Jovica MilijiÃÂ (, ; born 20 January 1986) is a Serbian-born Maltese futsal player and manager who plays as fixo, currently playing and managing Marsaskala Legends, the member of Maltese Futsal League. He was named the Malta Football Association's Futsal Player of the Year for three consecutive seasons in 2016, 2017, and 2018.
Prior to joining the team from Marsaskala, Milijiàhad played for as many as twelve different local futsal clubs, including Aluserv, White Eagles, Balzan, and æamrun Spartans, but he established his reputation during a seven-year spell with one of the island's most prominent teams, Valletta with whom he won the national championship in 2016, and 2019, and the Super Cup twice. During the 2010âÂÂ11 season, while playing for Paola Downtown, Milijiàwas the leagueâÂÂs top scorer with 42 goals.
MilijiÃÂ holds a dual Serbian and Maltese citizenship, having been naturalized in 2012 while playing for Lija. He made his debut for the falcons in early 2013 and went on to represent his adopted homeland for the next decade.
Milijiàwas born in Knjaà ¾evac, a town and municipality located in the ZajeÃÂar District of the eastern Serbia, which at the time was a part of SFR Yugoslavia.
In Malta, he is known by the nickname Jozza, a stylised form of his Serbian nickname Joca (, ) which is commonly used among Serbs named Jovan or Jovica.
Milijiàmade his first football steps with TimoÃÂanin in the mid-1990s, becoming a member of the promising generation together with the brothers MarinkoviÃÂ, Nebojà ¡a and Nenad.
Soon after family relocation to Malta in 1999, he joined PietÃÂ Hotspurs, a Maltese club famous for producing talented footballers in its youth school.
Milijiàbegan playing futsal in 2006, during a period when the sport was at its peak in Malta, following several years of steady growth since the establishment of the first organized futsal league in 1999. That season, the Maltese futsal league system featured 64 teams, an increase of one from the previous year. The first touch with futsal Milijiàhad in the jersey of European Pilot Academy's futsal club (formerly known as Serbia) where he won his first trophy - Maltese Futsal Knockout Cup for the season 2006-07. After several convincing victories against lower-tier clubs in the opening rounds of the cup, MilijiÃÂ's team, European Pilot Academy, maintained their form in the semi-finals with a 12âÂÂ3 win over Jeepers Handyman Centre, before defeating Swing Kids 10âÂÂ5 in the final. Previously, European Pilot Academy had topped Section B of the First Division with 28 points, finishing seven points ahead of runners-up Jeepers Handyman Centre. The playoffs were played in a one-round robin league format, and Milijiàwas close to win his first championship as that season European Pilot Academy was a point behind the title winner Jeepers.
After a successful debutant season, Milijiàjoined newly promoted futsal top-tier Aluserv from Naxxar. The team that were made for an instant success won the league stage and cup, emerging as the revelation of that year's First Division campaign, but were defeated in the play-off semi-final, just like in the season 2008âÂÂ09. At the time, three Aluserv players were already representing the National Team. Despite a heavy 3âÂÂ6 defeat in the final round against Jeepers, Aluserv finished the league stage at the top of the standings with 30 points from 12 matches, level with second-placed European Pilot Academy. They secured first place due to a superior goal difference of +49, the best in the league, although this advantage did not translate into success during the play-offs. Particularly disappointing was the early elimination from the cup competition, where Aluserv suffered a 2âÂÂ1 defeat to Los Street Boyz in the first round. It was MilijiÃÂ's last match in the red-white jersey as soon after it he left the club.
In August 2008, Milijiàwas loaned to Scandals Futsal Club, the reigning Maltese champions. The team included several Maltese internationals such as Benny Gialanze, Nebojà ¡a MijailoviÃÂ, and Jeanbert Gatt, as well as Serbian player à ½eljko AniÃÂiÃÂ. The club aimed to strengthen its squad ahead of its debut participation in European competition. His international competition debut was at 2008âÂÂ09 UEFA Futsal Cup preliminary round against the Slovenian 2008 champion on 23 August 2008. The match was played in Helsinki and Scandals were heavily defeated (0âÂÂ11). Milijiàwas also on the pitch in the other two games but Scandals couldn't avoid another two losses against the Finnish champion (2âÂÂ6) and Irish side St Patrick's (3âÂÂ4). In the match against the Irish League's representative, with Milijiàin the starting lineup, Scandals missed a huge opportunity after leading (2âÂÂ1 and 3âÂÂ2) to win the first point for any Maltese club in a UEFA futsal competition.
