Mirko Vučinić

Mirko Vučinić
Мирко Вучинић

Vučinić playing for Montenegro in 2012
Personal information
Full name Mirko Vučinić
Date of birth (1983-10-01) 1 October 1983
Place of birth Nikšić, SFR Yugoslavia
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing position Forward
Club information
Current team
 Al Jazira
Number 9
Youth career
1998–1999 Sutjeska Nikšić
2000–2002 Lecce
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
1999–2000 Sutjeska Nikšić 9 (3)
2000–2006 Lecce 111 (34)
2006–2011 Roma 147 (46)
2011–2014 Juventus 75 (21)
2014– Al Jazira 29 (27)
National team‡
2005–2006 Serbia and Montenegro 3 (0)
2007– Montenegro 44 (17)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 23 March 2016.
† Appearances (goals)

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 12 October 2014

Mirko Vučinić (Montenegrin: Mиpкo Bучинић, pronounced [mîːrko ʋǔt͡ʃinit͡ɕ]; born 1 October 1983) is a Montenegrin footballer who plays as a forward for Al Jazira in the UAE Arabian Gulf League.

Having caught the attention of Pantaleo Corvino, the sporting director of the Italian club Lecce, he transferred there in the summer of 2000. He played for Lecce as they moved between Serie A and B. His highest-scoring season was 2004–05, with 19 goals in 28 games in Serie A. In 2006, he joined Roma, where he won the Coppa Italia twice; he later moved on to Juventus in 2011, where he won three consecutive Serie A titles. In July 2014, he moved to Al Jazira on an undisclosed fee.

On the international stage, Vučinić played for the Serbia and Montenegro under-21 team. Due to injury, he was unable to represent Serbia and Montenegro at the FIFA World Cup in 2006. Following the split of Serbia and Montenegro in spring of 2006, Vučinić chose to represent his native Montenegro, and is their top scorer of all time with 17 goals.

Quick, versatile, and physically strong, Vučinić is known for his creativity, technique, and intelligence as a footballer, as well as his powerful striking ability from distance.[1][2]

Club career

Early career

Vučinić started out at his hometown club Sutjeska Nikšić before being snapped up by Lecce in Italy during the summer of 2000 at age 16. The man who initiated the transfer was the club's sporting director at the time, Pantaleo Corvino, who has since developed a reputation for having a good eye when it comes to football talent coming out of Eastern Europe.

In his fourth season for the club, 21-year-old Vučinić scored 19 goals in 28 Serie A games, including a hat-trick versus Lazio on 1 May 2005.[3] Following that successful season, his progress came to a halt with only nine goals recorded in 31 games as his career stalled due to injury.

Roma

On 30 August 2006, Vučinić signed a one-year loan contract with Roma worth €3.25 million, with an option of buying 50 percent of his rights from Lecce at the season's conclusion for an additional €3.75 million.[4] Vučinić signed a 1+4 year contract, which worth €1.07M, €1.6M, €1.8M in the first three seasons in gross annually,[4] then increased to €2.1 million in the last two seasons.[4]

2006–07 season

During his first season in Rome, he did not feature much as he had operations on his left knee twice.[5] Also, the presence of the European Golden Boot winner Francesco Totti as the lone forward of Roma's tactical formation under head coach Luciano Spalletti did not give Vučinić much playing time. Despite this, he succeeded in scoring three goals: his first goal for Roma in the 1–0 victory against Siena on 28 January 2007,[6] his first goal in the UEFA Champions League during the quarter-finals match 2–1 victory against Manchester United on 4 April 2007.[7] He also scored another Serie A away goal against Catania in a game that saw Roma beat the Sicilians 2–0.

2007–08 season

At the beginning of the 2007–08 season, Roma paid Lecce the pre-agreed price of €3.75 million to sign 50 percent of Vučinić's rights.[8] He decided to wear the No. 9 jersey, previously owned by Vincenzo Montella in the last eight seasons, and also stated that he would like to do the same that Montella did at Roma.[9]

As veteran Francesco Totti was usually deployed as a lone striker, Vučinić began to play as left winger in Luciano Spalletti's 4-2-3-1. He scored his first goal of the season in the 2–1 victory against Sporting Clube de Portugal, in the Champions League group stage, allowing Roma to get the vital goal to earn them three points.[10]

In the following game, away to Milan at the San Siro, with Francesco Totti injured, Vučinić started as a striker and scored a header, from a cross by his teammate Cicinho. It was the only goal of the game as Roma picked up a win over its rival. This proved decisive again, as in the game against city rivals Lazio, Roma won by 3–2, with Vučinić leaving his mark with a left-foot equalizer and an assist to Simone Perrotta's goal. Another decisive goal of Vučinić was a header against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu, securing a 2–1 win for his side as well as qualification to the successive round.

