Dejan Čurović (Serbian Cyrillic: Дејан Чуровић, pronounced [dějan tʃûroʋitɕ]; 10 August 1968 – 11 August 2019) was a Serbian footballer who played as a striker.

Dejan Čurović
Čurović in 2018
Personal information
Full name Dejan Čurović
Date of birth (1968-08-10)10 August 1968
Place of birth Zemun, SR Serbia, SFR Yugoslavia
Date of death 11 August 2019(2019-08-11) (aged 51)
Place of death Belgrade, Serbia
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Striker
Youth career
Zemun
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1986–1993 Zemun 106+ (39+)
1993–1994 Partizan 32 (19)
1994–2000 Vitesse 109 (41)
2000–2003 Groningen 42 (7)
Total 289+ (106+)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

A powerful forward,[1] Čurović played with four clubs during his career, namely Zemun and Partizan in the former Yugoslavia, as well as Vitesse and Groningen in the Netherlands. He secured legendary status at Vitesse by scoring the last ever goal at the Nieuw Monnikenhuize and the opening goal at the GelreDome.[2][3][4]

Playing career edit

Čurović started out at his local club Zemun. He was a member of the team that won the Yugoslav Second League in 1990. In his debut season in the Yugoslav First League, Čurović scored 11 goals in 27 appearances, as the club finished in 13th place.

In the summer of 1993, Čurović was transferred to Partizan. He quickly formed a prolific striking partnership with Savo Milošević and finished the 1993–94 season as the team's second-highest scorer with 27 goals, helping the Crno-beli win the double.[5]

After a successful year at Partizan, Čurović moved abroad and signed with Dutch club Vitesse. He spent six seasons in Arnhem, scoring 47 goals across all competitions.[6] In the summer of 2000, Čurović switched to fellow Eredivisie side Groningen.[7] He spent three years at the club, before retiring from the game.[8]

Post-playing career edit

In June 2011, Čurović was appointed as sporting director of Serbian First League club Inđija.[9]

Death edit

Čurović died from leukemia on 11 August 2019, one day after his 51st birthday.[10]

Career statistics edit

Club Season League
Apps Goals
Zemun 1989–90 19 3
1990–91 27 11
1991–92 31 12
1992–93 29 13
Total 106 39
Partizan 1993–94 32 19
Vitesse 1994–95 11 4
1995–96 28 8
1996–97 22 6
1997–98 27 17
1998–99 11 5
1999–2000 10 1
Total 109 41
Groningen 2000–01 24 5
2001–02 13 2
2002–03 5 0
Total 42 7
Career total 289 106

Honours edit

Zemun

Partizan

References edit

  1. ^ "Kule dribla, Čure razgrće" (in Serbian). vesti-online.com. 27 October 2009. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  2. ^ "Visie Aalbers meer dan luchtkasteel" (in Dutch). trouw.nl. 22 December 1997. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  3. ^ "Vitesse maakt goede start in Gelredome" (in Dutch). trouw.nl. 26 March 1998. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  4. ^ "Curovic maakt 1ste goal in Gelredome" (in Dutch). nos.nl. 25 April 2017. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  5. ^ "Dejan Čurović" (in Serbian). partizanopedia.rs. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  6. ^ "Dejan Curovic" (in Dutch). sv-vitesse.nl. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  7. ^ "Curovic definitief naar FC Groningen" (in Dutch). gic.nl. 28 July 2000. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  8. ^ "Dejan Curovic stopt bij FC Groningen" (in Dutch). vi.nl. 14 January 2003. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  9. ^ "Fudbaleri počinju pripreme" (in Serbian). indjija.rs. 30 June 2011. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  10. ^ "Preminuo bivši napadač Partizana Dejan Čurović" (in Serbian). b92.net. 11 August 2019. Retrieved 10 January 2023.

External links edit