During the summer break, Milijiàdecided to sign a short-term contract for White Eagles, then the reigning Maltese champions. The club represented a large Serbian diaspora in the island and was composed of ethnic Serbs players representing or coming from various countries, among them the most notable ones: à ½eljko AniÃÂiÃÂ, Aleksandar RibiÃÂ, Nebojà ¡a MijailoviÃÂ, and Ilija Milivojà ¡a. The contract was valid only for the Preliminary round of the 2009âÂÂ10 UEFA Futsal Cup held in August 2009 in Kaunas, the capital of Lithuania.
In the opening match held at the S. Darius and S. Girenas Sport Center, the Maltese side equalized three times before finally going down 4âÂÂ3 to KF Tirana, with hat-trick hero Rigers Sina grabbing the winner with five minutes remaining. With his debut goal in the 23rd minute, Milijiàmanaged to equalize the result to 2âÂÂ2, giving hope to the White Eagles. However, even RibiÃÂâÂÂs second goal later in the match was not enough for the Eagles to avoid a narrow defeat against KF Tirana.
In a high-scoring match against Lithuanian side , Milijiàscored the opening goal for the White Eagles in the eighth minute to reduce the score to 1âÂÂ2. Despite two hat-tricks from Ribiàand MijailoviÃÂ, the Maltese side suffered a 7âÂÂ9 defeat to the team from Kaunas.
In the final match of Group E in the 2009âÂÂ10 UEFA Futsal Cup preliminary round, White Eagles earned the first-ever point for a Maltese club in European futsal competitions, following a 1âÂÂ1 draw with from Andorra. As in the previous two games, Milijiàwas included in the starting lineup.
White Eagles therefore finished third in the group, having a better goal difference than the Andorran side. With two goals in three matches, MilijiÃÂ was the team's third-highest scorer, behind RibiÃÂ with five goals and MijailoviÃÂ with three.
After another European stint, Milijiàsigned for a newly promoted club from the Second Division. Paola Downtown had demonstrated its ambition by finishing second in the league stage, just two points behind champions Naxxar Motors. However, with an impressive goal-scoring tally and consistent results, ZC Excess overcame Naxxar Motors and Paola Downtown - who had finished first and second in the preliminary league - to win the 2009âÂÂ10 title.
During his stay in Paola Downtown, Milijiàwas named for the top scorer of 2010âÂÂ11 Maltese Futsal First Division with 42 goals, nine goals ahead the second-placed Clint Cope from ZC Excess. The same season he was nominated for the best futsal player but the award went into the hands of the Romanian Anton Florin. The club from Paola finished both seasons as the league vice-champion but the 2010 play-off and both cup competitions ended in the semi-finals. At the end of MilijiÃÂ's last season in the club, in a thrilling final, ZC Excess Futsal Club edged out Paola Downtown on penalties after 2âÂÂ2 in the regular time.
The team from Raçal àdid had limited success in the cup, suffering heavy defeats to ZC Excess in consecutive seasons. They were eliminated in the second round in 2010 following a 7âÂÂ0 loss, and in the semi-finals in 2011 after an 11âÂÂ2 defeat.
After a disappointing season, in 2011 Milijiàdecided to accept an offer from Naxxar Motors. The ambitious club representing Naxxar, a small town in the Northern Region, had acquired a host of leading players. The 2011âÂÂ12 campaign also marked the first season of the Maltese Futsal League under the management of the Futsal Malta Association. After the round-robin series of matches in the ten-team MFA 1st Division Futsal League, Naxxar Motors finished second, just a single point behind ZC Excess.
In the semi-finals, Paola Downtown, MilijiÃÂ's previous club, was swept by Naxxar Motors (6âÂÂ5 and 3âÂÂ2). However, in the finals, ZC Excess won the trophy edging the Naxxarin in the second game (2-2, 4âÂÂ2 after penalties) after the previous win in the first leg (5âÂÂ3).
The cup run was also unsuccessful, as Naxxar Motors, after a swift progression through the earlier rounds with wins over Fugazi 5 (9âÂÂ3), Luxol (6âÂÂ5), and Paola Stars (16âÂÂ2), were eliminated in the semi-finals following a heavy 1âÂÂ6 defeat to Paola Downtown.
Before the start of the 2012âÂÂ13 season, Lija Athletic replaced Naxxar Motors and Milijiàbecame the captain of the newly formed club. He even scored a hat-trick on his debut against Valletta (7âÂÂ1). The following week, Milijiàdelivered another influential performance as the Lijani continued their strong start to the season with a commanding 8âÂÂ0 victory over Sliema.