2008–09 season

In June 2008, Roma finally bought Vučinić outright by paying Lecce €12 million,[11] made Roma had paid €19 million in total to Lecce.

On 4 November 2008, he scored two goals in Roma's UEFA Champions League group stage match against Chelsea, emerging as 3–1 winners.[12] Roma made it to the round of 16, where they lost to Arsenal on penalties, with Vučinić missing the target in the shootout with a weak shot down the middle that was easily saved by goalkeeper Manuel Almunia.[13]

2009–10 season

On 1 June 2009, Roma announced Vučinić had signed a new four-year contract, which the gross wage of 2008–09 season would increased to €3.3 million as well as €4 million in 2009–10 season; €4.2M in 2010–11 season; €4.5million in 2011–12 season and €4.7 million in 2012–13 season.[14] The 2009–10 Serie A campaign started off poorly for Roma, forcing head coach Luciano Spalletti to resign after two opening losses. Arrival of new head coach Claudio Ranieri initially failed to change matters with the team continuing to slide down the standings as Vučinić got soundly booed by Roma fans in early November 2009 against Bologna when he finally scored his first goal of the season. After winning that match, however, Roma went on a 24-match unbeaten run in the league, mounting a credible title challenge by the end of the season, in large part thanks to Vučinić's improved form and steady goalscoring efforts that included a hat-trick versus Udinese and a brace in the win against heated crosstown rivals Lazio.

2010–11 season

The 2010–11 season began well for Vučinić, scoring the injury-time winner against defending league champions Internazionale.[15] As the season progressed, however, he experienced a loss of form and his goals output dipped dramatically. Later in the season he was linked with a move to Tottenham.

The team was also going through turmoil as it was way off pace for the title after challenging for the Scudetto the previous few seasons. Head coach Ranieri was sacked and replaced with Vincenzo Montella. Vučinić's form didn't improve much as his loss of confidence became very evident in April when he missed open net sitters in two consecutive home matches – first in Serie A versus Palermo with the score tied at 1–1 (Roma eventually lost 3–2),[16] and then three days later in the Coppa Italia semi-final first leg versus Inter (Roma lost 1–0).[17]

Juventus

Vučinić in action for Juventus

2011–12 season

On 30 July 2011, it was confirmed that Juventus had signed Vučinić for €15 million from Roma,[18] with a 4-year deal worth a reported €3.5 million [in net] per year.[19] He scored his first goal for the club on 21 August 2011 in the 2–1 defeat to AC Milan in the annual Trofeo Luigi Berlusconi curtain raiser to the Italian season.[20]

Vučinić scored a 32-metre goal in extra time to help Juventus to a 2–2 draw against Milan on 20 March 2012, helping his side to a 4-3 victory on aggregate and progression to the 2012 Coppa Italia Final.[21]

2012–13 season

The second season of Vučinić started exceptionally well, proving to be a vital player at several occasions. His first Serie A goal came during his second appearance against Udinese on 2 September 2012, the end of the year came soon after and his goal tally stood at 4 goals on 14 appearances and 4 assists. On 9 January 2013 Vučinić scored in the 96th minute against A.C. Milan to bring Juventus to the semi-finals of Coppa Italia where they will face Lazio. The new year started very well for the Montenegrin, as he managed to score once again against Udinese.

2013–14 season

On 1 May 2014, in injury time of Juventus' Europa League semi-final elimination against Benfica, Vučinić was sent off for a fight with opponent Lazar Marković despite neither being on the field of play at the time, Marković having been substituted and Vučinić still on the substitutes bench.[22]

Al Jazira

2014–15 season

On 4 July 2014, Vučinić joined UAE Arabian Gulf League side Al Jazira for an undisclosed fee believed to be in the region of €6 million.[23]

International career

Serbia and Montenegro

Vučinić played for Serbia and Montenegro's U21 national team and was later one of two Montenegro-born players chosen to play for Serbia and Montenegro at the 2006 FIFA World Cup (the other one being Dragoslav Jevrić). He had already been capped three times for the national team, but on 23 May 2006 he got injured and could not participate in the competition.

