 Vučinić playing for Montenegro in 2012 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Mirko Vučinić | ||
| Date of birth | 1 October 1983 | ||
| Place of birth | Nikšić, SFR Yugoslavia | ||
| Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Playing position | Forward | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Juventus | ||
| Number | 9 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1998–1999 | Sutjeska Nikšić | ||
| 2000–2002 | Lecce | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1999–2000 | Sutjeska Nikšić | 10 | (4) |
| 2000–2006 | Lecce | 111 | (34) |
| 2006–2011 | Roma | 147 | (46) |
| 2011– | Juventus | 68 | (20) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2005–2006 | Serbia and Montenegro | 5 | (2) |
| 2007– | Montenegro | 39 | (15) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 1 September 2013.
† Appearances (Goals).
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 14 August 2013 | |||
Mirko Vučinić (Montenegrin: Mиpкo Bучинић, pronounced [mîːrko ʋǔt͡ʃinit͡ɕ]; born 1 October 1983) is aMontenegrin footballer who plays as a striker for Serie A club Juventus. Originally from the city ofNikšić, Vučinić found himself playing for the local team there during his early teen years. He quickly caught the attention of Pantaleo Corvino, the sporting director of the Italian football club Lecce and was transferred to Lecce in the summer of 2000. Between 2000 and 2006, Mirko played for Lecce as they moved between Serie A and B. His most impressive season was 2004–05, where the 21-year-old netted 19 goals in 28 games while Lecce was in Serie A.
On the international stage, Vučinić played for the Serbia and Montenegro under-21 team. Due to injury, he was unable to represent Serbia and Montenegro at the FIFA World Cup in 2006. Following the split of Serbia and Montenegro in spring of 2006, Vučinić chose to represent Montenegro. He participated in Montenegro's World Cup 2010 qualifying stage, where he contributed two goals. Vučinić also scored two goals for Montenegro in their qualifying stages of the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying matches.
Vučinić can slot into any role up in attack, but is often deployed as a left or right winger, centre-forwardor as a deep lying striker. He is revered for his creativity, dribbling, his footballing intelligence and the ability to score long range goals from both feet.[1]
In recent years, Vučinić has become known for removing his shorts when celebrating goals he scored. He has done so with Roma,[2] with Juventus[3] and with Montenegro.[4]
Contents
[hide]Club career[edit]
Early career[edit]
Vučinić started out at his hometown club Sutjeska Nikšić before being snapped up by Lecce in Italy during the summer of 2000 at age 16. The man who initiated the transfer was the club's sporting director at the time, Pantaleo Corvino, who has since developed a reputation for having a good eye when it comes to football talent coming out of Eastern Europe.
In his fourth season for the club, the 21-year-old Vučinić hit a blistering goalscoring form with 19 goals in 28 Serie A games, including a hat-trick versus Lazio on 1 May 2005.[5] Following that successful season, his progress came to a halt with only nine goals recorded in 31 games as his career stalled due to injury.
Roma[edit]
On 30 August 2006, Vučinić signed a one-year loan contract with Roma worth €3.25 million, with an option of buying 50 percent of his rights from Lecce at the season's conclusion for an additional €3.75 million.[6]
2006–07 season[edit]
During his first season in Rome, he did not feature much as he had operations on his left knee twice.[7] Also, the presence of the European Golden Bootwinner Francesco Totti as the lone forward of Roma's tactical formation under head coach Luciano Spalletti did not give Vučinić much playing time. Despite this, he succeeded in scoring three goals: his first goal for Roma in the 1–0 victory against Siena on 28 January 2007,[8] his first goal in the UEFA Champions League during the quarter-finals match 2–1 victory against Manchester United on 4 April 2007.[9] He also scored another Serie A away goal against Catania in a game that saw roma beat the Sicilians 2–0.
