Ranko Zirojević (Serbian Cyrillic: Ранко Зиројевић; born 1 September 1967) is a former Montenegrin footballer who played as a midfielder.
Personal information | ||||||||||
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Full name | Ranko Zirojević | |||||||||
Date of birth | (1967-09-01) 1 September 1967 (age 54) | |||||||||
Place of birth | SFR Yugoslavia | |||||||||
Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | |||||||||
Position(s) | Midfielder | |||||||||
Youth career | ||||||||||
Sutjeska Nikšić | ||||||||||
Senior career* | ||||||||||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||
1985–1991 | Sutjeska Nikšić | |||||||||
1992–1993 | Mogren | |||||||||
1993–1994 | Ethnikos Piraeus | |||||||||
1995 | Mogren | |||||||||
1995–1996 | Maribor Branik | 27 | (1) | |||||||
1996–1997 | Mogren | |||||||||
1997–1999 | Vrbas | 28 | (9) | |||||||
National team | ||||||||||
1987 | Yugoslavia U-20 | 4 | (1) | |||||||
Honours
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*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
He played in the juvenile ranks of FK Sutjeska Nikšić and was about to make a transfer toward First League team FK Budućnost Podgorica, but the deal broke. Zirojević stayed at Second League team Sutjeska where his career didn't prosper with the start of the Yugoslav Wars in which he lost a brother.[1] He scored eleven goals in the 1989/90 campaign[2] and three goals in eighteen matches in the 1990/91 season.
In July 1993, Zirojević joined Greek second division side Ethnikos Piraeus F.C.[3] The club was promoted and he made eight appearances in the Greek Superleague (1994/95),[4] before returning to FK Mogren in December 1994. The following season, he joined Slovenian side NK Branik Maribor. He would finish his career with Mogren.[5]
He finished his career playing in Serbia with FK Vrbas in the seasons 1997–98 and 1998–99.[6]
Zirojević featured in the Yugoslavia national under-20 football team that won the title at the 1987 FIFA World Youth Championship.
He later became the coach of FK Mogren's youth academy.[7]
In 2011, he and former youth worldcup teammate Slaviša Đurković were denied a pension for their sport-achievements by the Montenegrin authorities.[8] He is participating in a UEFA A-license coaching course in 2011.[9]