Montenegro

After Montenegro became an independent country on 3 June 2006, and a new national team was to be established, Vučinić initially opted to play for the Serbian national football team (as he was identified as a Montenegrin Serb[24]), but eventually decided to play for his native country.[25] He earlier said, on February 1, 2006, in light of the possibility of a Serbian-Montenegrin union split, that "according to me, it is not a good idea". In a match against Croatia the same month, he shouted "Serbia" and showed the three-finger salute. However, in September 2006 in a press conference in Rome, he said, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport "I am hundred percent Montenegrin and happy that the union with Serbia has ended".[26] He scored the first goal of Montenegro's history when he netted a penalty kick in the team's first international match on 24 March 2007, a 2–1 friendly win against Hungary.[27]

Goals

Scores and results list Montenegro's goal tally first.[28]
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 24 March 2007 Podgorica City Stadium, Podgorica, Montenegro  Hungary
1–1
2–1
Friendly
2. 22 August 2007 Podgorica City Stadium, Podgorica, Montenegro  Slovenia
1–0
1–1
Friendly
3. 12 September 2007 Podgorica City Stadium, Podgorica, Montenegro  Sweden
1–0
1–2
Friendly
4. 17 October 2007 A. Le Coq Arena, Tallinn, Estonia  Estonia
1–0
1–0
Friendly
5. 6 September 2008 Podgorica City Stadium, Podgorica, Montenegro  Bulgaria
1–1
2–2
2010 FIFA World Cup Qualification
6. 15 October 2008 Stadio Via del Mare, Lecce, Italy  Italy
1–1
1–2
2010 FIFA World Cup Qualification
7. 9 September 2009 Podgorica City Stadium, Podgorica, Montenegro  Cyprus
1–0
1–0
2010 FIFA World Cup Qualification
8. 18 November 2009 Podgorica City Stadium, Podgorica, Montenegro  Belarus
1–0
1–0
Friendly
9. 29 May 2010 Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway  Norway
1–1
1–2
Friendly
10. 3 September 2010 Podgorica City Stadium, Podgorica, Montenegro  Wales
1–0
1–0
UEFA Euro 2012 Qualification
11. 8 October 2010 Podgorica City Stadium, Podgorica, Montenegro   Switzerland
1–0
1–0
UEFA Euro 2012 Qualification
12. 25 May 2012 King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium  Belgium
1–0
2–2
Friendly
13. 7 September 2012 Podgorica City Stadium, Podgorica, Montenegro  Poland
2–1
2–2
2014 FIFA World Cup Qualification
14. 22 March 2013 Zimbru Stadium, Chișinău, Moldova  Moldova
1–0
1–0
2014 FIFA World Cup Qualification
15 14 August 2013 Torpedo Stadium, Zhodino, Belarus  Belarus
1–1
1–1
Friendly
16. 8 September 2014 Podgorica City Stadium, Podgorica, Montenegro  Moldova
2–0
2–0
UEFA Euro 2016 Qualification
17. 9 October 2015 Podgorica City Stadium, Podgorica, Montenegro  Austria
1–0
2–3
 UEFA EURO 2016 Qualification

Style of play

A quick, strong, talented, and technically gifted player, who is capable of both scoring and creating decisive goals for his team, Vučinić can fill any attacking position, but is often deployed as a winger on either flank, as a centre-forward, or as a deep lying striker.[2][29][30][31] He has been praised for his creativity, dribbling, vision, footballing intelligence, and short passing accuracy, which make him an effective assist provider;[2][32] he is also known for his ability to score powerful long range goals with both feet.[1][2][33] Despite his talent and skill, throughout his career he has also drawn criticism for his behaviour and unpredictability on the pitch, as well as his tendency to be inconsistent;[2][34] his work-rate in big matches has also been brought into question at times.[35]