However, the very start of the season wasn't that successful under MilijiÃÂ's captaincy, as Lija missed their first chance to secure a trophy, falling 4âÂÂ5 to Balzan in an entertaining Super Cup final after initially leading by two goals.
During mid-season, the team from æal Lija suffered a disappointing 1âÂÂ5 defeat to Tarxien Rainbows, a direct rival for the final play-off spot. In the following round, they bounced back in a high-scoring encounter against Valletta, winning 10âÂÂ7. Lija Athletic trailed 4âÂÂ2 at half-time, but captain Jovica Milijiàturned the game around with an outstanding performance, scoring five goals in the second half. Lija held firm in the upper section of the league standings following a 6âÂÂ3 win against tax-Xelin's futsal section, who came into the match on a positive run, with captain Jovica Milijiàonce again leading the charge by scoring a brace.
After defeating second-tier Marsa 10âÂÂ0 and Valletta 5âÂÂ0 in the first two rounds of the cup, Lija Athletic faced Balzan in an entertaining derby match, where they missed a huge chance to progress further. They enjoyed a bright patch in the second half, scoring three goals with captain Jovica Milijiàdistinguishing himself. However, with four minutes remaining and the score 4âÂÂ1 in LijaâÂÂs favour, Balzan mounted a dramatic comeback to erase the three-goal deficit and ultimately win the match 8âÂÂ7 on penalties.
Although Lija Athletic had the highest ambitions, the cup journey was ended yet in the quarter-final and play-off was missed, for the first time in MilijiÃÂ's career.
The following season, Milijiàleft Lija Athletic and joined Balzan, a club that had signed several high-profile Romanian and Catalonian internationals during the summer. The most notable among them was Gabriel Dobre, who was appointed player-coach. His impact was immediate, scoring in a commanding 5âÂÂ1 victory over Hibernians in the Super Cup final. The match marked the beginning of a highly successful campaign in which Balzan won all available trophies.
The Balzani began the season in dominant fashion, with Milijiàplaying a key role in their series of high-scoring victories. He scored against à »urrieq (8âÂÂ1), Pembroke Athleta (8âÂÂ2), netted a brace against Luqa St. Andrews (10âÂÂ1), recorded a haul against Swieqi United (17âÂÂ1), scored against Birà ¼ebbuáa St.â¯Peter's (12âÂÂ4), added another goal against Hamrun Spartans (14âÂÂ3), and scored twice against Vittoriosa Stars (10âÂÂ2). Overall, the club from It-Tliet Irçula registered eight consecutive wins, scoring a total of 86 goals before suffering their first defeat at the end of January, a 1âÂÂ2 loss to Hibernians.
Until the end of the league campaign, Milijiàadded goals in victories over Mosta (14âÂÂ0), Qormi (6âÂÂ0), and Pembroke Athleta (7âÂÂ3). However, the club from Balzan dropped points in more challenging encounters, including a 5âÂÂ5 draw against Luxol - in a match that was heading into BalzanâÂÂs favour after going 5âÂÂ1 ahead but the team from Pembroke fought back and got the draw - and Hibs (1âÂÂ1), ultimately finishing behind both teams in the first stage. Nevertheless, after another derby against Luxol, which Balzan won 5âÂÂ3, the team went on to finish second in the Championship Pool.
Before the start of the 2014 play-off, Balzan successfully defended the cup they had won the previous season. Milijiàcontributed to the campaign by scoring in the quarter-final against Swieqi (10âÂÂ0). In the final, the team from Three Villages secured another dominant win, defeating Vittoriosa Stars 9âÂÂ2.
After overcoming Luxol in the Play-off semi-finals with back-to-back victories (3âÂÂ2 and 5âÂÂ3), Balzan advanced to the final against former champions Hibernians. The final, held at the Corradino Pavilion, was a tightly contested affair. Having secured a win in the first leg (8âÂÂ7), the team from Balzan entered the return leg with a psychological advantage and sought to manage the tempo of the game. Both sides created several chances during the 40 minutes of regulation time, but the match ended in a draw (4-4), leading to a dramatic penalty shoot-out. The Balzanin triumphed 9âÂÂ8 on penalties, completing a perfect season and claiming the championship title. Milijiàwas among the successful scorers in the shoot-out, contributing to the club's historic achievement. Under the guidance of player-coach Gabriel Dobre, Balzan celebrated a remarkable treble of domestic honours.
