Živko Živković (Serbian Cyrillic: Живко Живковић; born 14 April 1989) is a Serbian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Greek Super League club PAOK.

Živko Živković
Personal information
Date of birth (1989-04-14) 14 April 1989 (age 34)
Place of birth Titovo Užice, SR Serbia, Yugoslavia
Height 1.94 m (6 ft 4+12 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
PAOK
Number 18
Youth career
Sloboda Užice
2005–2007 Partizan
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2007–2016 Partizan 36 (0)
2007Teleoptik (loan) 4 (0)
2008–2010Metalac (loan) 61 (0)
2011–2012Metalac (loan) 13 (0)
2012Teleoptik (loan) 10 (0)
2016–2019 Xanthi 90 (0)
2019– PAOK 44 (0)
2023 PAOK B 1 (0)
International career
2005 Serbia and Montenegro U17[a] 1 (0)
2007–2008 Serbia U19[a] 7 (0)
2009 Serbia U20 2 (0)
2007–2010 Serbia U21 6 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 28 February 2024

Internationally, Živković represented his country at every level from under-17 to under-21.

Club career edit

Partizan edit

After starting out with his hometown club Sloboda Užice, Živković joined the youth system of Partizan in 2005. He was subsequently promoted to their first team in the spring of 2007, before signing his first professional contract with the club on 1 June 2007, on a five-year deal.[1] Živković initially played for Teleoptik, before returning to Partizan. He made his competitive debut for the club in a 5–1 home league win over OFK Beograd, on 8 December 2007, coming on as a substitute for the injured Darko Božović.[2]

In the summer of 2008, in order to gain more playing time and experience, Živković was sent on loan to Metalac Gornji Milanovac. He immediately became the first-choice goalkeeper in his first season at the club, as they got promoted to the Serbian SuperLiga. In the following season, the club's first in the top flight, Živković missed only one out of 30 games, helping his team avoid relegation.

In the summer of 2010, Živković returned to Partizan, being projected as a backup goalkeeper to Radiša Ilić.[3] He dropped out of the 18-man squad after Vladimir Stojković joined the club in late August 2010. Eventually, Živković made one league and one cup appearance in the 2010–11 season. He was again loaned to Metalac Gornji Milanovac in the summer of 2011, making 13 league appearances in the 2011–12 season.

After leaving Gornji Milanovac for the second time, Živković started the 2012–13 campaign at Teleoptik, before being promoted back to Partizan in October 2012, as a replacement for the injured Vladimir Stojković. He recorded one league appearance until the end of the season, as the club won its sixth consecutive championship title. In the following season, Živković made his debut in UEFA competitions, coming on as a substitute for the injured Milan Lukač in the second leg of the Champions League third qualifying round versus Ludogorets Razgrad on 6 August 2013.[4] He managed to make four league appearances in the 2013–14 season.

In the fall of 2014, Živković was still the second-choice goalkeeper to Milan Lukač. He only appeared in the Serbian Cup first round, keeping a clean sheet in a 1–0 away win over Bežanija on 24 September 2014. However, Živković earned himself a place in the first eleven at the start of the spring season, quickly becoming an irreplaceable member of the team.[5] He continued to play regularly in the fall of 2015, but was removed from the squad after the arrival of new manager Ivan Tomić.[6]

Xanthi edit

On 10 June 2016, it was announced that Živković officially signed with Greek club Xanthi.[7] He played the full 90 minutes in all of his team's 30 appearances in the 2016–17 Superleague Greece, conceding only 25 goals in the process. In the following 2017–18 campaign, Živković remained Xanthi's first-choice goalkeeper, conceding 29 goals in 29 games.

On 21 April 2019, the Serbian goalkeeper announced via his facebook account his decision to leave the club, upon the expiration of his contract.[8]

PAOK edit

On 26 June 2019 , Zivkovic’s contract with Xanthi is expiring, and PAOK pounced to sign him as a free agent. The reliable 30-year-old will form the back-up for Alexandros Paschalakis after Rodrigo Rey was shifted out on loan to Pachuca. He signed a three years' contract for an €300,000 annual fee.[9] The Serb played in 52 matches, keeping 21 clean sheets, while also winning the Greek Cup of the 2020-21 season. Zivkovic has been with the club for three years, which will become five years under the new contract signed by the Serbian goalkeeper. After the departure of Paschalakis, PAOK decided to keep Zivkovic for the position of substitute goalkeeper.[10]

International career edit

Živković represented Serbia and Montenegro at the 2006 UEFA Under-17 Championship, together with his club teammates Stevan Jovetić and Nikola Gulan, among others. He then represented Serbia at the 2007 UEFA Under-19 Championship.[11] In the meantime, Živković made his debut for the Serbia national under-21 team in a 6–2 home friendly victory over Cyprus U21 on 15 May 2007. He was also a member of the team that took part at the 2009 UEFA Under-21 Championship. Previously, Živković represented the under-20 team at an international friendly tournament in Qatar.[12][13][14]

On 30 May 2015, following his consistent performances at club level, Živković received his first call-up for the Serbia national team.[15] He was an unused substitute in a friendly against Azerbaijan on 7 June, as well as in a UEFA Euro 2016 qualifier against Denmark on 13 June.

