Dejan StankoviÃÂ (, , born 11 September 1978) is a Serbian professional football manager and former player. He captained the Serbia national team from 2007 until 2011, when he announced his retirement from international football. He is currently the head coach of Serbian Super League team Red Star Belgrade.
Stankoviàbegan his career at Red Star Belgrade before joining Lazio in 1998. He spent more than five years with the latter club before joining Inter Milan, where he remained until his retirement in 2013. Stankoviàis the only man to represent three differently named nations at FIFA World Cups â Yugoslavia, Serbia and Montenegro and Serbia.
StankoviÃÂ grew up in Zemun, a municipality of Belgrade. Both of his parents, Borislav and Dragica, have strong football backgrounds. StankoviÃÂ began playing football for FK Teleoptik, based in his neighbourhood of Zemun. When spotted by Red Star cadet squad coach Branko RadoviÃÂ, however, 14-year-old Dejan transferred to Red Star Belgrade's youth system. StankoviÃÂ then passed every age category at his hometown club. In the youth teams, he was coached by Vladimir PetroviÃÂ, playing alongside future professionals Nikola LazetiÃÂ and Nenad LalatoviÃÂ.
During the 1994âÂÂ95 season, StankoviÃÂ's debut opportunity for first-team action came under head coach Ljupko Petroviàagainst crosstown rivals OFK Beograd on 11 February 1995, becoming the youngest player to debut with Red Star at senior level. Fighting for a spot on the team led by, among others, Rambo PetkoviÃÂ, Darko KovaÃÂeviÃÂ, and Nebojà ¡a KrupnikoviÃÂ, 16-year-old Stankoviàmade seven league appearances that season as the team won the league title. He scored his first goal against BuduÃÂnost Podgorica, becoming the youngest goalscorer in Red Star history as well as a first-team regular and a fan favourite.
During the early 1990s, Red Star was under an international ban because of a United Nations sanction imposed on FR Yugoslavia, meaning that the team could not compete in any European competition. The ban was lifted ahead of the 1995âÂÂ96 season, and just a year later Stankoviàdebuted in a European competition in two-leg victory over 1. FC Kaiserslautern in the Cup Winners' Cup.
Before the start of the 1997âÂÂ98 season, he was made squad captain at the age of 19, the youngest ever in the club's history. Despite not winning the league, he captained the team to two domestic cup victories.
In summer 1998, Stankoviàtransferred for â¤24 million to Lazio, where he scored on his Serie A debut versus Piacenza on 13 September 1998. In those years, Lazio had an all-star squad with world-class players at almost every position, but Stankoviàquickly secured a regular first-team place despite competition from Pavel NedvÃÂd, Juan Sebastián Verón and Roberto Mancini. He formed a formidable midfield combination with Argentinian Verón and Diego Simeone and were an integral part of the successful Lazio side at the turn of the decade. His work rate and impressive performances earned him the nickname "Il Dragone" ("The Dragon"). He had five-and-a-half successful seasons in the Biancoceleste part of Rome â winning 1999âÂÂ2000 Serie A, 1999âÂÂ2000 Coppa Italia, 1998 and 2000 Supercoppa Italiana, 1998âÂÂ99 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup and 1999 UEFA Super Cup â before earning a high-profile move to Inter Milan in February 2004.
Although Lazio had suffered from financial issues since 2001 and had been forced to sell some of its best players, Stankoviàbegan the 2003âÂÂ04 season at Lazio. In January 2004, Juventus were favorites in the chase for the Serb's signature, with even some preliminary paperwork reportedly signed between the two parties in early January 2004, but the player eventually chose Inter. He was signed as part of a deal worth â¬4 million, that also sent Macedonian international Goran Pandev in the opposite direction.
In early February 2004, Stankoviàplayed his debut for Inter under head coach Alberto Zaccheroni, a Serie A clash at home against Siena that ended 4âÂÂ0. On 21 February 2004, he scored a spectacular goal directly from a corner kick to put Inter 1âÂÂ0 up in the Derby della Madonnina versus fierce rivals Milan. Inter finished the league season in fourth place, thus qualifying for Champions League. Still, Inter president Massimo Moratti was not convinced with Zaccheroni, who quit at the end of the season because of a feeling of distrust; Mancini was then brought in by Moratti from the financial shipwreck at Lazio. In summer 2004, Stankoviàreunited with another familiar face from Lazio: Sinià ¡a MihajloviÃÂ.
