When you think of a complete footballer with relentless energy and drive, Filip Kostić is a name that quickly comes to mind. His journey from Serbian humble beginnings to football stardom is one of grit, perseverance, and family support. As a young boy, Filip would walk five kilometres just to play football, driven by an unwavering passion for the game. With his father absent, it was his mother who stood firmly by his side, financing and pushing him toward success.
The Inspiring Journey of Filip Kostić: A Story of Perseverance
On the pitch, Kostić transforms into a fierce, unstoppable force—like a predator with his eyes on the prize, whether it’s in one-on-one duels or when the goal is within sight. Yet off the pitch, Filip is the complete opposite—a calm, gentle soul who greets others with a warm smile and kind words.
This biography tells the full story of a boy who fought against the odds, with the love and support of his mother, to become one of football’s standout players. It’s a tale of determination, aggression, and kindness rolled into one remarkable individual. We’ll explain a sad event in his journey to fame, which endangered his life as well as that of his brother and uncle. And finally, how the Wolf rose to become a fearless attack midfielder in Europe.
Preamble:
To truly understand Filip Kostić’s journey, we need to look beyond the player and into his roots. This includes learning about his childhood, early footballing years, his parents, family background, and key figures in his life, such as his brother Stefan, his uncle Marko, and his girlfriend, Marija Rosić.
In this biography, we’ll take you through the significant moments of Filip’s boyhood and early career. Our aim is to spark your interest in his story, and we’ll start by sharing a visual timeline of his incredible rise—from his first steps in football to becoming a European sensation. The “Soaring Serbian Eagle,” as he’s known, has traveled a remarkable path, and this biography reveals just how far this footballing “Wolf” has come.
From Small Town Boy to European Football Star: Filip Kostic’s Early Years and Rise
Filip Kostic Childhood Story:
For starters in his Biography reading, he bears the nickname ‘The Soaring Serbian Eagle’.
Again, his second nickname is “Tučko”, which came because he loved fighting older boys during his childhood.
Filip Kostić was born on the 1st day of November 1992 to a Serbian Father and Mother in Kragujevac, Serbia, FR Yugoslavia.
The professional football Winger is one among two boys (himself and a brother) born to his family. Now, let’s introduce you to one of Filip Kostic’s Parents.
Behold the woman who is best described as her sons’ everlasting bed of roses.
We picture Filip Kostic’s mum here, standing between him and his brother, Stefan Kostic.
Growing-Up:
Spending childhood days in central Serbia wasn’t done alone. The Juventus Winger grew up with Stefan. He is Filip Kostic’s brother.
Both siblings spent their childhood years together with their Mum and in the absence of their Dad. Stefan Kostic is the best custodian of the memories of Filip’s boyhood years.
Even though he sometimes trekked for five kilometres to play soccer as a child, Filip Kostic wasn’t born to poor parents. The Serbian midfielder grew up in a middle-class family.
Filip Kostic’s parents were rich enough to offer him money to use a bus or his bicycle to reach his soccer training destination.
Trekking for five kilometres was a thing of choice for the Athletic Winger.
Filip Kostic Early Years (Football):
Because of the quest to push himself hard and become the best soccer kid in Kragujevac, he once said that his childhood was difficult.
The origins of Filip’s career began in his neighbourhood, where he kicked the ball with his friends and also outside school hours.
On the day Kostic and his friends weren’t going to school, they would enjoy uninterrupted hours of football activity on the fields of Kragujevac.
Kostic still keeps these sets of friends, even to this day. His everyday life changed when he decided to join Radnički Kragujevac, the soccer academy he laid his career foundation.
As a boy, Filip Kostic was unusually built – with short and broad shoulders. Again he was very fast with the ball and couldn’t stay in one place.
Not forgetting, he was as stubborn as Kim Min-jae (the South Korean Defender). Kostic was someone who loved fighting older boys. And because of that, his childhood friends gave him the nickname ” Tučko”.
