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Miloš Ninković

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Miloš Ninković
Born (1984-12-25) December 25, 1984 (age 41)
Serbia
OccupationFootballer (retired)
Years active2000s–2020s
Known forAttacking midfielder, notable career at Sydney FC and Dynamo Kyiv

Miloš Ninković (; born 25 December 1984) is a retired Serbian footballer known for his role as an attacking midfielder.

Čukarički

Ninković developed his skills within the youth system of FK Čukarički before advancing to their senior squad. As a teenager, he made a move to Dynamo Kyiv.

Dynamo Kyiv

At 19 years old, Ninković joined Dynamo Kyiv, where he initially found it challenging to secure regular playing time. Over time, he established himself as a crucial team member, helping the club to capture three Ukrainian Premier League championships and two domestic cup victories. His strong performances led to consistent call-ups for the Serbia national team. During the 2010–11 season, he was recognized as one of Dynamo’s standout and most promising players, admired for his goal-scoring talent and positive mindset.

Évian

In December 2012, it was confirmed that Ninković would spend the last six months of his Dynamo contract, which was set to expire in June 2013, on loan at French side Évian.[1] Although he initially pursued a transfer to Red Star Belgrade, Dynamo declined to release him early. Nonetheless, Ninković suggested that Red Star remained an option following the completion of his loan and contract in mid-2013.[2]

Red Star Belgrade

On 4 July 2013, Ninković secured a one-year deal with Red Star Belgrade, which included an option to extend for another year.[3] He opened his scoring account for the club on 17 August 2013 by netting twice against FK Jagodina.

Sydney FC

Ninković signed a two-year contract with Sydney FC on 16 July 2015.[4] He inherited the esteemed number 10 jersey, previously donned by Alessandro Del Piero.[5] His presence influenced fellow Serbian Milos Dimitrijevic to renew his contract with Sydney FC.[6]

2015–17: Arrival and league champions

Ninković made his debut coming off the bench during a 2–1 loss to Adelaide United in the FFA Cup on 26 August 2015. His league debut followed on 10 October in a 1–1 draw against Melbourne City. Two weeks later, he scored the decisive goal in the Sydney Derby versus Western Sydney Wanderers. On 2 January 2016, he scored twice in a 2–2 draw with Melbourne City. Although an ankle injury in March threatened to end his season prematurely, intensive rehabilitation enabled him to return within two weeks against Brisbane Roar. On 5 April, Ninković netted the winning goal in a 1–0 AFC Champions League group stage victory over Pohang Steelers, securing Sydney FC’s inaugural progression into the knockout rounds. Five days later, he scored twice in a comprehensive 4–0 triumph over Perth Glory. He concluded the 2015–16 campaign with four goals and five assists.

During the 2016–17 season, Ninković recorded two goals and two assists across five matches, including strikes against Wellington Phoenix and Newcastle Jets. His outstanding form in October earned him the PFA A-League Player of the Month accolade. On 13 November, he delivered two goals and one assist in a commanding 4–1 win over Perth Glory, receiving commendations for his consistently high-quality performances. He participated in his first FFA Cup final on 30 November, although Sydney FC fell short with a 1–0 defeat to Melbourne City. In December, he added another goal against Newcastle Jets.

In January 2017, Ninković maintained his strong performance by scoring against Adelaide United and providing an assist during The Big Blue derby, helping extend Sydney FC’s unbeaten run to seventeen games. On 1 April, he was honored with the Alex Tobin Medal as the best player judged by Man of the Match awards. Then on 15 April, Ninković scored as Sydney FC secured the Premiership title with a record-breaking tally of 66 points, surpassing Brisbane Roar’s previous benchmark. He received the Johnny Warren Medal for his significant contributions—nine goals and eleven assists—becoming the first Sydney FC player to earn this distinction. On 7 May, he sealed victory in the A-League Grand Final against Melbourne Victory by converting the winning penalty.

Despite rumors linking him back to Serbia, Ninković recommitted to Sydney FC as their marquee player on an annual salary of $1.3 million, succeeding Filip Hološko who had departed. On 10 May, he collected both the A-League Players’ Player of the Year and Members’ Player of the Year honors, making him only the third player from Sydney FC to win three awards within a single season. Additionally, he was among six Sydney FC players selected for inclusion in the PFA team of the season.

2017–18: Establishing Sydney FC Legacy

Starting the 2017–18 campaign, Ninković was Sydney FC's marquee player during the FFA Cup, netting a goal in an 8–0 triumph over Darwin Rovers, which set a new record in the competition. He featured in every match as Sydney FC advanced to face Adelaide United in the final. On 21 November 2017, Ninković scored the opening goal in the final, playing a pivotal role in securing Sydney FC's inaugural FFA Cup trophy after a 2–1 victory following extra time.

