Nikola Mitrović

Nikola Mitrović (; born 2 January 1987) is a Serbian former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder.

During his 20-year-long journeyman career, Mitrović played 15 seasons abroad across seven countries, most notably in Hungary and Israel.

Club career

Early years In 1997, Mitrović joined the youth system of his hometown club Napredak Kruševac. He was promoted to the senior squad in 2004. Over the next three seasons, Mitrović amassed over 100 competitive appearances for the side. The club was administratively promoted to the top flight in July 2007.

Partizan On 23 July 2007, Mitrović agreed to a three-year contract with Partizan. He served mainly as a backup to Brazilian defensive midfielder Juca throughout the season, making 18 appearances (league and cup), as the club won the double. Due to strong competition in his position, Mitrović was loaned to his parent club Napredak Kruševac in the 2008 summer transfer window. He was transferred to Russian club Volga Nizhny Novgorod six months later, spending the entire year there, before again returning to Napredak Kruševac in early 2010.

Újpest and Videoton In the summer of 2010, Mitrović moved abroad for the second time and joined Hungarian club Újpest. He missed just one out of 30 league games, managing to score once in a 6–0 victory over Újpest's fierce rivals Ferencváros. On 28 June 2011, Mitrović joined Hungarian champions Videoton, signing a two-year contract. He was a regular in his debut season at the club, helping them win the League Cup. In the 2012–13 campaign, Mitrović collected 50 appearances and netted nine goals across all competitions, both career-highs.

Maccabi Tel Aviv

On 4 August 2013, Mitrović moved to Israeli champions Maccabi Tel Aviv on a one-year deal with an extension option. He was signed by his former Videoton manager Paulo Sousa who joined the club earlier that summer. After defending the league title with Maccabi in his debut season, Mitrović helped the side win the domestic treble in the 2014–15 campaign. He subsequently made his UEFA Champions League debut in 2015–16, collecting four appearances in the group stage under his countryman Slaviša Jokanović. On 10 January 2016, it was announced that Mitrović would be leaving the club upon his request.

Later years Just a few days following his departure from Maccabi, Mitrović joined China League One club Shanghai Shenxin. He stayed in Asia for only six months, before returning to Israel and signing for Bnei Yehuda in late August 2016. In January of the following year, Mitrović moved to Cypriot club Anorthosis.

In September 2017, Mitrović returned to his homeland and joined his parent club Napredak Kruševac on a free transfer. He scored the winning goal in a 1–0 home league win over Red Star Belgrade on 1 October 2017, chipping the ball from outside the box over Milan Borjan in the sixth minute of injury time.

In January 2018, Mitrović moved to Poland and agreed terms with Ekstraklasa club Wisła Kraków until the end of the season.

In August 2018, Mitrović signed a one-year contract with Azerbaijani club Keşlə.

In July 2019, Mitrović returned to Hungary and penned a one-year deal with Zalaegerszeg.

International career In April 2010, Mitrović made his full international debut for Serbia, coming on as a substitute for Ljubomir Fejsa in a friendly against Japan, an eventual 3–0 success.

Career statistics

Club

International

Honours Partizan Serbian SuperLiga: 2007–08 Serbian Cup: 2007–08 Videoton Ligakupa: 2011–12 Szuperkupa: 2011, 2012 Maccabi Tel Aviv Israeli Premier League: 2013–14, 2014–15 Israel State Cup: 2014–15 Toto Cup: 2014–15 Újpest Magyar Kupa: 2020–21