Filip Kostic Family Background:
The Father of the Serbian professional footballer worked in Russia at a time when his son was a child.
Kostic once said that not having the means to bond with his Dad as a child was difficult. It all came because of the nature of his Dad’s work in Russia – which we know nothing about.
While Filip Kostic’s Father worked in Russia, his Mum remained in Serbia to raise him and his brother – Stefan. Constantly, she pushed him and believed in his football abilities. As a child, she constantly reminded Filip that one day, he would become a great footballer.
From what we’ve gathered, Filip Kostic’s Mum is a great cook. The footballer, throughout his early years, became so used to his Mum’s kitchen.
It became very difficult for Kostic to get used to living abroad at the time football took him away from eating his mother’s food.
While away from Serbia, Kostic was forced to eat exclusively in restaurants. Besides his Serbian hometown and faithful friends, his mother’s kitchen is something Filip never jokes about. Thankfully, at Juventus, he has found a food he loves – the traditional Italian cuisine.
The attack on Filip Kostic, his Brother and Uncle:
An attack on the footballer, including two members of his family, once occurred on a night in 2018. It happened in the nightclub called “Izvan grade”, formerly known as “Tron”.
This nightclub is located in Korićani, a village in Bosnia and Herzegovina, central Bosnia.
On that day, Filip Kostić, his brother and uncle Marko Kostić were beaten by some gang.
From the video of the security camera (which is shown below), What happened that night, including details of the attack, was clearly seen.
The attack on Filip Kostic, his Brother and Uncle.
A four-member gang with their name abbreviation MJ (31), D. LJ. (38), NT (26) and NS (39), all from Kragujevac, joined in beating thirty-three-year-old Marko with a chair, their hands and feet. During the time of the attack, Kostic played for Hamburg.
That evening (on May 19th 2018), he went out with his brother and uncle (Marko) on the eve of a gathering of the Serbian national team.
While Filip, his brother and his uncle were having a drink in the nightclub, a group of fierce guys provoked them.
They had one goal in mind:
The objective of the hoodlums was simply to draw attention to themselves since there was a public figure (Filip Kostic) at the next table. It was gathered that trouble started when one of the Hoodlum said to his friends,
“Now you’re all going to see who’s in truly charge in the city,”
Shockingly, he went to the table of Kostic’s brother and his uncle to make trouble. To reduce the tension, the footballer, his brother and his uncle sent the Hoodlums a round of drinks to douse the tension.
Suddenly, all four “fierce guys” were not ready to back off. They, who were always known for their violence, moved to the table of Kostic’s brother and uncle and attacked them.
They hit Filip Kostic’s brother several times, including slapping the footballer.
At some point, the gang went outside and separated Filip from his brother and uncle so that he would not help them.
Afterwards, they continued to brutally beat his uncle, Marko Kostić, who suffered a broken nose and several injuries.
As reported by Kurir, the hooligans, who have police records, have been involved in many similar incidents.
For the Serbian footballer, he suffered an injury to the head (by a bottle), his inner jaw and lower lip. The attackers were later arrested and released on bail.
Filip Kostic Family Origin:
The first thing to know about the Old Lady Midfielder is his nationality – which is Serbia. It is the same as the nationality of Nemanja Matic, the Chelsea and Manchester United Soccer Legend.
About where Filip Kostic Family comes from, our findings point to Kragujevac in Central Serbia. Here is a map gallery to help you understand the footballer’s roots.
This map gallery shows where Kragujevac (in Serbia) is located. This is where Filip Kostic’s family have their roots.
Filip Kostic Ethnicity:
The footballer from Kragujevac is a South Slav, meaning he identifies with the South Slavic ethnic group. This language group is native to the Balkans in Southeastern Europe.
They are known to share a common Serbian ancestry, culture, history and language. Filip Kostic speaks the Serbian language. This language is spoken by no less than 95% of his country’s population.