Before the A-League season commenced, Ninković developed a crucial creative partnership with new recruit Adrian Mierzejewski, effectively supporting forwards Alex Brosque and Bobô. On 3 January 2018, he delivered a highly acclaimed goal against Newcastle Jets by weaving past four defenders to level the score at 2–2. This strike was widely celebrated as a leading candidate for goal of the season and received praise from both media outlets and former professionals.

In March, hamstring problems sidelined Ninković for an AFC Champions League fixture; however, he soon returned to score in a narrow 2–1 league defeat to Brisbane Roar. He continued his impact by netting the decisive goal against Central Coast Mariners and contributed to a significant 4–1 AFC Champions League win over Suwon Bluewings on 3 April.

On 13 April, Ninković clinched his second consecutive A-League premiership as Sydney FC edged Melbourne Victory 1–0. His influence within Australian soccer garnered widespread recognition, with teammate Miloš Degenek describing him as "the most appreciated footballer in Australia" and "the best thing that happened to Australian football." Following coach Graham Arnold’s departure, Ninković committed to Sydney FC for an additional two years on 31 May.

2018–20: Hyundai A-League Icon

During the 2018–19 season under manager Steve Corica, key figures Adrian Mierzejewski and Bobô exited the squad, leaving Ninković as Sydney FC’s sole marquee and international signing.<ref> While applying for permanent residency in October, he paired with loan signing Siem de Jong and established an attacking partnership with Adam Le Fondre.<ref> After a sluggish start, Ninković opened his goal account on 26 January 2019 in a 2–1 defeat against Melbourne Victory.<ref> By February, his statistics included 21 key passes, six assists, and one goal.<ref> Despite some dissatisfaction over his modest goal tally, he netted the winning goal during the 2–1 Big Blue derby triumph over Melbourne Victory on 6 April 2019.<ref> Subsequently, he scored twice in the semi-final against Melbourne Victory, contributing to a record-breaking 6–1 victory.<ref>

Ninković started in the Grand Final versus Premiers Perth Glory and played an instrumental role as Sydney FC won on penalties to secure his second championship with the club.<ref> His exceptional performance earned him the Joe Marston Medal.<ref> He concluded the season with three league goals—all scored against Melbourne Victory—the lowest tally of his tenure at Sydney FC.<ref>

On 7 August 2019, Ninković sustained an ankle injury during an FFA Cup fixture but resumed training within five days, missing only one friendly match.<ref> He also scored twice in a friendly against newly formed club Western United FC.<ref>

On 26 October 2019, Ninković featured in the Sydney Derby before an audience of 28,519 but experienced an unexpected 1–0 defeat to Western Sydney Wanderers, who ended a 980-day winless streak against Sydney FC.<ref> Despite this setback, he was awarded Under Armour Man of the Match for generating three key passes and maintaining an impressive pass completion rate of 87.9%.<ref> On 17 December, he extended his contract by two years after turning down a lucrative multi-year deal from expansion side Macarthur FC.<ref> Reports suggested Macarthur offered $750,000 annually plus a post-retirement coaching position, exceeding Sydney FC’s $500,000 offer.<ref> This transfer dispute strained relations between the clubs; in response, Sydney FC increased away ticket prices for their initial match against Macarthur scheduled for January 2021.<ref>

Excluded from Sydney's 2020 AFC Champions League squad due to foreign player restrictions,<ref> Ninković ended April having tallied five goals and three assists across 21 appearances.<ref> Despite a late-season dip in form, Sydney secured the Premiers Plate in August,<ref> with Ninković scoring in the semi-final victory over Perth Glory to help reach the Grand Final.<ref> In the Grand Final, he played all 120 minutes as Sydney FC defeated Melbourne City 1–0 after extra time to claim their fifth championship.<ref> He finished second in Johnny Warren Medal voting with 28 points behind Western United’s Alessandro Diamanti who earned 34 points.<ref>

2020–22: Final season

Ninković kicked off the 2020–21 campaign on 30 January by netting his first goal in a 3–0 triumph over Macarthur FC during their debut season. On 23 May, he provided the assist for the decisive goal against Western Sydney Wanderers, securing Sydney FC's first derby victory since December 2018. On 23 June, Ninković was awarded his second Johnny Warren Medal, sharing the honor with Ulises Dávila, marking the first time the accolade was jointly presented. Although a calf injury prevented him from playing in the semi-final win against Adelaide, he made a substitute appearance in the 3–1 Grand Final defeat to Melbourne City on 27 June.

During the 2021–22 season, Ninković scored in a 2–2 Big Blue derby clash with Melbourne Victory on 25 January and again in a 2–1 loss to Melbourne City on 26 February. However, that latter result was later overturned to a 3–0 forfeit victory for Melbourne City due to Sydney FC not meeting the minimum U23 player requirement, though Ninković’s goal remained officially recorded.

