Mladen Žižović

Mladen Žižović (Serbian Cyrillic: Младен Жижовић; 27 December 1980 – 3 November 2025) was a Bosnian professional football manager and player who played as an attacking midfielder. His playing career led him to domestic success with various clubs in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Albania.

After retiring, Žižović then went onto manage mostly in Southeast Europe. He most notably lead Borac Banja Luka to the 2024–25 UEFA Conference League round of 16.

Club career Born on 27 December 1980 in Rogatica, SFR Yugoslavia, modern-day Bosnia and Herzegovina, Žižović started playing football from an early age. He began his senior career in 1997, playing for hometown club . Žižović moved to Radnik Bijeljina the following year where over four seasons and 75 league games, he scored 17 goals, winning the First League of the Republika Srpska in his second year with the club.

Žižović then joined Rudar Ugljevik in 2002, where he would again have a lengthy stint,

Managerial career In May 2017, as his playing career ended the previous year, Radnik Bijeljina offered Žižović to manage the club. and had a brief stint at Saudi First Division side Al-Kholood in 2023. At Macedonian club Shkupi, he managed to develop multiple youth players who went on to have successful careers. He guided Borac to the last 16 of the knockout stage of the 2024–25 UEFA Conference League, eventually getting eliminated by Rapid Wien 3–2 on aggregate. Borac ended the 2024–25 season as Bosnian Premier League runners-up, just one point behind champions Zrinjski.

On 23 October 2025, Žižović was appointed manager of Serbian SuperLiga side Radnički 1923, managing them until his sudden death a few weeks later during his third game in charge. He was buried in Bijeljina, Bosnia and Herzegovina on 6 November.

Following Žižović's death, Radnički 1923, his former club Borac, as well as numerous other clubs from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia paid tribute in statements, along with Mladost Lučani manager Nenad Lalatović, who attempted to help Žižović during the heart attack, stating "...The football world has lost a great human being."

Managerial statistics

Honours Player Radnik Bijeljina First League of RS: 1998–99 Bosnian Cup: 2015–16

Zrinjski Mostar Bosnian Premier League: 2008–09 Bosnian Cup: 2007–08

KF Tirana Albanian Cup: 2010–11