Filip Kostic Education:
At Kragujevac, he attended his preschool (Predškolsko), primary school (Osnovna Skola) and secondary school (Srednja Skola).
Many football fans don’t know this: Filip Kostic’s soccer talent was discovered by his physical education teacher. His man goes by the name Mikica Cmiljanić, and he was Kostic’s first-ever coach.
At school, Mikica Cmiljanić took care of Filip Kostic like a father would do. He helped him to balance the huddles that came with reading his books, studying and attending to sports obligations. Thanks to that, Kostic did not compromise his education for soccer training.
Although studying and playing football was quite easy. Especially during Kostic’s primary school days. However, it was hectic during his high school days.
Thankfully, one of Filip Kostic’s classmates, by name, Gordana supported him at all times he was absent from his class. She (a good friend) believed in his talents and gave him a helping hand with his assignments.
Filip Kostic Biography – Football Story:
Following family advice and the decision to take his talent seriously, the youngster decided to enrol at a recognized academy. Kostic, in the late 1990s, began his career with Radnički Kragujevac. This is a football club in Kragujevac, Serbia. It is a popular club in the city’s Sports Society.
Filip Kostic successfully went through the clubs’ academy ranks, achieving his academy graduation in 2010.
Within two years of being a professional, the Serbian achieved a meteoric rise with Radnički Kragujevac.
Becoming a national icon so early:
Thanks to the above displays with his hometown club, Filip Kostic got a call to the Serbian junior national team. While there, he became a national figure – especially at the under-19 level.
In the 2015 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, the Football Wolf (Kostic) destroyed Spain.
Filip Kostic was only seventeen years old when he (while still playing for Radnicki) began attracting football scouts all over Europe. In fact, the giants of European football, the likes of Roma, Juventus, and Bayern Munich, are all chasing him around.
In the summer transfer window of 2012, without even thinking about the above-named top clubs, Kostic swore his loyalty to Groningen.
This is a lesser-known Dutch professional club. He wanted to be a different footballer, not the kind of superstar who would go play for a big European club.
Filip Kostic Bio – Road to Fame Story:
In the negotiations, he consulted with his parents, brother and uncles, who helped him make agree on the best transfer terms.
Back in his hometown of Kragujevac, Kostic lived a different and more peaceful life. But when he moved to Groningen, he saw how he needed to change in order to adjust to the new demand of football.
Filip joined a Dutch team (FC Groningen) that had Virgil van Dijk as their brightest young talent. His life in the Netherlands was based on nothing but strict professionalism.
At first, it was very difficult to adjust to the culture and language. More worrisome was the fact that Kostic did not understand Robert Maaskant, who was Groningen’s coach.
Because of a lack of understanding, the coach ignored Kostic. He demoted him to play for the B team. An unhappy Filip Kostic revolted by refusing to play, which got him punished by the club.
Then, he tried to push for a transfer to Club Brugge, which didn’t work out. In fact, the issue with Kostic and Groningen’s coach damaged the club’s reputation.
To quickly resolve things, the Dutch club acted by sacking Robert Maaskant. Erwin van de Looi replaced him.
That decision brought significant improvement to the club’s disgruntled team. Kostic, who became very close with Erwin van de Looi (the new coach), remembers the words he told him, which say;
“Filip, I want you to pay for me, and I will do my job, all for your career growth.”
Becoming happy again:
Those words from the gentle coach changed the mentality of Filip Kostic. From that day, the Serbian vowed to give his best – as a way of returning the trust shown in him by the coach.
Filip Kostic adapted and enjoyed every command from his new Boss, Erwin van de Looi. Again, he learned a lot and changed his thinking and habits completely.
In no time, Filip Kostic became a favourite of Groningen fans, who voted him to be named their best player at the end of their season.
These fans placed him in the ranks of their heroes of the past. Speaking of heroes, we refer to superstars like Dušan Tadic, Luis Suarez and Arjen Robben, who once did wonders with Groningen. Before leaving the club, Filip won these honours.