In August 2014, shortly before BalzanâÂÂs third participation in the UEFA Futsal Cup against Croatian side in Zagreb, Jovica Milijiàdeparted from the club. He was part of a mass exodus of key players from Balzan. Others included player-coach Gabriel Dobre, Emil RÃÂducu, Andrea Dan, à ½eljko AniÃÂiÃÂ, Reuben Grech, and Christian Wismayer.
During the summer 2014, Milijiàjoined æamrun Spartans, one of the most prominent futsal teams in Malta. After a disappointing seventh-place finish in the previous season, the æamrunià ¼i entered the new campaign with high ambitions. He made the official debut for his new club on 9 October in a dramatic match against newly promoted Valletta. He even managed to score 50 seconds before the end of the match, securing a powerful start for the Ta' Werwer side.
MilijiÃÂ's was again among the scorers during æamrunâÂÂs second consecutive win, a 9âÂÂ0 victory over à »ebbuá Rangers. Two weeks later, he was among the scorers in a 7âÂÂ4 victory over local rivals Valletta. Despite a strong performance from the Citizens, æamrun emerged as the stronger side on the day. At the beginning of February 2015, Milijiàscored twice in another convincing 10âÂÂ2 victory over the à »ebbuáin. The team from æamrun finish the league phase at the second place, just a point shy of first placed Luxol. After a 3âÂÂ5 defeat in a match against Balzan, with Frane Despotoviàand Mark Zammit playing key roles, æamrun were awarded a walkover in the final round against Swieqi United's futsal team and secured second place before the start of the playoffs.
In the playoffs semi-final, after a 7âÂÂ6 victory in the first leg, MilijiÃÂ's team, despite leading 3âÂÂ2 at half-time, lost the return match 4âÂÂ7 after extra time. Goals were scored at both ends, but in the final moments Balzan's forward Zammit converted a pass from Marev to make it 5âÂÂ4, sending the match into extra time and allowing the defending champions to advance to the final against Luxol.
After a 7âÂÂ5 win over second-tier Mellieça, the Spartans faced Qormi in a much-anticipated quarter-final clash of the cup. The Qormin advanced to the semi-finals after defeating æamrun 8âÂÂ5 in a hard-fought contest at the Corradino Pavilion. The Spartans came up against Qormi goalkeeper Gaetan Mallia, who was in fine form, blocking numerous shots, including attempts by MilijiÃÂ. Nevertheless, he scored twice during the game and later took on the role of flying goalkeeper, as the team from Tas-Sikkina reduced the deficit to 5âÂÂ6 and pressed for an equaliser. It wasn't a successful decision as Qormi advanced to the semi-finals, where they were defeated 6âÂÂ0 by Luxol.
MilijiÃÂ joined Valletta FC Futsal in June 2015 as an experienced player who had already won every possible honor. He joined the club as part of an ambitious project, after it had reached the semi-finals of both the national league and the cup in the previous season. He remained at CittÃÂ Umilissima for seven years, during which he claimed two league titles, two cups, two super cups, and three consecutive Maltese Best Futsal Player awards. MilijiÃÂ was a key figure in Valletta's march to their first national title.
His debut came on 1 October 2015 in the Gatorade Knock-Out First Round, when City defeated Sliema Wanderers 9âÂÂ5 after a stunning first-half display, during which Milijiàscored one of Valletta's seven goals. However, Valletta's cup run was unsuccessful, ending in the quarter-finals when, in a closely contested derby, Luxol St. Andrews overturned their early lead to claim a 2âÂÂ1 victory.
On 2 November 2015, Milijiàscored twice as the Lilywhites defeated æamrun Spartans 11âÂÂ4 in the Gatorade Super Cup semi-final. In the final, four days later, Milijiàput Valletta ahead, and the team went on to establish a two-goal advantage by half-time. However, Luxol managed to level the score in the second half and forced extra time, eventually winning 9âÂÂ5 with decisive goals from Frane Despotoviàand William Barbosa.
