Luka Jović
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Luka Jović | ||
| Date of birth | 23 December 1997 | ||
| Place of birth | Bijeljina, Bosnia and Herzegovina | ||
| Height | 1.81 m (5 ft 11 1⁄2 in) | ||
| Playing position | Striker | ||
| Club information | |||
Current team | Benfica | ||
| Number | 35 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2005–2014 | Red Star Belgrade | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2014–2016 | Red Star Belgrade | 42 | (12) |
| 2016– | Benfica B | 12 | (3) |
| 2016– | Benfica | 1 | (0) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2014–2015 | Serbia U17 | 8 | (5) |
| 2014– | Serbia U19 | 13 | (9) |
| 2016– | Serbia U20 | 1 | (0) |
| 2015– | Serbia U21 | 2 | (0) |
|
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 23 November 2016. | |||
Luka Jović (Serbian Cyrillic: Лука Јовић; born 23 December 1997) is a Serbian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Portuguese club Benfica.
Early life
Jović was born in a 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.[1] His playing style attracted comparisons to Darko Pančev and Radamel Falcao, who is also his idol.[2][3]
Club career
Red Star Belgrade
Youth
Jović was offered 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.[1] 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.[4][5] He scored the goal only two minutes[4] 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.[6] 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 70th birthday. He then scored against Spartak, double against Borac and decisive goal against Voždovac, ahead of Eternal derby clash.[7] He missed the end of the season and 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup on 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 bring 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".[8] A suspect was apprehended immediately afterwards.[8]
Benfica
In February 2016, Jović signed with Portuguese champions Benfica until 2021.[9] 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.[10] He debuted for the first-team on 20 March, as a substitute, in a 1–0 away victory against Boavista in the Primeira Liga.
International career
On 11 December 2013, Jović scored a hat-trick for Serbia U-17 in a 4–1 win against Croatia U-17.[11] 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.[12]
Club statistics
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Red Star Belgrade | 2013–14 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2014–15 | 22 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 6 | |
| 2015–16 | 19 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 23 | 6 | |
| Total | 42 | 12 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 48 | 13 | |
| Benfica B | 2015–16 | 7 | 2 | — | — | 7 | 2 | ||
| 2016–17 | 4 | 1 | — | — | 4 | 1 | |||
| Total | 11 | 3 | — | — | — | — | 11 | 3 | |
| Benfica | 2015–16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Career total | 54 | 13 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 61 | 16 | |
Honours
- Red Star
- Benfica
References
- 1 2 "Mozzart Sport: Čudesan slučaj Luke Jovića, ili - Kako je klinac koji je spavao u gepeku stigao do velike pozornice" (in Serbian). December 27, 2013.
- ↑ OBRENOVIĆ, Aleksandar (August 11, 2014). "Terzić: Luka Jović je novi Falkao".
- ↑ B. Cvetojevic (16 October 2013). "Zvezdin biser Jović: Hoću kao Pančev" (in Serbian).
- 1 2 Todorović, N. (28 May 2014). "Zvezda je rođena: Luka Jović srušio rekord Dekija Stankovića" (in Serbian).
- ↑ ""Luka Jović neće otići dok ne napuni 18"". Mondo Portal. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
- ↑ Mozzart Sport: Luka Jović – najmlađi akter u istoriji večitih derbija! (Serbian) October 18, 2014
- ↑ Александар (18 April 2015). "Еврогол и наставак серије Луке Јовића за минималац Звезде на Врачару пред дерби!". Moja Crvena Zvezda. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
- 1 2 Miljan Milošević (November 16, 2015). "Reketaš pretio da će Luki Joviću da polomi noge" (in Serbian). Retrieved December 15, 2015.
- ↑ "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.
- ↑ "SL Benfica B - SC Covilhã (Jornada 34 Ledman LigaPRO 2015-2016) - Liga Portugal". ligaportugal.pt. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
- ↑ Mozzart Sport (author name unknown) (11 December 2013). "Luka Jović terorisao Hrvate u Pazovi!" (in Serbian).
- ↑ Novosti: Na Paunovićevom spisku po četiri igrača Zvezde, Vojvodine i OFK Beograda, tri Partizana... (Serbian) 8 July 2014
- ↑ Luka Jović profile at ForaDeJogo. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
- ↑ Luka Jović profile at Soccerway. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
External links
- Benfica official profile (Portuguese)
- Luka Jović – UEFA competition record