On 7 May 2006, Stankoviàplayed his 100th match for Inter. Coming off the summer appearance at the 2006 World Cup, he carried excellent form right from the start of the 2006âÂÂ07 Serie A campaign, scoring some decisive goals. His double against Catania and his memorable goal against city rivals Milan only further enhanced his central role in a team that will win the league in a record-breaking season. He renewed his contract on 2 February 2007, with Inter securing his services until at least 2010.
With the appointment of José Mourinho to replace Mancini as Inter's head coach in June 2008, there was much press speculation about StankoviÃÂ's exit from the Nerazzuri â along with Adriano, David Suazo and Nicolás Burdisso â being imminent, due to reportedly not being held in high regard by the newly-arrived Portuguese coach as well as the strong connection the Serbian midfielder had with the previous coach. Then in late June, after reports that Stankoviàwas told by Mourinho that he would not be allowed to show up for the pre-season training in South Tyrol, and more reports on the interest of Juventus, it seemed that Stankoviàwas definitely on his way out. The press reports of StankoviÃÂ's pending arrival to Juventus, sparked the club's fans into protests and online petitions, as they would neither forgive his turning down the club back in January 2004, nor his exuberant public celebrations after the 2005âÂÂ06 Serie A title that was stripped from Juventus and handed to Inter following the Calciopoli scandal. The Juve deal fell through within days for a variety of other reasons, and Stankoviàwas suddenly reported to be happy to stay at Inter. However, the transfer talk was temporarily reignited again by Mourinho's suggestion in mid-July 2008 that "Stankoviàwas not the same player that he was at Lazio".
StankoviÃÂ, however, remained with the club to fight for a spot on Mourinho's team. On 19 October 2008, Stankoviàscored a superb goal in Inter's 4âÂÂ0 hammering of Luciano Spalletti's Roma away at the Stadio Olimpico. After receiving a pass from Sulley Muntari, he drove the ball past the Roma goalkeeper into the net, his 24th goal in all competitions for the Nerazzuri, thus ending a year-long goal drought. In the interviews after the match, Stankoviàtalked of his joy to be fully back on form following the injury-prone previous season, also thanking Mourinho for giving him an opportunity, even after the two did not get off on the right foot during the summer pre-season. In December 2008, StankoviÃÂ, by now an irreplaceable part of Mourinho's midfield, gave another display of his rediscovered form versus Chievo at home: first with a through-pass to Maxwell for the game's opening goal, followed by a goal of his own for 2âÂÂ0 with a first time shot from the edge of the penalty area, and finally an assist from the right wing to Zlatan Ibrahimoviàas Inter recorded a 4âÂÂ2 victory.
On 7 February 2009, Stankoviàcelebrated his 200th appearance for Inter in all competitions at the away game versus Lecce. Inter hammered the newly promoted team 3âÂÂ0, with Stankoviàheading in the third goal, following a slick free-kick cross from Maicon. StankoviÃÂ's season-long good form continued, as he scored Inter's second goal against Milan in the 270th Milan Derby on 15 February. This turned out to be the winning goal, after Alexandre Pato had pulled one back. Inter went on to win a fourth consecutive title.
In the Champions League, Inter limped into the second round, after losing their final two group stage matches against Panathinaikos and Werder Bremen. In the first elimination round (round of 16), they lost to Manchester United in a hard-fought tie. Stankoviàplayed the full 90 minutes in the first leg at San Siro, putting in a very active display. In the return at Old Trafford, Stankoviàstarted the match and had a lively first half, with two missed opportunities to score. In the 58th minute, with United leading 2âÂÂ0, and Inter forced to chase the result, Mourinho took Stankoviàoff and inserted striker Adriano.
The 2009âÂÂ10 season began well for StankoviÃÂ. In the Milan derby on 29 August, he played in a deeper role to replace the injured Esteban Cambiasso. Nevertheless, he scored Inter's fourth goal and his second in consecutive Milan derbies in a 4âÂÂ0 thrashing, a spectacular 30-yard strike after quickly collecting Sulley Muntari's pass. He subsequently scored against Rubin Kazan and Udinese to continue his rich vein of form under José Mourinho.