Valletta began the league stage with five consecutive victories, with Milijiàscoring against Mqabba (7âÂÂ2), Mdina (9âÂÂ3), and twice against Msida (9âÂÂ3). A draw against æamrun Spartans (4âÂÂ4), despite holding a two-goal lead early in the second half, was followed by another convincing 8âÂÂ0 victory over Sliema, with Milijiàon the scoresheet. On 14 January, the Citizens recorded their first defeat in a derby against Lija Athletic. It was another match in a short period of time in which Valletta dropped points despite holding a two-goal lead, a margin established by MilijiÃÂ's goal in the 26th minute. By the end of the first stage, the Lilywhites had recorded five consecutive victories with wide margins, including a 7âÂÂ1 win in the final round over reigning champions and regular-stage leaders, Luxol. Prior to that match, Milijiàhad scored in a 13âÂÂ0 win against Marsaskala Legends and in a 9âÂÂ0 victory over à »ebbuá Rangers, then registered a hat-trick in an 18âÂÂ0 win against the team representing Gozo, and added a brace in a 22âÂÂ2 win against debutants from Qrendi.
The Citizens opened the Gatorade Elite Round with a 9âÂÂ4 victory over Swieqi United, then MilijiÃÂ's best game of the season came in March in a derby against his former club Lija Athletic, when he scored four goals in a 7âÂÂ4 win. By the end of the league stage, Valletta had lost to both main title contenders, æamrun Spartans (2âÂÂ7) and Luxol (1âÂÂ4), so in the play-offs, they relied on the form of Slovenian international and several experienced players, including MilijiÃÂ.
During his first season with Valletta, he scored 18 league goals.
After a narrow 5âÂÂ6 defeat in the first leg of the semi-finals, the Citizens stunned Luxol with a 4âÂÂ1 victory in the return match. In the 32nd minute, Milijiàdelivered a precise cross that resulted in a 2âÂÂ0 lead, and later scored to seal the final result. The final was played as a best-of-three series. In the opening match, after a 6âÂÂ6 draw in regular time, æamrun defeated the Lilywhites 7âÂÂ6 on penalties, with Milijiàsuccessfully converting his attempt, but æamrunâÂÂs goalkeeper repelled Valletta's final shot. After one more brace coming from , Valletta edged past the Spartans (7âÂÂ6), to force the a decisive third match, in which Milijiàdelivered a vintage performance by scoring a hat-trick for a 10âÂÂ4 win.
In mid-August 2016, Valletta made their debut in European competition, suffering a defeat against Finnish side Sievi Futsal in the UEFA Futsal Cup Preliminary round, despite MilijiÃÂ's opening goal early in the match. Milijiàtook part in a heavy 0âÂÂ6 defeat against Georgian champions Tbilisi State University's futsal selection, before scoring a goal in a convincing 9âÂÂ3 win over Scottish runners-up Wattcell Futsal Club.
The Citizens retained the core of the team that won the previous season's championship and added several new signings, including Brazilian striker Raphinha and other experienced Maltese players. Despite these reinforcements, Valletta finished as runners-up in the first stage of the league and placed third in the second stage, while also losing three finals to Luxol St. Andrews. Their run of defeats began on 11 November in the Super Cup, where they lost 7âÂÂ4 to the Saints. Although Milijiàwent on a goal spree in the cup, scoring in each match - twice in a convincing 16âÂÂ2 win over Tarxien Rainbows and in the first round against Swieqi United (5âÂÂ3), then once in a derby match with Luxol St. Andrews that ended in a 7âÂÂ2 victory. In the 6âÂÂ8 defeat to æamrun Tre Angeli in the final, when the Lilywhites let slip a 4âÂÂ1 lead, Milijiàadded another brace, totaling 7 goals in 4 cup games. During the season, he scored another 21 league goals, 4 in the play-offs, and 2 in the UEFA Futsal Cup, for a total of 34 goals.
Milijiàbegan the league stage by scoring two consecutive hat-tricks, in a 20âÂÂ1 win over Tarxien JMI and an 11âÂÂ2 victory against Msida, followed by a brace in a 25âÂÂ2 win over Qrendi and a goal versus the University of Malta in an 11âÂÂ1 victory. Midway through the season, he scored in a 14âÂÂ2 victory over Qormi before going on a scoring run in the final three rounds, after City had already secured a place in the Top 5, netting a hat-trick against à »urrieq Wolves (16âÂÂ1) and braces against Swieqi Under-21 (18âÂÂ1) and Luxol St Andrews in a 6âÂÂ4 derby win.
In the Gatorade Elite Round, Valletta suffered defeats against both title rivals, æamrun Tre Angeli (5âÂÂ6), where Milijiàscored his only goal of the second stage, and Luxol (0âÂÂ2). However, the Citizens advanced to the final after defeating æamrunizi 6âÂÂ2 and 8âÂÂ4 in the play-off semi-finals, completing a 14âÂÂ6 aggregate victory with Milijiàbeing on the scoresheet in both legs.
