Written by Matteo Ciaramella
A relentless spirit has left us.
Sinisa Mihajlovic’s 3 year long fight with leukemia came to a tragic halt three days ago, on December 16th.
After contracting an infection on December 11th, and a rapid rise in body temperature, Mihajlovic was taken to the hospital. He entered a medically-induced coma the next day, leaving this world in the dying afternoon hours of last Friday.
He had fought bravely, nothing short of absolutely commendable in front of a scary condition such as leukemia. He translated his fighting spirit from his playing days to this awful situation, becoming a leading example of courage and persistence.
Today, in grief, Serie All celebrates Mihajlovic, who could only be described as a legend and icon of Italian football. Both as a player and manager, he left a permanent mark on our league, and we hope that our generation, along with the previous ones, will not fail him and honor his legacy for years to come.
Mihajlovic first landed in Italy in 1992, following a stellar career in his native Yugoslavia. A European Cup win with Red Star Belgrade was enough for Roma to bring him in, and introduce him to what would eventually become his second motherland. His experience with the Giallorossi helped him establish himself as a desirable player in our league, and Roma fans will forever remember him for his incredible half-volley strike against Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Cup. He would leave a lot to be desired with the Romans however, due to inconsistency in his left midfielder role. This is partly why, in 1994, Mihajlovic left for Sampdoria.
Upon his arrival in Genoa, Mihajlovic encountered Swedish coach Sven-Goran Eriksson, who would go on to change his career forever. Eriksson saw his new player unfit for the wide midfielder position, and decided to move him to the center of the defense. Here, while at Sampdoria, Mihajlovic found himself and blossomed into a truly world class player. His tenaciousness, physicality, and grit made him perfect for this position, though it was his innate ability on dead balls that set him apart from the rest. With his move to Sampdoria, the Italian football world finally witnessed the unbelievable free-kick taker that was in Mihajlovic. Different techniques dazzled goalkeepers, while astonishing power and precision left them feeling useless between the sticks. His total of 28 freekick goals in Serie A (3 of which he scored in one game) is a league-wide record that he shares with none other than Andrea Pirlo. His other technical abilities – such as his vision and control of the ball – made him a one-of-a-kind center back for his time, paving the way for the typical modern defender that excels without the ball as much as he does with it.
Mihajlovic played 4 great seasons at the Marassi before his move to Lazio, where he spent 6 years of pure glory playing a vital role in what ultimately became known as Lazio’s golden generation. One Scudetto, two Italian Supercups, a Cup Winners’ Cup, and a European Supercup, alongside 33 goals and 32 assists propelled him into Lazio fans’ memories forever, as he became one of the club’s most appreciated legends.
In 2004, Mihajlovic switched clubs for the last time in his career, joining Inter Milan at 35. Despite his age, Sinisa left his mark scoring 6 freekicks in two seasons, as Serie A fans were used to seeing by now.
In 2006 he retired and was offered an assistant coach job at Inter. 2 Scudettos later, Mihajlovic got his well-deserved promotion, as Bologna hired him for their new head position in the 2008-2009 season. After that, Mihajlovic would go on to coach 5 more Serie A clubs, and despite the lack of silverware, his impact will never be forgotten.
A strict, charismatic manager, Mihajlovic brought out the best in his players, pushing them to go beyond their football abilities. As Torino president Urbano Cairo said, Mihajlovic was “the greatest motivator and a kind person”. Additionally, Serie A fans will remember him for the faith he put in young players – Gianluigi Donnarumma, Sasa Lukic, Davide Calabria, and Takehiro Tomiyasu come to mind. Furthermore, while at Roma, 24 year old Mihajlovic was partly responsible for Francesco Totti’s 1993 Serie A debut, as he convinced then coach Vujadin Boskov to give the young forward a chance. The rest, as they say, is history.
Wonderful player, wonderful coach – Mihajlovic conquered two worlds and left as a decorated, beloved icon.
“A great man, a great fighter”
– Lega Serie A
Ciao Sinisa.
References
https://sport.sky.it/calcio/2022/12/16/sinisa-mihajlovic-morto-reazioni#21
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/63999433
https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/sinisa-mihajlovic_(Enciclopedia-dello-Sport)
https://www.transfermarkt.com/sini-scaron-a-mihajlović/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/5834