When you think of football stories that rise from humble beginnings amidst conflict, Luka Jovic’s tale stands out. Born on December 23, 1997, in the small village of Batar, located 14 miles south of Bijeljina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Luka’s early life was marked by hardship. He was born to Svetlana and Milan Jovic, who raised him and his sister in challenging conditions.
Before Luka’s birth, his family endured the turmoil of the early 1990s conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The instability during this period hindered many, including Luka’s father, Milan, from pursuing successful football careers. Determined to keep the dream alive, Milan vowed to see his son succeed in football, fueling Luka’s journey from those difficult beginnings to becoming a prominent footballer.
The Luka Jovic Story: Rural Beginnings, Early Hardship and Talent
Preamble:
Sadly, Milan Jovic only had the chance to play amateur football with Partizan Belgrade, which provided minimal income for his family. Luka Jovic was introduced to football by his father at the age of 5 in 2002. Before Luka played his first game, his dad taught him how to use both feet effectively.
Luka was a special talent from a young age. During his first match for his youth club, he scored a hat-trick, which impressed the club’s directors. They were so excited by his performance that they offered financial incentives to encourage him to score more goals. Milan Jovic was given €50 for each goal Luka scored and was also reimbursed 2000 dinars for the travel costs incurred in bringing Luka from their village to Belgrade.
Jovic’s early success in football was not just a personal achievement but also a significant boost for his family. This article delves into his background and the journey that led him from those modest beginnings to becoming a notable footballer.
This article aims to satisfy your footballing curiosity about Luka Jovic’s life story. To start, we’ll present a photo gallery that captures his journey from a talented child to a rising star in professional football. From his humble beginnings as the son of Svetlana and Milan Jovic, Luka has truly come a long way.
The Story Behind Luka Jovic’s Football Success Despite Early Hardships.
Luka Jovic Childhood Story – Early Life and Family Background:
Starting off, Luka Jovic was born on the 23rd day of December 1997. He was born to his mother, Svetlana Jovic, and father, Milan Jovic (an ex-footballer), in the city of Bijeljina, Bosnia, and Herzegovina.
Jovic grew up in a very poor home with his parents and sister in the rural village of Batar, which is 14 miles south of Bijeljina.
Before his birth, his parents and entire family members suffered the early 1990s provocation and takeover, which happened in Bijeljina, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Luka Jović Family and fellow country people once suffered provocations in the early 1990s.
This instability of Bosnia and Herzegovina prevented footballers from having prosperous careers, and Luka Jovic’s father was at the receiving end of it.
Sadly, Milan Jovic only got the opportunity to play amateur football with Partizan Belgrade, which offered little income for his household.
Growing up, Luka Jovic had no toys or games—just a football that he would kick around with his dad. At a certain point in his own slow-moving career, Milan Jovic decided to live out his football dreams through his son.
Luka Jovic Education and Career Buildup:
Having a football-loving dad and a supportive mother, it was only natural for the love of the beautiful game to be instilled in young Luka Jovic, who was always seen having outings with his dad.
Milan encouraged his son to focus on football education with the hope of helping him continue living his unseen dreams.
Guided by a football-loving father and a nurturing mother, young Luka Jovic was destined for the pitch, chasing their shared dreams
Luka Jovic was introduced to football at the age of 5 in 2002. His passion for the game became so strong that he chose to prioritize soccer over his education, seizing the opportunity to kickstart his career.
In 2004, lucky Luka, after a successful trial, got the chance to lay his career foundation in the prestigious Mini Maxi. This is a development league in Belgrade for kids aged between 4 and 12.
Before travelling to have his first game, Jovic’s dad taught him how to work with both feet. Although Jovic initially favoured his right foot, he learned to hit the ball just as confidently with his left.
Luka Jovic Biography – Early Career Life:
Luka Jovic’s talent was evident right from his very first game in the league.
Did you know?… He scored a hat-trick in his first game, a feat which saw the club’s directors pledging to offer cash to his dad to encourage his son to score more goals.
Milan Jovic was offered €50 for each goal his son scored. He was also paid travelling costs of 2000 dinars, which he incurred in bringing Luka from their home village to Belgrade.
All these were done because his son was considered their most valuable player.
During one of Luka Jovic’s standout performances, where he scored multiple goals, he caught the eye of Toma Milićević, a scout for Red Star Belgrade. Milićević invited Jovic to trial with the club, and he impressed so much that he was offered a spot. Below is a photo of Jovic proudly wearing the club’s colours.
Before Luka Jovic joined Red Star Belgrade, his father took him to train with Partizan, a club Milan Jovic had once played for and hoped would sign his son. Partizan offered Milan €200 per month for Luka to play with them, but Milan decided against it and insisted that Luka would stay with Red Star.
Road to Fame Story:
Jović continued to impress in the youth teams, quickly earning a reputation as a future star. As a teenager, he idolized Zlatan Ibrahimović and Radamel Falcao, even adding their names in brackets next to his own on his Facebook profile.
On May 28, 2014, at just 16 years old, Jović made his professional debut with Red Star Belgrade. Early in his career, he set a new record for the club as the youngest goalscorer in a competitive match, surpassing Dejan Stanković’s previous record.
This impressive feat saw clubs all over Europe looking out for his signature. A decision point came in February of 2016 when Jovic decided to move on to new pastures.
The 18-year-old football star made the first major move of his career when he joined Portuguese giants Benfica.
When the Going Got Tough:
While Jovic was in Benfica, there were reports by Football Leaks that exposed vested interest in Jović’s contract, a piece of news that demoralized the young star.