Career statistics

Club

As of 27 April 2015
Team League Season League Cup1 Europe2 Other Cups3 Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Sutjeska Nikšić Yugoslavia League 1999–00[36] 9 3 0 0 – – – – 10 4
Lecce Serie A 2000–01[36] 3 0 0 0 – – – – 2 0
2001–02[36] 7 0 2 0 – – – – 9 0
Serie B 2002–03[36] 28 5 1 0 – – – – 29 5
Serie A 2003–04[36] 12 1 1 0 – – – – 13 1
2004–05[36] 28 19 3 3 – – – – 31 22
2005–06[36] 34 9 0 0 – – – – 34 9
Lecce Total 111 34 7 3 – – – – 118 37
Roma Serie A 2006–07[36] 25 2 2 0 6 1 0 0 33 3
2007–08[36] 33 9 6 1 8 4 1 0 48 14
2008–09[36] 27 11 2 2 8 3 1 1 38 17
2009–10[36] 34 14 4 2 8 3 – – 46 19
2010–11[36] 28 10 4 1 4 0 1 0 37 11
Roma Total 147 46 18 6 34 11 3 1 202 64
Juventus Serie A 2011–12[36] 32 9 3 1 – – – – 35 10
2012–13[36] 31 10 3 1 8 2 1 1 43 14
2013–14 12 2 0 0 5 0 1 0 18 2
Juventus Total 75 21 6 2 13 2 2 1 96 26
Al Jazira UAE Arabian Gulf League 2014–15 23 25 0 0 – – – – 23 25
Al Jazira 23 25 0 0 0 0 0 0 23 25
Career Total 356 126 31 11 47 13 5 2 439 152

1Includes Kup Jugoslavije, Coppa Italia, UAE Arabian Gulf Cup and UAE President's Cup

2Includes UEFA Europa League, UEFA Champions League and AFC Champions League.

3Includes Supercoppa Italiana and Arabian Gulf Super Cup

International

Serbia and Montenegro national team[36]
YearAppsGoals
200520
200610
Total30
Montenegro national team
YearAppsGoals
200744
200872
200942
201073
201150
201252
201352
201431
201541
Total4417

Honours

Club

Roma[37]
Juventus[37]

