Follow usSinisa Mihajlovic, a former standout footballer in Yugoslavia and then Italy, who became a popular coach in Serie A, has died at the age of53 after being diagnosed with leukemia.
La Lega Serie A è profondamente addolorata per la scomparsa di Siniša Mihajlović, icona di calcio e di vita. La sua classe purissima come calciatore e allenatore, la sua forza e la sua umanità sono un esempio che lascia un solco indelebile nel calcio italiano e mondiale. pic.twitter.com/buHFuCLBQu
— Lega Serie A (@SerieA) December 16, 2022
Mihajlovic’s family announced on Friday that he died in a Rome hospital.
A statement from his family read:
“Wife Ariadne, with children Viktorija, Virginia, Miroslav, Dusan and Nikolas, granddaughter Violante, mother Viktorija and brother Drazen in grief communicate the unjust and untimely death of their exemplary husband, father, son and brother, Sinisa Mihajlovic.
After winning the European Cup with Red Star Belgrade in 1991, he became one of the biggest stars in Serie A, playing more than 400 matches for Roma, Sampdoria, Lazio and Inter Milan.
He then moved into management, starting as an assistant at Inter, before managing Bologna (twice), Catania, Fiorentina, the Serbian national team, Sampdoria, AC Milan, Torino and Sporting CP.
“A unique professional and an extraordinary man, helpful and good to everyone. He fought bravely against a horrible disease.
“We thank the doctors and nurses who followed him over the years with love and respect, especially Dr. Francesca Bonifazi, Dr. Antonio Curti, Prof. Alessandro Rambaldi, and Dr. Luca Marchetti.
“Serie A is deeply pained by the death of Sinisa Mihajlovic,” the Italian league tweeted. “His pure class as a footballer and coach, his strength and his humanity are an example that leaves an indelible void in Italian and world soccer.”
As tributes began to flood in from inside and outside the football world, Italian foreign minister Antonio Tajani added on social media: “A great man, a great fighter, we will remember him as one of the best Serbian players ever to play in Italy.”