In the end, the Serbian found success with FC Groningen.
Filip Kostic Biography – Rise to Fame:
After making a name for himself in the Netherlands, Kostic moved on to the next chapter of his life.
On the 9th of August 2014, he joined the German VfB Stuttgart, who (at that time) had Antonio Rüdiger as their best Defender. Kostic’s primary objective (as instructed by his coach) was to feed Timo Werner (who was at the club) with Assists – which he successfully did.
Before going to the German club, he had transfer offers from Sporting CP. Filip Kostic’s brother and uncle judged that Stuttgart was better for his development.
So he rejected Sporting Lisbon was (as of then) playing in the Champions League.
Filip Kostic could only remain there for two seasons before he approved his record transfer to Hamburger SV.
Do you know?… His €14 million transfer to Hamburg made him the most expensive player in the club’s history. While there, Kostic built his career slowly and smartly.
Becoming recognized all around Europe:
The attacking midfielder, who was not after chasing money and big teams, decided to move to Eintracht Frankfurt.
The German club bought him following the departure of Kevin-Prince Boateng. This time, Kostic’s primary objective was to feed strikers like Sébastien Haller and Luka Jović with assists.
Fast, strong and penetrating (with great dribbling ability), Kostic became the prototype of a modern winger that Eintracht Frankfurt was crying out for.
Filip was always that player who made a difference on the field. The athletic left-footed wide player who plays a bit like Gareth Bale made headlines in Europe during the 2021/2022 Europa League season.
This moment he had with Eintracht Frankfurt became the turning point of his career.
In the photo above, Filip Kostic displayed his name as the Man who singlehandedly took down FC Barcelona in the 2021/2022 UEFA Europa League quarter-finals.
Alongside the help of notable Eintracht Frankfurt Superstars (Ajdin Hrustic and Djibril Sow, etc), the UEFA Europa League trophy became theirs in that 2021/2022 season.
Filip Kostic kisses and celebrates the biggest trophy of his career.
Finally, accepting the Big Transfer:
Before the dawn of the 2022/2023 football season, the man who built his career slowly and smartly decided to finally chase after money.
According to Kostic, Dusan Vlahovic called and told him about how great both of them can play together in Juventus colours.
Again, Vlahovic told him many nice things about Turin and living in Italy. That convinced Kostic, and in no time, Juventus cashed in on the Serbian Winger.
At the time of Filip Kostic’s Biography, he, a Juventus player, has continued his form as the best asset in the club’s left midfield area. More interestingly, his Serbian national team is about to battle it out with Brazil, Cameroon, and Switzerland in Group G of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The rest, as we say, is now history.
Who is Filip Kostic’s Girlfriend?
Our first sign of knowing the footballer was in a relationship was in 2014 – when he played football with VfB Stuttgart. At that time, Filip Kostic was in a relationship with his Ex-Girlfriend, Marija Rosić. Pictured here, beautiful Marija is a model from his hometown of Kragujevac.
Filip Kostic appears to be in love with his Ex-Girlfriend, Marija Rosić.
Beautiful Marija Rosić, a student at the time, was deeply in love with Filip. For reasons unknown, their relationship crumbled, and both lovers of Kragujevac origin moved on with their lives.
Since Filip Kostic ended his relationship with Marija Rosić, there have been lots of tabloids connecting him with many other ladies. Rumours once came that the unmarried Serbian once entered a relationship with his gorgeous girlfriend named Milica Simic.
Filip Kostic attends an event with his girlfriend. Both of them appear to be in love.
A peek at the Serbian midfielder’s social media account does not reveal any signs of a relationship in 2022. Two things are involved here… one, he might be single. Secondly, Filip Kostic might have a girlfriend or wife-to-be, and he has decided to keep it private.
Personal Life:
Who is Filip Kostic?
Getting to know the Football Wolf.