He also scored a wonder goal from 54 metres out in a 5âÂÂ0 thrashing against Genoa, volleying the ball straight in from Marco Amelia's clearance. At the end of the season, Stankoviàwon an historical treble with Inter, conquering the 2009âÂÂ10 Serie A, Coppa Italia and Champions League.
Playing under new head coach Rafael BenÃÂtez, Stankoviàcontinued his usual midfield role. On 28 November 2010, Stankoviànetted a hat-trick in an emphatic 5âÂÂ2 victory against Parma at the San Siro.
At the 2010 FIFA Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi in mid-December, StankoviÃÂ played an excellent semi-final against Seongnam, scoring the opening goal and performing well. However, BenÃÂtez decided to bench him for the final against TP Mazembe, only bringing him on for Christian Chivu in the 54th minute. BenÃÂtez was soon sacked despite winning the trophy, and a couple of weeks later, StankoviÃÂ expressed his dismay at Spaniard's decision to leave him on the bench for the final. On the same occasion, despite publicly backing the beleaguered coach months earlier, StankoviÃÂ stated that BenÃÂtez simply "didn't work" at Inter.
Under newly-arrived head coach Leonardo, Stankoviàcontinued his role in midfield. Stankoviàscored his first goal under the new coach at home versus Bologna in mid-January, and then continued with the same form away at Udinese, scoring the opening goal in a match that Inter lost 3âÂÂ1. In Coppa Italia quarter-final at Napoli on 26 January, Stankoviàinjured his thigh muscle. He returned for a Serie A match at Sampdoria on 27 February, as Inter won 2âÂÂ0. Inter made good recovery chasing the league-leaders Milan, getting within two points of them ahead of Milan derby, but lost disastrously 0âÂÂ3.
Stankoviàscored a spectacular volley from the halfway line against Schalke 04 in the Champions League quarter-final first leg on 5 April 2011, as goalkeeper Manuel Neuer ran out of the box to make a daring header clearance that made it up to the halfway line, leaving an open goal as a target for StankoviÃÂ's firm first-time volley. However, Inter lost that match 2âÂÂ5 at home. On 19 April, in the Coppa Italia semi-final first leg, Stankoviàscored the winning goal with another spectacular long-range effort, hitting a sweet outside foot volley past the despairing dive of the goalkeeper. Stankoviàplayed the full 90 in the 2011 Coppa Italia Final, winning his last trophy with Inter.
StankoviÃÂ played two additional seasons at Inter without reaching the same heights. On 6 July 2013, he announced his goodbye to Inter fans via a letter published on the club's official website. He made a total of 326 appearances with Inter, scoring 42 goals. In 2019, he was inducted into Inter Milan Hall of Fame.
Stankoviàmade his international debut for the FR Yugoslavia team against South Korea on 22 April 1998, scoring two goals in a 6âÂÂ1 victory. He represented the FR Yugoslavia national team at the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000, soon establishing himself as an important player.
The Yugoslav team was renamed Serbia and Montenegro by the time 2006 World Cup qualifying started. Stankoviàplayed all games but last one, scoring two goals. At the 2006 FIFA World Cup, he was given the number 10 shirt and Savo Miloà ¡eviàcaptained the new Serbia and Montenegro team in their first World Cup, but they failed to progress to the knock-out rounds after losing all their group matches to the Ivory Coast, Argentina and the Netherlands. After Miloà ¡eviàretired, the midfielder took over as captain of the reformed Serbia national team, following the breakup of Serbia and Montenegro.
StankoviÃÂ was a silver medalist at the 2009 Cyprus International Football Tournament. In the 2010 World Cup qualifying, StankoviÃÂ started in and captained all except two of Serbia's matches. They qualified for their first World Cup as an independent nation.
In June 2010, Stankoviàwas selected in Serbia's squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, where he played every minute in group stage. Their second match was a shocking 1âÂÂ0 victory against Germany, but they failed to progress to the next round due to narrow losses against Ghana and Australia.