On 4 June, Sydney FC announced ongoing contract negotiations with Ninković following an Instagram post where he hinted at departing once his contract ended. The club confirmed his exit on 21 June. CEO Adam Santo hailed Ninković as a club icon and expressed disappointment over his decision to leave despite attempts to retain him and offer a long-term position.

After his departure, coach Steve Corica disclosed an intention to keep Ninković if he acquired Australian citizenship, which would free up foreign player slots; however, Ninković refuted this in an interview with Code Sports. He claimed Corica pressured him to obtain citizenship before preseason concluded or face retirement—a demand he found disrespectful and detrimental to his legacy.

Western Sydney Wanderers

On 3 July 2022, Ninković inked a one-year contract with rivals Western Sydney Wanderers ahead of the season. The transfer caused controversy; The Guardian described him as a "mercenary," while former teammate Alex Brosque deemed it a "slap in the face" to both clubs. Following this move, Ninković was met with boos from Sydney FC supporters during subsequent Sydney Derbies.

Ninković made his debut for the Wanderers in the Sydney Derby on 12 November 2022, amid a pre-match tifo by The Cove criticizing his switch. In front of 34,232 fans—the largest Derby attendance since 2017—the Wanderers claimed their first Sydney Derby victory at the renovated Sydney Football Stadium in 3304 days, winning 1–0 thanks to an assist from Ninković.

On 6 May 2023, Ninković started in the elimination final where Western Sydney fell 2–1 to Sydney FC, marking their inaugural Finals series encounter. After the match, he entered the Sydney FC dressing room to congratulate former teammates but was escorted out following an exchange with coach Steve Corica. Wanderers coach Marko Rudan attributed the friction to previous disputes between Ninković and Corica. The incident sparked varied responses, with some criticizing Corica’s behavior as "childish" and "over-reactive."

On 29 January 2024, Ninković declared he would retire at the conclusion of the 2023–24 A-League Men season, ending a professional career spanning 24 years at age 40.

International career

Ninković made his first appearance for the Serbia national team in 2009 in a match against Sweden. He was included in Serbia's squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup and featured as a starter in the games versus Germany and Australia, after not playing against Ghana. Throughout his international tenure, he accumulated 28 caps without registering any goals.

Personal life

In November 2022, Ninković obtained Australian citizenship. He is married to Dejana, whom he met at a university gathering, and together they have three children, including their eldest daughter who was born in Ukraine.

Club

Club Season League National Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Čukarički 2002–03 First League of Serbia and Montenegro 15 0 ? ? — — 15 0
2003–04 Second League of Serbia and Montenegro 31 6 ? ? — — 31 6
Total 46 6 ? ? — — 46 6
Dynamo Kyiv 2004–05 Ukrainian Premier League 4 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 6 0
2005–06 3 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 5 0
2006–07 5 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 7 0
2007–08 17 2 5 0 3 0 1 0 26 2
2008–09 20 5 2 0 14 0 1 0 37 5
2009–10 26 4 1 0 6 0 0 0 33 4
2010–11 13 1 0 0 7 0 0 0 20 1
2011–12 16 1 0 0 6 1 0 22 2
2012–13 5 1 0 0 4 0 0 0 9 1
Total 109 14 12 0 41 1 3 0 165 15
Évian (loan) 2012–13 Ligue 1 17 1 5 1 0 0 0 0 22 2
Red Star Belgrade 2013–14 Serbian SuperLiga 27 5 2 0 4 0 — 33 5
Évian 2014–15 Ligue 1 15 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 18 0
Sydney FC 2015–16 A-League 25 4 1 0 7 — 33 5
2016–17 28 9 4 — colspan= "4" | — colspan= "4" | — colspan= "4" | — colspan= "4" | — colspan= "4" | — colspan= "4" | — colspan= "4" |-
colspan = "2" ! Total !181 !35 !19 !4 !32 !2 colspan = "2" ! — !221 !41
Western Sydney Wanderers FC 2022-23 A-League Men A-League 21 !- !- !- !- !- !- !- !- !-
2023-24 A-League Men 14 !- !- !- !- !- !- !-
colspan = "2" ! Total !35 ! - !3 !1 colspan = "2" ! - colspan = "2" ! - colspan = "2"
colspan = "3" ! Career total 430 61 43 6 66 3 4 0 543 70


International

Serbian National Team
Year Appearances Goals
2009 6 0
2010 9 0
2011 9 0
2012 4 0
Total 28 0

Honours

Dynamo Kyiv

Red Star

Sydney FC

Individual

External links

  1. ↑ 15 December 2012. By Yannick Bouvard
  2. ↑ 22–24 December 2012
  3. ↑ 4 July 2013
  4. ↑ 16 July 2015
  5. ↑ 4 September 2015
  6. ↑ 23 August 2015
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