Individual

References

  1. 1 2 "Player Profile". whoscored.com. Retrieved 25 June 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Mina Rzouki (21 July 2013). "The inconsistent genius: Mirko Vucinic". ESPN FC. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
  3. ↑ Oddenino, Gianluca (1 May 2005). "Lecce–Lazio, entusiasmante 5–3". Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  4. 1 2 3 "Acquisizione a titolo temporaneo con diritto di opzione per l'acquisizione a titolo definitivo con accordo di partecipazione del diritto alle prestazioni sportive del calciatore Mirko Vučinić" (PDF). asroma.it (in Italian). Retrieved 21 December 2013.
  5. ↑ (Italian) Roma: altro stop per Vucinic, sarà operato al ginocchio sinistro
  6. ↑ (Italian) Vucinic-gol, la Roma non perde la speranza
  7. ↑ (English) Roma defeat United's ten men
  8. ↑ "Esercitato il diritto d'opzione per l'acquisizione a titolo definitivo con accordo di partecipazione del diritto alle prestazioni sportive del calciatore Mirko Vučinić" (PDF) (in Italian). AS Roma. 21 June 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 September 2007.
  9. ↑ (Italian) Vucinic pronto al decollo "Il mio modello è Montella"
  10. ↑ Allen, Richard (23 October 2007). "Roma super sub sinks Sporting". UEFA.com (Union of European Football Associations). Archived from the original on 25 October 2007. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  11. ↑ "RISOLUZIONE A FAVORE DI A.S. ROMA DELL'ACCORDO DI PARTECIPAZIONE RELATIVO AL DIRITTO ALLE PRESTAZIONI SPORTIVE DI MIRKO VUCINIC" (PDF) (in Italian). AS Roma. 20 June 2008. Retrieved 19 June 2009.
  12. ↑ McKenzie, Andrew (4 November 2008). "Roma 3–1 Chelsea". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  13. ↑ Hytner, David (11 March 2009). "Arsenal through in penalty drama after Tonetto cracks". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  14. ↑ "Prolungato il contratto economico per il diritto alle prestazioni sportive del calciatore Mirko Vucinic" (PDF) (in Italian). AS Roma. 1 June 2009. Retrieved 21 December 2013.
  15. ↑ Bandini, Paolo (25 September 2010). "Roma v Internazionale – as it happened". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  16. ↑ "Roma, bye bye Champions: il Palermo sbanca l'Olimpico". Sky Italia (in Italian). 16 April 2011. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  17. ↑ Manfredi, Jacopo (19 April 2011). "Stankovic fredda la Roma Inter, finale più vicina". La Repubblica (in Italian). Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  18. ↑ "Mirko Vucinic è bianconero" (in Italian). juventus.com. 1 August 2011. Retrieved 21 December 2013.
  19. ↑ "La Stampa – Vucinic alla Juve, affare concluso: "E' la squadra che volevo"". tuttomercatoweb.com (in Italian). Retrieved 30 July 2011.
  20. ↑ AC Milan 2–1 Juventus: Boateng & Seedorf belters earn victory for Serie A champions Goal.com. Retrieved 21 August 2011.
  21. ↑ http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=337683&cc=5901
  22. ↑ "Juventus 0-0 Benfica". BBC Sport. 1 May 2014. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
  23. ↑ Chambers, Miles (4 July 2014). "Vucinic confirms move to Al-Jazira from Juventus". Goal.com. Retrieved 23 August 2014.
  24. ↑ http://www.sportal.rs/news.php?news=32266. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  25. ↑ Vladimir Šoškić (March 25, 2013). "Tako mala, a tako velika Crna Gora". Sportal. Pre skoro sedam godina, 21. mаја 2006. godine, proglašena je nezavisnost Crne Gore. Samo nekoliko meseci kasnije predsednik Dejan Savićević je krenuo u izgradnju nacionalnog tima. Prvi potez mu je bio briljantan. Ubedio je nekadašnjeg predsednika FSS Zvezdna Terzića da nema „uzimanja“ igrača iz sada komšijskih zemalja. Bio je to potez koji je lišio srpski fudbal mogućnosti da dobije najboljeg napadača Mirka Vučinića, iako je kapiten „hrabrih sokolova“ tada isticao da mu je želja da nosi dres zemlje u kojoj se sa ponosom dižu tri prsta.
  26. ↑ "Srećan što nije sa Srbima". Kurir. September 10, 2006.
  27. ↑ Montenegro beats Hungary 2–1 in its first international friendly
  28. ↑ "Mirko Vučinić". European Football. Retrieved 27 July 2015.
  29. ↑ Gaetano Mocciaro (18 March 2012). "ESCLUSIVA TJ - Ag. Vucinic: "Sbagliato valutare Mirko per il numero di gol. Quelli che fa pesano sempre, da quando ha 17 anni"" (in Italian). Tutto Juve. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
  30. ↑ MATTIA CHIUSANO (29 November 2007). "Totti? Roma è pazza di Vucinic Calma, non valgo la sua metà" (in Italian). La Repubblica. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
  31. ↑ "Juve, Vucinic preferito a Rossi" (in Italian). Calciomercato. 24 July 2011. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
  32. ↑ March Ferri (1 April 2008). "Roma: Vucinic, l'uomo della provvidenza" (in Italian). Tutto Mercato Web. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
  33. ↑ Cristiano Sala (30 July 2011). "Sabatini: "Vucinic? Ha caratteristiche soprannaturali"" (in Italian). Tuttosport. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
  34. ↑ "'Inconsistent' Vucinic defends himself". Football Italia. 16 September 2011. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
  35. ↑ Shane Callaghan (16 April 2013). "Vucinic rejects 'lazy' accusations". Goal.com. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
  36. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 FSS. "Vučinić Mirko".
  37. 1 2 "M. Vučinić". Soccerway. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
  38. ↑ "Vucinic Montenegro Player of the Year". Football Italia. 20 December 2012. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
  39. ↑ "Player of the year - Montenegro". World Football.net. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
  40. ↑ "Summary - Arabian Gulf League - United Arab Emirates - Results, fixtures, tables and news - Soccerway". Soccerway. Retrieved 8 February 2016.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mirko Vučinić.
Sporting positions
Preceded by
None		 Montenegro national football team captain
2007– 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
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