In the first match of the play-off final, contested in a best-of-three series, Luxol took an early lead within the opening minutes. Valletta equalized shortly after when Milijiàadvanced past a Luxol player and passed to Raphinha, whose intended strike was diverted into the net by Frane Despotoviàfor an own goal. In the second half, goals from DespotoviÃÂ, and Zammit secured a 5âÂÂ2 victory for the St Andrew's side. In the second game, and RÃÂducu gave Luxol a 2âÂÂ1 lead, which was overturned by MilijiÃÂ, who scored twiceâÂÂonce at the end of the first half and again shortly after the restart following a successful counter-attack. Zammit's goal forced the match into extra time, which ended in a 4âÂÂ4 draw, with the winner decided by a penalty shoot-out. Milijiàscored in the shoot-out, while Valletta's goalkeeper saved Emil RÃÂducuâÂÂs penalty. In the decisive third match, played in front of the season's largest crowd, Luxol captain Mark Zammit lifted the trophy following a 7âÂÂ5 victory.
During the regular stage, Valletta won all eleven matches, including derbies against æamrun Tre Angeli (5âÂÂ3) and Luxol St. Andrews (4âÂÂ2). In the latter match, played before a large crowd at the Corradino Pavilion, MilijiÃÂ, connecting with an inviting cross by Gia Nikvashvili, tapped the ball home from close range in the closing minutes of the first half and added another early in the second half, giving his team a decisive lead. In the tactically disciplined encounter, despite two goals from Mark Zammit later in the match, the Saints were unable to draw level. Meanwhile, Valletta suffered a major disappointment after being eliminated in the quarter-finals of the cup by the eventual winners, the University of Malta.
In the Elite Group derby against Luxol, Valletta suffered their only defeat during both league phases, losing 0âÂÂ5 and finishing level on points with the St. Andrew's side. In another derby at the same stage, the Citizens secured a convincing 8âÂÂ2 victory over æamrun, and Milijiàwas on target in the second half. However, with Milijiàin the starting line-up, City lost 2âÂÂ1 to Luxol in the Pre-Play Offs Decider, allowing the Saints to finish on top of the Elite's table. It was a balanced and highly tactical encounter, with both teams employing the flying goalkeeper.
After a 5âÂÂ1 and 4âÂÂ2 double win in the play-off semi-finals against æamrun, Valletta convincingly won the first leg of the final against Luxol, 5âÂÂ1. In the second leg, following a goalless first half, Milijiàscored to put the Citizens ahead. The match ended 2âÂÂ2 in regular time after Emil RÃÂducu equalised, sending the tie to a penalty shoot-out, where the City ultimately prevailed 3âÂÂ2, which qualified the team from the capital for the 2018âÂÂ19 Champions League tournament held in North Macedonia.
The following summer, Milijiàsigned for St. George's, the finalists of the previous season's edition of the FMA Futsal Challenger Cup with an ambition of going a step further that season. He scored his debut goal in the blue-and-white kit during a defeat to Swieqi United, reducing the score to 1âÂÂ4. In the final two rounds of the first stage, Milijiàscored two additional goalsâÂÂone in a 5âÂÂ5 draw against Ta' Xbiex and another in a 5âÂÂ3 victory over Marsaskala. It was only enough to secure a place in the Challenger Futsal League, as the Bormla side narrowly missed out on qualifying for the Premier League in the second phase of the championship. Before the start of the cup phase, St. George's recorded four wins in the league stage, with Milijiàscoring once in an 8âÂÂ1 victory over Fgura United.
In March 2023, Milijiàplayed a key role in helping the Cospicua side win the Enemed Futsal Challenger Cup. After scoring a goal in a convincing 10âÂÂ3 semi-final win over Marsascala Legends in Pembroke, Milijiànetted a brace in a 6âÂÂ2 victory against à »urrieq in the final, held at the NSS Pavilion in Pembroke. After a balanced first half, St. George's dominated the second half to secure the title.
In July 2023, ZRQ Bormla Futsal announced Jovica MilijiÃÂ as their first signing ahead of the new season, with the player also set to assist the head coach in his duties. This marked MilijiÃÂ's first official coaching role. Soon after, the Cospicua side announced the signing of Serbian international Darko RistiÃÂ, marking their first foreign acquisition.
