Goran Milović

Goran Milović
Personal information
Date of birth	29 January 1989 (age 35)
Place of birth	Split, SR Croatia, Yugoslavia
Height	1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)
Position(s)	Centre-back
Team information
Current team	Hajduk Split (assistant)
Youth career
	RNK Split
Senior career*
Years	Team
2008–2012	RNK Split
2012–2016	Hajduk Split
2016–2018	Chongqing Lifan
2018	→ Osijek (loan)
2018–2020	KV Oostende
2020–2021	Olimpija Ljubljana
2021	Diósgyőri
2021–2023	Olimpija Ljubljana
Total
International career
2015	Croatia
Managerial career
2024	Hajduk Split U-17 (assistant)
2024–	Hajduk Split (assistant)
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Goran Milović (Croatian pronunciation: [ɡǒran mîːloʋitɕ];^[2]^[3] born 29 January 1989) is a former Croatian professional footballer who played as a defender.

Club career

RNK Split

In 2008, Goran Milović was promoted from RNK Split's youth academy to their first team, which competed in the Croatian third division at the time. After the club won back-to-back promotions, he made his Croatian top division debut on 31 July 2010 against Varaždin.^[4] Overall, he made 80 league appearances for the club, scoring 8 goals.^[5]

Hajduk Split

He made a move across the city and joined their city rivals Hajduk Split in a transfer where Hajduk paid no compensation for his services. Hajduk manager Krasimir Balakov played him in every game for the rest of the season after Milović made his debut against his former club RNK Split. When Mišo Krstičević was appointed as the new manager, Milović remained a vital part of the defense, making 26 appearances in the 2012–13 season. In the 2013–14 season, he made 40 appearances in all competitions and was even handed the captain's armband on four occasions.^{[citation needed]}

Chongqing Lifan

On 2 February 2016, Milović moved to the Chinese Super League side Chongqing Lifan in an €800,000 deal.^[6] He signed a three-and-a-half-year deal with the club, worth approximately €500,000 a year.^[6] He made his debut for the club on 6 March 2016 in a 2–1 victory against Guangzhou Evergrande.^[7] On 12 February 2018, Milović was loaned to Osijek until the end of the season, with a buying option.^[8]

KV Oostende

On 13 June 2018, Milović signed a two-year contract with Belgian First Division A club KV Oostende.^[9] Chongqing Lifan confirmed on the next day that Milović had terminated the contract with the club and joined KV Oostende on a free transfer.^[10]

Retirement

After playing his last season in Olimpija Ljubljana where he won the league title and domestic cup in 2023, he announced his retirement from professional football on 30 September 2023.^[11]

International career

In October 2015, he received his first call-up for the Croatian senior national team for a friendly game against Russia.^[12] In the match against Russia, held on 17 November 2015, he made his debut after replacing Nikola Kalinić in the 75th minute in an eventual 3–1 win.^[13]^[14]

Coaching career

In January 2024, after hanging up his boots six months earlier, Milović returned to his former club, Hajduk Split, where he was hired as assistant coach of the club's U-17 team under manager Luka Vučko.^[15] Already on April 1, 2024, in the wake of Mislav Karoglan stepping down as coach of the club, Jure Ivanković was hired as the new interim coach for the rest of the season. He chose to bring Milović onto his first team staff as assistant coach.^[16]