Everyone comments positive things about Kostic’s off-the-field character. But on the pitch, he behaves like a bloodthirsty wolf whose prey is the ball. In a one-on-one fight, hardly any defender can take Filip’s prey (the ball) away from his legs.
Outside the football pitch, Kostic remains a tame lamb. A footballer who returns a smile with a smile. Also, he is a man who is fond of saying nice words with gratitude.
Filip is firmly grounded and extremely calm, and he lives his typical life. He mostly hangs out with Alexander Mitrović. But on the pitch, he remains a great fighter who has bravery, courage and combativeness.
Kostic is confident of doing his best to leave a mark in football like his predecessors (the likes of Lanet Jovanović, Miloš Krasić, and Dejan Stanković) have done.
While in his house, the midfielder loves to follow Serbian sports on TV and online. Kostic sees his country as a talented nation which needs financial resources to invest in sports.
One of the most eligible bachelors in Serbia:
A top magazine outlet in his nation once ranked Filip Kostic among the top five of the most desirable Serbian grooms. Reacting to the award, the Serbian said part of his job is to build his body, a feat that has resulted in his good physical appearance.
In the nicest way possible, Filip Kostic is an absolute freak, both physically and mentally.
In addition to his physicality, Kostic is someone whose body has attracted top magazines. Do you know?… Kostic once had the offer to take a photo for a Dutch Playboy magazine. When he enquired, he found out that his club was against it, and that made him turn down the offer.
Filip Kostic Lifestyle:
Serbian’s most exciting midfielder takes his holiday life seriously.
The man who moves on the football pitch like a bloodthirsty wolf does find time to enjoy his money via holidays.
Although making money in football is a necessary evil, Filip Kostic has affirmed severally that Money does not spoil him. Once upon a time, there were big clubs who were willing to pay millions for his legs, and those monies never moved him.
Filip Kostic Car:
The offensive midfielder knows what it feels like to have an account with six zeros, and he is a fan of luxurious automobiles. Filip Kostic has been spotted driving and being driven in some facinating cars.
A view of Filip Kostic’s Car.
The €3,214,950 or 377,110,420 Serbian dins the Serbian makes every year (with Juventus) is surely capable of making him have almost any car of his taste. Here is the super-cool Kostic in his other automobile collection.
More of the Serb’s car collection.
Filip Kostic Family:
The Athlete once said that members of his household behave like normal people despite having a celebrity (himself) within them. From the onset, Flip Kostic’s family members have maintained their humble backgrounds. Now, let’s tell you about them.
Filip Kostic Father:
The Serbian, right from his childhood years, never enjoyed the company of his Dad like he always wanted. Despite that, there are no reports of a strained relationship between the two.
To this day, a lack of documentation exists as to whether Filip Kostic’s parents are separated or divorced. In a recent interview, the Baller revealed that Dad (who lived in Russia) wasn’t available for him and his brother during their childhood.
Filip Kostic Mother:
Finally, the prophecy she had for her son since his childhood days has come to pass. Filip, today is now a great football, thanks to his Mum, who took care of him while his Dad was away in Russia. These days, she (who lives in Serbia) enjoys the dividends of instilling a great mentality in her son.
Filip Kostic Brother:
According to our research, Stefan is a football manager who once had an excellent job with Stuttgart. Aside from his football ability, he also works in the capacity of managing some aspects of his brother’s career.
Filip Kostic Uncle:
Marko is his name, and he, as stated earlier, was the biggest victim of the attack that took place in June of 2018. Marko Kostic is a brave man who has the best interest of his nephew at heart. He joins Stefan Kostic in ensuring Filip’s career interest is well represented.
Untold Facts:
In the final phase of Filip Kostic’s Biography, we’ll unveil more information you might not know about him. Without further ado, let’s begin.
The Barbecue punishment:
While he played for Frankfurt, Filip Kostic wanted to force his transfer to Lazio, which would see him play alongside Sergej Milinković-Savić. The leaders of Eintracht Frankfurt refused, and Kostic decided to go on a strike, which resulted in him missing a match.