Later, Jovic began to stagnate in development, and this caused lots of distress for the young footballer.
Luka Jovic Road to Fame Story- When the Going Got Tough.
I had mental issues, homesickness, and I made serious mistakes,”
Jović admitted in a Breakingthelines report. The Serbian forward, who once shone as a record-breaking first-choice player at Red Star, found himself demoted to playing for Benfica B team in the Segunda Liga.
After almost being forgotten in Europe, one club stood by him in their continued request for the Serbian.
It was the German club Eintracht Frankfurt who finally saved Jović from the nightmare of his Benfica spell. The club accepted him on loan and later made his contract permanent.
Luka Jovic Bio – Rise to Fame Story:
Following an outstanding second season in Germany, the dynamic and agile forward solidified his place as a key player for Eintracht Frankfurt’s first team.
Jovic became known as one who strikes the ball crisply with both feet. He became blessed with an innate sense of timing, one which has brought in beautiful goals and gigantic celebrations.
After a standout season in Germany, Luka Jovic emerged as Eintracht Frankfurt’s star forward, celebrated for his two-footed strikes and impeccable timing.
Luka Jovic experienced a rapid rise to fame, quickly becoming one of Europe’s most sought-after young talents. As a Serbian forward with Real Madrid showing interest, Jovic has reached impressive heights and remains determined to keep pushing forward.
Jovic’s departure from Eintracht Frankfurt has seen the German club invest in Big names like Djibril Sow and Filip Kostić, who helped them win the 2021/2022 UEFA Europa League.
The rest, as they say, is now history.
About Andjela Manitasevic – Luka Jovic Wife:
With Jovic’s rise to fame, it is certain that his fans would surely ask the burning question. Who is Luka Jovic’s girlfriend, wife or, as some would call it, WAG?
Luka Jovic has been in a relationship with Andjela Manitasevic since his youth career days with Red Star Belgrade. Below is a photo of the love birds during their early relationship years.
Judging from the photo above and the one below, it is obvious that Andjela Manitasevic could be older than her man. Who cares!! After all, true love is important, and age is just a number.
Luka Jovic often shares glimpses of his life with his girlfriend, Andjela Manitasevic, on social media. Their relationship, rooted in strong friendship, is clearly a significant part of their lives.
The fact that both lovers have been dating for a while leaves no doubt that a wedding could be the next formal step for them.
Personal Life Outside Football:
Getting to know Luka Jovic’s personal life would help you get a complete picture of him. Starting off, Jovic has an open mind.
He is highly optimistic, enthusiastic, and embraces change. Jovic has a knack for turning his ideas into tangible actions and is determined to achieve both his career and personal goals.
Soccer players love our pets, and Luka Jovic himself isn’t an exception.
Even though there is a saying that there is no loyalty left in the modern game, it doesn’t take into account the relationship shared between Jovic, his dogs and the monkey.
Luka Jovic LifeStyle:
Jovic is valued at £ 49.50 m, which literally means he is a millionaire footballer. However, judging from his social media account, he is the type of footballer who spends his money on luxurious trips both on land and water.
Jovic, however, isn’t noticeable by a handful of pretty impressive cars, booze, swagger and girls. He is smart about managing his money in those aspects of life.
Luka Jovic Family Life:
Jovic’s family has roots in Yugoslavia, which, after World War II, split into six republics, including Bosnia and Herzegovina. Luka Jovic’s father, Milan, born in 1975, was a former left-wing player for the Partizan football club in Serbia.
Unlike his son Luka, Milan never achieved many good heights in his career. He played only 82 matches in his senior career, winning the Russian Premier League in the year 2000 before hanging up his boots in 2003.
Milan Jovic and his wife Svetlana prefer living a middle-class life in Serbia despite his son’s wealth from football.
This information came when the German BILD newspaper once went in search of traces of Luka Jovic’s family home in Serbia. They discovered his father and their middle-class family status.
Luka Jovic’s Father -Papa Milan. Credit to Bild
In an interview with Blid, Milan Jovic revealed that he once deceived his wife, Svetlana, about their son’s career, which led him to accumulate debt. Today, Jovic’s family—his dad, mom, sister, and relatives—are reaping the rewards of the risks taken by the head of the family.
Luka Jovic Facts:
Did You Know?… November 2015 was a trying month for Luka Jovic’s family. This was a time the family suffered at the hands of a racketeer from Loznica (a city in Serbia) who threatened Luka Jovic that if he didn’t pay him money, he would “break his legs“.
The suspect was apprehended after Jovic’s parents reported the matter to the police, who took their time investigating and getting the culprit to book.
Did you know?…
Luka Jovic once had a car accident in Patkovača, a town near his hometown of Bijeljina in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the accident, Luka Jović was injured but immediately rescued after some quick intervention.
Luka Jovic once had an accident. Credit to Fenix.
Did You Know?… Jovic has a tattoo on his chest, one which has kept fans wondering what his tattoo means.
Well, it looks like an image of Jesus, which reflects his Orthodox Christian religion, which is most prevalent in Serbia. Jovic first revealed this tattoo during the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
Did You Know?… Jovic is the youngest-ever player to score five goals in a single Bundesliga game. A record previously held by Robert Lewandowski.
Fact Check:
Thanks for reading the story of Luka Jovic, a footballer who rose to become Serbia’s saviour in the Euro 2024. We strive for accuracy and fairness in our delivery of Serbian Football Stories. Have you read the story of Nikola Milenkovic and Aleksandar Mitrovic? If you find something that doesn’t look right, please share it with us by commenting below. We’ll always value and respect your ideas.