With Milijiàon the team, the side from Cospicua had a strong start in the first four rounds. Aside from a 4âÂÂ4 draw against the powerhouse from St. Andrew's, ZRQ Bormla recorded three convincing wins with a combined goal difference of 29âÂÂ3. In the most recent of those victories, Milijiàscored twice in an 11âÂÂ0 win over the debutants from Gà ¼ira United Santa Margerita Futsal. He struck again with a brace in late November, as Ta' Xbiex FC Futsal Izola Bank were comfortably beaten 10âÂÂ3. A few weeks later, the Bormlià ¼i, featuring the youngest roster in the league, unexpectedly struggled against the Malta FA U18, but a goal from Milijiàultimately secured the win (5âÂÂ3). Meanwhile, Milijiàwas unfortunate to score an own goal, during a convincing 8âÂÂ2 victory over Marsaskala, a game in which his compatriot Darko Ristiàimpressed with a brace.
After MilijiÃÂ's four goals in a 6âÂÂ0 victory over Sliema Wanderers, ZRQ Bormla moved closer to the league leaders, and the final match of the first phase of the championship against Swieqi United proved to be decisive. The Swiqin started the match well, establishing a three-goal lead, but the Cospicua side remained calm and responded with four goals - the second one scored by Milijià- to turn the score in their favour and win 4âÂÂ3.
ZRQ Bormla began the second phase of the championship with a match against Luxol, with both teams level on points. Despite trailing 1âÂÂ5 against the eventual champions from St. Andrew's, the Bormlià ¼i mounted a strong comeback, reducing the deficit to 4âÂÂ5, with Milijiàagain among the scorers. Milijiàreturned ZRQ Bormla to winning ways by scoring the decisive goal in a 3âÂÂ2 victory over Birà ¼ebbuáa St. Peter's. Shortly after the play-offs began, ZRQ Bormla were eliminated by Luxol in the semi-finals, suffering defeats in both legs with scores of 6âÂÂ9 and 2âÂÂ9.
Meanwhile, ZRQ Bormla had a successful run in the domestic cup, defeating Ta' Xbiex (4âÂÂ2) in the quarter-finals and Swieqi United (6âÂÂ1) in the semi-finals. In the latter match, Milijiàscored a brace, bringing his season tally to 14 goals, including 12 in the league. In the final, Luxol was relentless, winning 8âÂÂ0.
In June 2024, Milijiàtransferred to Marsaskala Legends, a club active in the league since the 2019âÂÂ20 season with a record of consistent progress.
Although being a defender, Milijiàmade notable contributions on both ends of the pitch from his very first matches for the new club. He scored on his debut in October 2024, finding the net in a commanding 14âÂÂ5 victory over the Malta FA Under-17 Futsal Team. In the next round, he struck again in one more dominant win over the UnderâÂÂ19 team, another national selection competing in league. Later that year, he opened his scoring account for Skalin with a goal in a dramatic 4âÂÂ4 draw against Swieqi United. In a balanced game, Swieqi United Futsal LEC 07 maintained the lead throughout, but Marsaskala Legends staged a strong comeback to secure a draw. At the beginning of December 2024, Marsaskala Legends moved up to third place in the standings with a commanding 10âÂÂ3 victory over GZR Birà ¼ebbuáa. Milijiàcontributed to the win with a goal, as the team from M'Skala took control early and went into halftime leading 5âÂÂ2. In the second half, they managed the game effectively to secure all three points.
In April 2025, in the final round of the Premier League, Milijiàscored a hat-trick in a narrow 6âÂÂ5 loss to University of Malta, showcasing his offensive ability despite the team's defeat. After finishing last in the Top 5 stage, the team from Marsaskala missed out on the playoffs but qualified for the Enemed Challenger Cup.
In the previous round, Marsaskala Legends suffered a heavy 1âÂÂ8 defeat to Swieqi, with their only goal scored by MilijiÃÂ.
MilijiÃÂ's impact was most decisive during the 2024-25 edition of the minor cup competition, where, in the April 2025 semifinal, he scored a brace, helping the team from M'Skala prevail 5-4 and reach the final where Marsaskala were narrowly defeated 2âÂÂ1 by æamrun SC NCMB. Milijiàmissed the final due to injury, and the Wied il-Gçajn's side couldn't overturn a two-goal deficit, with their only goal coming late in the match.
MilijiÃÂ concluded 2024-25 season with 10 goals and 10 assists in all competitions, highlighting his impact as both a defensive anchor and a creative presence.
In June 2025, he was appointed playerâÂÂcoach of Marsaskala for the 2025âÂÂ26 season, taking on coaching duties while continuing to play.
