Predrag Mijatović


Predrag "Peđa" Mijatović is a retired Montenegrin professional footballer who played as a striker. At club level, Mijatović played for six clubs: Budućnost Titograd, Partizan, Valencia, Real Madrid, Fiorentina and Levante. Internationally, he played for Yugoslavia at the 1998 FIFA World Cup and at the UEFA Euro 2000.
Mijatović scored 28 goals in the 1995–96 La Liga season for Valencia, which prompted a move to Real Madrid, where he scored a goal in the 1998 UEFA Champions League Final which ensured Madrid's first European Cup in 32 years. In 1997, Mijatović was named runner-up for the Ballon d'Or, behind Ronaldo and ahead of Zinedine Zidane. After his playing career, he served as director of football for Real Madrid from 2006 to 2009.

Club career

Budućnost Titograd

In 1987–88, Mijatović became a regular at Budućnost under new head coach Stanko Poklepović. In October 1987, as part of the Yugoslav youth squad which competed in and won the 1987 FIFA World Youth Championship in Chile, Mijatović had a notable tournament. Playing in Chile meant he was away from Budućnost for all of October. Coming back to the club as a hero, young Mijatović's spot on the squad was now cemented alongside Dejan Savićević, Dragoljub Brnović and Branko Brnović, who also represented Yugoslavia in Chile. Mijatović made 31 league appearances and contributed four goals as Budućnost finished the season in ninth position.
During the winter of 1989–90, Mijatović nearly signed with Hajduk Split after negotiating with Hajduk's sporting director Jurica Jerković, with even a DM50,000 pre-contract payment given to the player. However, Partizan club president Mirko Marjanović stepped in and convinced Mijatović to join the Belgrade-based club instead. In December 1989, Partizan ultimately paid a DM1 million transfer fee to Budućnost for Mijatović. In later interviews, Mijatović said a deteriorating political and security situation in Yugoslavia was a factor in his decision not to join the Croatian club Hajduk.

Partizan

Though he scored on his Partizan debut against his former club Budućnost, Mijatović's debut half season in the new club under head coach Ivan Golac was mostly spent settling into the new surroundings. He failed to score in his following 14 league appearances until the end of the 1989–90 league season.
However, Mijatović continued improving, becoming the squad's undisputed leader during 1991–92 season under head coach Ivica Osim, and leading Partizan to the 1992 Yugoslav Cup title over reigning European Cup champions Red Star Belgrade. He was also named Yugoslav Footballer of the Year award en route.
At Partizan, Mijatović had been linked with various top European sides, including Atlético Madrid and Juventus. However, none of them expressed sufficient interest, and he eventually joined Valencia in the summer of 1993.

Valencia

Mijatović made his Valencia debut on 5 September 1993 against Real Oviedo. He won the Spanish Footballer of the Year award in the 1995–96 season, scoring 28 goals in 40 La Liga matches.

Real Madrid

Mijatović joined Real Madrid from Valencia and won the La Liga title in his first season, as well as the 1997 Supercopa de España over Barcelona.
In the 1997–98 season, Real Madrid won the Champions League for the first time in 32 years, defeating Juventus. Mijatović scored the only goal in the final.
The 1998–99 season was Mijatović's final season with Los Blancos; at the end of the season, the 30-year-old Mijatović was sold to Italian Serie A club Fiorentina.

Fiorentina

Mijatović arrived at the Florence-based club in the summer of 1999 for 17 billion Italian lire. He played there for two years, scoring four goals, and adding a Coppa Italia title to his honours.

International career

Mijatović was included in the squad for the 1987 FIFA World Youth Championship, winning the tournament. He was also called by the main team to UEFA Euro 1992, but the nation would be suspended due to the Yugoslav Wars.

1998 FIFA World Cup

He played for FR Yugoslavia in the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France, missing a penalty in the match versus the Netherlands.

UEFA Euro 2000

Mijatović played for FR Yugoslavia at UEFA Euro 2000.

Post-playing career

After retiring in 2004, Mijatović continued living in the city of Valencia and soon became a player agent.
In 2006, Mijatović became Real Madrid's director of football, serving in the position for three seasons.

Career statistics

Club

International

Honours

Partizan
Real Madrid
Fiorentina
Yugoslavia
Awards