans with his impressive performances.
His growing reputation was further solidified when he, alongside his brother and other Serbian talents like Aleksandar Mitrović, secured the gold medal at the 2013 UEFA Under-19 Championship.
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic Bio – Rise to Fame:
Milinkovic-Savic went on to establish himself as a ‘complete midfielder’ when he got transferred to Genk, a football club in Belgium.
At the club, he was given a number 20 shirt after being told shirt 21 (his best shirt number) wasn’t available.
Sergej Milinković-Savić later had the chance to wear the iconic number 21 jersey when he joined Lazio. This number held deep personal significance for him, as it was a tribute to his childhood hero, Zinedine Zidane, who famously wore the same number during his rise to stardom at Juventus. By donning the “Backbone 21” shirt, Sergej not only honoured Zidane but also symbolized his own growth and ambitions on the football field.
Speaking about his Idol, Sergej once said;
He got to know him personally and obviously got bewitched by him as a young footballer.
Precisely it was the summer of 2002, I played in GrazerAK.
The club invited Real Madrid to the stadium then called “Arnold Schwarzenegger” to celebrate it’s centenary.
To mark the centenary celebration, GrezerAK’s senior team played against the “galácticos” which they won 3-2.
This was the first time Sergej saw his hero Zizou together with Figo, Makelele, Morientes, and Solari. While playing for Lazio, Sergej got the nickname “The Sergent” thanks to his goal-celebration style.
It wasn’t all about his goal celebration that brought much his fame. Sergej is known to be an assist king who has provided goal-scoring platforms for Ciro Immobile.
However, the media across Europe got to know Sergej as a complete midfielder who could do almost everything in the middle of the park. The rest, as they say, is now history.
About Natalija Ilić – Sergej Milinkovic-Savic’s Wife:
Serbia’s World Cup Poster Boy is someone who enjoys what he does not only on the field but beyond. Behind a successful him, there exists a beautiful lady who stole his heart. Her name is Natalija Ilić, and she is a resident of Novi Sad, northern Serbia.
Aside from Sergej, Natalija Ilic knows no other thing than medicine. From the photo below, you can easily guess she is a medical doctor.
Through his frequent social media posts, Sergej Milinković-Savić has made it clear that he is in a stable relationship with his beautiful partner, who is also a doctor.
After facing some disappointing performances during the 2018 World Cup in Russia, Sergej and his girlfriend Natalia took a well-deserved holiday together to recharge and prepare for the new season ahead. Their relationship continues to be a source of support and balance for him, both on and off the pitch.
A close look at Natalia’s beauty combined with her brains would make you hold the belief that Sergej is indeed a completely fulfilled man.
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic Family Life:
This section of Sergej’s Bio tells you more about the members of his household. Without further ado, let’s begin.
About Sergej Milinkovic-Savic’s Father- Nikola Milinkovic:
Nikola Milinković, born on March 19, 1968, in Sanski Most, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina, embarked on his football journey in a region that would soon face the turmoil of conflict. Despite the challenges of growing up in a war-torn area, Nikola pursued his passion for football, laying the foundation for a career that would not only shape his own life but also inspire the sporting paths of his children. As a retired Serbian footballer, Nikola once excelled as a midfielder, a skill set that he would later pass down to his son, Sergej Milinković-Savić.
Before the Bosnian War erupted in 1991, Nikola made the crucial decision to move his family to Serbia, seeking a safer environment and better opportunities. This move not only helped him kickstart his professional football career but also laid the foundation for his family’s future. His career saw him play in various countries, but his biggest legacy may be his sons, who followed in his footsteps in the world of football.
The resilience and foresight Nikola displayed in those early years not only shaped his own career but created a lasting impact on the football trajectory of his family, particularly Sergej, who would go on to become one of Serbia’s most talented footballers.
About Sergej Milinkovic-Savic’s Mother- Milijana Savić:
Back then, Sergej’s Mom was responsible for keeping him, and his little brother stay grounded.
She never allowed them to fly, even after they both recorded their initial success.
Both Sergej and Vanja spend much time with their mum while living in Serbia for eight years. This was when they were both taught how to speak the Serbian language.
About Sergej Milinkovic-Savic’s Brother – Vanja Milinkovic-Savic:
He was born on the 20th of February 1997 in Ourense, Spain. Vanja, at the time of writing, is a Serbian professional footballer who plays in the Italian League as a goalkeeper.
He once suffered a setback in his career after failing to be awarded a UK work permit with the English club Manchester United.
Sadly, he was released by the club in November 2015 despite a two million euros already spent by United to sign the 6 feet 8 inches goalkeeper.
Vanja, unlike his elder brother, is different. He somehow devised a means to stay in the middle ground of his parents’ career. The 19-year-old plays football like his father but as a goalkeeper with his hands, which relates to his mum’s basketball trade.
Personal Life away from Football:
Getting to know Sergej Milinkovic-Savic’s personal life will surely help you get a complete picture of him.
Sergej has a calm personality, unlike his brother, who is more of an extrovert. Speaking about his personality, Sergej once said,
“I am quite calm, while he’s a typical goalie, ah-ha-ha … We do listen to completely different music. I love Serbian folk music and he loves rap. I like to watch action movies while he likes artistic films and French comedy … ”
Healthy Eating Habit:
Sergej loves simple, non-alcoholic wine and eating natural foods that are never frozen or canned. He dislikes unhealthy or little-seasoned foods.
He also dislikes eating out, especially having snacks or drinks full of gas. The unhealthy eating habit was responsible for ruining the career of English footballer Callum Wilson.
Love for Tennis:
In addition to his family, he football and basketball trade. Sergej is pretty good at tennis, too. Obviously, you should know who he supports no other person than Novac Djokovic.
Fact Check:
Thanks for reading the story of Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, a midfielder similar to Ruben Loftus Cheek, who is known for his intensity, physicality, and goals.
We strive for accuracy and fairness in our quest to deliver you Serbian Soccer Stories. Please stay tuned for more. The Life History of Filip Kostic and Nikola Milenkovic will excite you.
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