Career statistics edit

As of 25 February 2024[16]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Partizan 2007–08 Serbian SuperLiga 1 0 1 0
2010–11 1 0 1 0 2 0
2012–13 1 0 1 0
2013–14 4 0 1 0 5 0
2014–15 14 0 4 0 18 0
2015–16 15 0 1 0 10 0 26 0
Total 36 0 6 0 11 0 53 0
Teleoptik (loan) 2007–08 Serbian SuperLiga 4 0 1 0 5 0
2012–13 10 0 1 0 11 0
Total 14 0 2 0 16 0
Metalac (loan) 2008–09 Serbian SuperLiga 32 0 1 0 33 0
2009–10 29 0 2 0 31 0
2011–12 13 0 1 0 14 0
Total 74 0 4 0 78 0
Xanthi 2016–17 Super League Greece 30 0 6 0 36 0
2017–18 30 0 3 0 33 0
2018–19 30 0 5 0 35 0
Total 90 0 14 0 104 0
PAOK 2019–20 Super League Greece 20 0 20 0
2020–21 18 0 1 0 9 0 28 0
2021–22 2 0 2 0 0 0 4 0
2022–23 2 0 2 0 0 0 4 0
2023–24 1 0 4 0 0 0 5 0
Total 43 0 9 0 9 0 61 0
Career total 258 0 35 0 20 0 313 0
  1. ^ a b Only official UEFA matches included

Honours edit

Partizan

PAOK

References edit

  1. ^ "Četiri prinove u crno-belom taboru" (in Serbian). partizan.rs. 1 June 2007. Retrieved 28 July 2015.
  2. ^ "Crno-bela rapsodija na Topčiderskom brdu" (in Serbian). partizan.rs. 8 December 2007. Retrieved 28 July 2015.
  3. ^ "Radiša Ilić ponovo crno-beli" (in Serbian). partizan.rs. 22 June 2010. Retrieved 28 July 2015.
  4. ^ "Zlatinski sinks Partizan to seal Ludogorets passage". uefa.com. 6 August 2013. Retrieved 28 July 2015.
  5. ^ "Takav učinak nemaju ni Kralj, ni Božovići, ni Stojković: Živko Živković najbolji golman Partizana otkako se igra Superliga (GRAFIKA)" (in Serbian). mozzartsport.com. 18 May 2015. Retrieved 28 July 2015.
  6. ^ "Partizan: Bez Abubakara na Kipar!" (in Serbian). mondo.rs. 23 January 2016. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  7. ^ "Ανακοίνωση" (in Greek). xanthifc.gr. 10 June 2016. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
  8. ^ "Ο Ζίβκοβιτς ανακοίνωσε την αποχώρησή του από την Ξάνθη". www.sport24.gr. 21 April 2019.
  9. ^ ""Στον ΠΑΟΚ για 3+1 χρόνια ο Ζίβκοβιτς"!". www.contra.gr. 26 June 2019.
  10. ^ ""Ο ΠΑΟΚ ανανέωσε με τον Ζίβκο Ζίβκοβιτς μέχρι το 2024". www.newsit.gr. 20 June 2022.
  11. ^ "Živković i omladinci otputovali na EP" (in Serbian). mondo.rs. 14 July 2007. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  12. ^ ""Orlići" putuju u Katar" (in Serbian). sportskacentrala.com. 7 January 2009. Retrieved 2 June 2018.
  13. ^ "Remi "orlića" na startu turnira u Kataru" (in Serbian). sportskacentrala.com. 11 January 2009. Retrieved 2 June 2018.
  14. ^ "Mladi remizirali sa Sirijom" (in Serbian). b92.net. 14 January 2009. Retrieved 2 June 2018.
  15. ^ "Debi Živkovića, spisak bez iznenađenja" (in Serbian). b92.net. 30 May 2015. Retrieved 28 July 2015.
  16. ^ "Živko Živković". Soccerway. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
  17. ^ "Paok win Greek cup final over Olympiakos". Greek City Times. 23 May 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2021.

External links edit