According to The German newspaper Bild, Kostić was fined 50,000 euros. In addition, the Serbian was told to organize a barbecue for his teammates – as another way of punishment.
Filip Kostic Salary:
The four-year deal he signed with Juventus in August 2021 sees him earning a whooping sum of €3,214,950 annually. When this money is converted into the Serbian dinar, we have 377,110,420 din.
How rich is Kostic compared to the average person living in Serbia?
Where Filip Kostic comes from, the average person who lives in Serbia makes around 1,680,000 Serbian din per year. Do you know?… such a person would need 18 years and eight months to make Kostic’s monthly salary.
Filip Kostic FIFA:
The Serbian professional footballer from Kragujevac is one of the most versatile footballers you can find on the planet. Aside from defending, Kostic has everything in abundance except his heading accuracy. In fact, he shares close similarities with Josip Iličić and Ivan Perišić.
As noticed here, stamina, Crossing, Acceleration, and Shot power are his most valuable football assets.
Filip Kostic Religion:
The Serbian professional footballer, like most of his teammates, is a Christian who identifies with the Eastern Orthodox. Filip Kostic and his family join around 84.6% of his country’s population who belong to this Christian religious group.
EndNote:
Do you remember?… Kostic was that footballer who took down Barcelona in the 2021/2022 UEFA Europa League quarter-finals.
Yes, he is a Wolf of a footballer who offers a well-rounded skill set and a strong work ethic. Filip’s powerful and dominant foot has moulded him into the perfect wingback for both offence and defence.
Filip Kostic bears the nicknames ‘The Soaring Serbian Eagle’ and “Tučko.” The second nickname came because he fought older boys when he was young. The Serbian Winger was born in the year 1992 in Kragujevac, Serbia, FR Yugoslavia. Stefan is Filip Kostic’s brother whom he grew up with.
As a child, the Serbian professional footballer lived more with his Mum (his main financier) than his Dad. Filip Kostic grew up in his Serbian hometown of Kragujevac, and his Dad worked mostly in Russia. While in school, the youngster was introduced to football by his physical education coach, Mikica Cmiljanić.
Owing to the strong commitment to having an uninterrupted youth career, Kostic struggled during his secondary school days. One of his schoolmates, Gordana, supported him with his homework. His football career began with Radnički Kragujevac, an academy that turned him into a professional in 2010.
In 2014, Kostic joined the books of the Dutch club FC Groningen. He overcame initial troubles with the club after Robert Maaskant was sacked and Erwin van de Looi was appointed coach. Kostic went on to become a superstar with the team after the new coach gave him the needed confidence.
After achieving fame in the 2015 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, Filip earned his call to the Serbian national team. In 2014, he partnered with Timo Werner in VfB Stuttgart frontlines. During his time with the German club, Filip was known to have dated Marija Rosić, his ex-girlfriend.
After a short time with Hamburger SV, Kostic joined Eintracht Frankfurt. He didn’t just become the best in his field but became the man for many moments. A Baller who (alongside Daichi Kamada and others) helped the club win the 2021/2022 Europa League trophy.
At the time of writing, he is being labelled as a Juventus outcast and is very optimistic about putting up a great show in his next club.
Appreciation Note:
Thank you for taking the time to read our version of Filip Kostic’s Biography. We care about accuracy and fairness in our continuous routine of delivering you the Life Stories of Serbian Footballers. Filip Kostic’s memoir is part of our greater collection of European football Stories.
Please reach out to us via comment if you notice anything that doesn’t look right in this article about the Serbian midfielder. Also, tell us what you think about the Vibrant Serb and his amazing story in the comment section.
Aside from Filip Kostic’s Bio, we’ve got other amazing European Football stories for you. The Life history of Nikola Milenkovic and Niklas Sule will surely interest your autobiography appetite.