After captaining the team in a 1âÂÂ0 loss in the final match of the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying phase against Slovenia, Stankoviàannounced his retirement from international football after 13 years since his debut against South Korea in 1998. He played a testimonial match two years later, becoming the most capped player in the history of Serbia (103), playing one more match than Savo Miloà ¡eviÃÂ. The match was played against Japan, in which he played until the tenth minute, making room for Ivan RadovanoviÃÂ. He received a standing ovation as he said his final goodbye to football. Serbia went on to win the match 2âÂÂ0.
A talented player, A former defender, Stankoviàusually played as an attacking midfielder; however, he was a versatile and well-rounded player who was capable of operating in many different positions, and made a name for himself as a player who could also play out wide on the wings or track back in a defensive midfield role. He was also capable of playing in the centre of the pitch in a box-to-box role. A tenacious and hard-working player, "Deki" â as he is nicknamedâ was best-known for his efficient, accurate passing, versatility and creativity, as well as his ability to score goals, in particular from long distance, courtesy of his striking ability with his right foot; he was also effective in the air, and was capable making late runs into the box. He was also known for his pace, skill, and influence on the pitch, as well as his composure. In his prime, he was considered to be one of the best players in European football. Despite his ability, however, he was occasionally criticised in the media for being inconsistent.
On 21 December 2019, Stankoviàwas appointed as the manager of Serbian SuperLiga club Red Star Belgrade on a two-and-a-half-year contract. The club won the 2019âÂÂ20 Serbian SuperLiga, Stankovic's first trophy as a manager, 14 points clear of city rivals Partizan.
In 2020âÂÂ21, Red Star Belgrade went unbeaten through the whole league season, winning 35 of 38 fixtures, while scoring a record-breaking 114 goals. On 25 May, the club also won the Serbian Cup through a 4âÂÂ3 win on penalties (0âÂÂ0 after full time) against Partizan in the final. Together with Hoffenheim, they advanced through the group stage of the 2020âÂÂ21 UEFA Europa League, eliminating Slovan Liberec and Gent in the process. The club was knocked out in the round of 32 by Italian club Milan on away goals after the tie ended 3âÂÂ3 on aggregate.
On 26 August 2022, Stankoviàresigned as Red Star manager after being eliminated by Maccabi Haifa in the 2022âÂÂ23 UEFA Champions League qualification playoff round.
On 6 October 2022, StankoviÃÂ signed a contract until the end of the season with struggling Serie A club Sampdoria. He left Sampdoria by the end of season, after failing to save the team from relegation in a situation aggravated by financial struggles.
On 4 September 2023, he was appointed as the coach of Nemzeti Bajnokság I club Ferencvárosi TC. On 14 December 2023, Ferencváros drew with ACF Fiorentina at the Groupama Arena on the last match day of the 2023âÂÂ24 UEFA Europa Conference League group stage. Ferencváros finished in the second place and qualified for the knockout stage.
In an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, it was a big achievement to draw twice with ACF Fiorentina and being the coach of Ferencváros teaches him to handle stress as a football manager.
On 15 May 2024, Ferencváros were defeated by Paks 2âÂÂ0 in the 2024 Magyar Kupa Final at the Puskás Aréna. On 16 May 2024, he resigned from his position.
On 16 May 2024, Russian Premier League club Spartak Moscow announced they signed a two-year contract with StankoviÃÂ, beginning in the 2024âÂÂ25 season, he would not be coaching the remaining 2023âÂÂ24 games. On 11 November 2025, Stankoviàleft Spartak by mutual consent, with the club in 6th place.
On 21 December 2025, StankoviÃÂ returned for a second spell as head coach of Red Star Belgrade.
Stankoviàwas born in Belgrade, present day Serbia, to Borislav and Dragica and has a brother Sinià ¡a. He was married to Ana AÃÂimoviÃÂ, whom he met at the age of 19, and who is a sister of former professional footballer Milenko AÃÂimoviÃÂ, StankoviÃÂ's former teammate at Red Star. The pair has three sons; Stefan (b. 2000), Filip (b. 2002) and Aleksandar (b. 2005). All of his three sons were members of Inter Milan football academy.
StankoviÃÂ is married to Slovene journalist Anita BojaniÃÂ. On 19 January 2025, their daughter AnÃÂela was born.
Red Star Belgrade
Lazio
Inter Milan
Red Star Belgrade
Ferencváros
Individual