In 2012 Milijiàbecame a naturalized Maltese citizen and soon after started playing for the national futsal team. He had a debut in a heavy defeat against Georgia (0âÂÂ9) in UEFA Futsal Euro 2014 qualifying at home ground in Paola, Malta on January 23, 2013. He was also in the starting line up against Moldova recording one more loss (1âÂÂ4). Milijiàis not the first Serbian player to represent the Malta national futsal team â several years earlier, Serbian-born Nebojà ¡a Mijailoviàand Branko Panteliàhad also featured for æomor.
In 2014 Malta played only friendly games, three of them against Gibraltar (3âÂÂ4, 4-2 and 1-0) and Serbia (1-4), Milijiàparticipated in all of them scoring two goals and a few more times he was close to score hitting only the post, most notably against his homeland Serbia.
Next year Malta participated in the qualification for Euro 2016 and then the qualification for World Cup. The team lost all six games, three in each tournament, by the order: England (0-3), Andorra (0-4), Latvia (0-8), then France (2-8), Lithuania (1-2) and Albania (3-6). MilijiÃÂ took a part in all matches and scored in the last two.
Between two tournaments, Malta went to San Marino and recorded two wins (5-1 and 5âÂÂ3) with Milijiàin the squad. He earned two more caps next year against the same national team, this time in Paola (4-0 and 2-2).
At the beginning of the last year, with MilijiÃÂ in the starting five, Malta lost all three games in UEFA Futsal Euro 2018 qualifying tournament held in Bulgaria, against England (1-6), Bulgaria (1-6) and Albania (2-3).
Since his debut five years ago, MilijiÃÂ has not missed any national team match, recording 19 caps and 4 goals in total.
In December 2017, Milijiàwas selected to join an FMA Futsal League selection composed of the best players, both local and foreign, who participated in the 2021âÂÂ22 edition of the Maltese Futsal League. Besides MilijiÃÂ, former Malta national futsal team coach Kevin Misfud and his assistant à ½eljko AniÃÂiàselected a squad composed of the top players from the local league, led by national team and Luxol captain Mark Zammit, along with several foreign professionals.
The team faced , the reigning champions, who went on to win the title later and earned promotion to the Serie A the . The emerging Italian side, led by internationally experienced Spanish coach , known as Miki, included guest players such as Brazilian futsal legend Falcão, then his compatriot Leandro Lino dos Santos and Spanish international José Miguel Ruiz Cortés. It was part of the Sicilian club's Falcão promotional tour. The exhibition match ended in a 5âÂÂ5 draw, with Brazilian star scoring for both teams, once in each half.
Relatively tall for a futsal player, standing at 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in), Milijiàcombined his height with notable quickness and was occasionally deployed as a flying goalkeeper during his prime when his team required a goal. He operates as a fixo, having grown up playing association football in his native Knjaà ¾evac and later in Malta, where he mostly played as a midfielder. Although primarily a defender, MilijiÃÂ's offensive abilities allowed him to contribute effectively in attack, and he finished as the top scorer in the Maltese Futsal First Division in 2011 while playing for Paola Downtown. On the pitch, he usually wears the number 5, the same as his boyhood idol Zinedine Zidane.
Milijiàdeveloped part of his technique and playing style through street football, having regularly participated in local amateur summer leagues since childhood. Among other achievements, he won the Super Cup organized by the Maltese Small Sided Football Association during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the Serbian-backed White Eagles defeated United Stars 10âÂÂ7 at the Marsa Stadium.
On June 9, Marsaskala announced MilijiÃÂ's new role within the club - he had become a player/coach for the 2025âÂÂ26 season. In his debut on the bench, the team from M'Skala recorded a 10âÂÂ4 victory against a newly formed club from Santa Venera, with Milijiàalso providing an effective assist for one of the goals. His first signing as coach was former Georgian international player Gia Nikvashvili, who made his name in Malta playing for some of the country's most notable clubs, including Valletta, where he was MilijiÃÂ's teammate for a few seasons, as well as Luxol, UOM, and the most recently æamrun.
MilijiÃÂ's official debut as a player-coach came on 10 October 2025 in a 7âÂÂ0 win over Futsal Selection U17, during which he also scored the opening goal. He scored a lob in the following match, contributing to another confident 9âÂÂ2 victory over debutants St Venera Lightnings. Milijiàsuffered his first defeat in his dual role as player-coach on 16 November 2025, when the South Siders were convincingly beaten 0âÂÂ7 by title challengers University of Malta.
Scores and results list Malta's goal tally first
Besides his mother tongue, Serbian, MilijiÃÂ speaks four other languages: English, Maltese, Italian and Russian.
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