2007–08 season[edit]
At the beginning of the 2007–08 season, Roma paid Lecce the pre-agreed price of €3.75 million to sign 50 percent of Vučinić's rights.[10] He decided to wear the No. 9 jersey, previously owned by Vincenzo Montella in the last eight seasons, and also stated that he would like to do the same that Montella did at Roma.[11]
As veteran Francesco Totti was usually deployed as a lone striker, Vučinić began to play as left winger in Luciano Spalletti's 4-2-3-1. He scored his first goal of the season in the 2–1 victory against Sporting Clube de Portugal, in the Champions League group stage, allowing Roma to get the vital goal to earn them three points.[12]
In the following game, away to Milan at the San Siro, with Francesco Totti injured, Vučinić started as a striker and scored a header, from a cross by his teammate Cicinho. It was the only goal of the game as Roma picked up a win over its rival. This proved decisive again, as in the game against city rivalsLazio, Roma won by 3–2, with Vučinić leaving his mark with a left-foot equalizer and an assist to Simone Perrotta's goal. Another decisive goal of Vučinić was a header against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu, securing a 2–1 win for his side as well as qualification to the successive round.
2008–09 season[edit]
In June 2008, Roma finally bought Vučinić outright by paying Lecce €12 million.[13]
On 4 November 2008, he scored two goals in Roma's UEFA Champions League group stage match against Chelsea, emerging 3–1 winners.[14] Roma made it to the first knockout stage where they lost to Arsenal on penalties, with Vučinić missing the target in the shootout with a weak shot down the middle that was easily saved by goalkeeper Manuel Almunia.[15]
2009–10 season[edit]
On 1 June 2009, Roma announced Vučinić had signed a new four-year contract, with his gross annual salary progressively increasing from €4 million in 2009–10 season to €4.7 million in 2012–13 season.[16] The 2009–10 Serie A campaign started off poorly for Roma, forcing head coach Luciano Spalletti to resign after two opening losses. Arrival of new head coach Claudio Ranieri initially failed to change matters with the team continuing to slide down the standings as Vučinić got soundly booed by Roma fans in early November 2009 against Bologna when he finally scored his first goal of the season. After winning that match, however, Roma went on a 24-match unbeaten run in the league, mounting a credible title challenge by the end of the season, in large part thanks to Vučinić's improved form and steady goalscoring efforts that included a hat-trick versus Udinese and a brace in the win against heated crosstown rivals Lazio.
2010–11 season[edit]
The 2010–11 season began well for Vučinić, scoring the injury-time winner against defending league champions Internazionale.[17] As the season progressed, however, he experienced a loss of form and his goals output dipped dramatically. Later in the season he was linked with a move to Tottenham.
The team was also going through turmoil as it was way off pace for the title after challenging for the Scudetto the previous few seasons. Head coach Ranieri was sacked and replaced with Vincenzo Montella. Vučinić's form didn't improve much as his loss of confidence became very evident in April when he missed open net sitters in two consecutive home matches – first in Serie A versus Palermo with the score tied at 1–1 (Roma eventually lost 3–2) and then three days later in Coppa Italia semi-final first leg versus Inter (Roma lost 1–0).[18]
Juventus[edit]
On 30 July 2011, it was confirmed that Juventus F.C signed Vučinić for €15 million from A.S. Roma, with a 4-year deal worth €3.5 million per year.[19][20] He scored his first goal for the club on 21 August 2011 in the 2–1 defeat to AC Milan in the annual Trofeo Luigi Berlusconi curtain raiser to the Italian season.[21]
Vučinić scored on an exceptional 32 meter strike in extra time to help Juventus to a 2–2 draw against Milan on 20 March 2012, helping his side to a 3–2 victory on aggregate and progression to the 2012 Coppa Italia Final.[22]
2012–13 season[edit]
The second season of Vučinić started exceptionally well, proving to be a vital player at several occasions. His first Serie A goal came during his second appearance against Udinese on 2 September 2012, the end of the year came soon after and his goal tally stood at 4 goals on 14 appearances and 4 assists. On 9 January 2013 Vučinić scored in 96th minute against A.C. Milan to bring Juventus to the semi finals of Coppa Italia where they will face Lazio. The new year started very well for the Montenegrin, as he managed to score once again against Udinese.
International career[edit]
Vučinić played for Serbia and Montenegro's U21 national team and was later one of two Montenegro-born players chosen to play for Serbia and Montenegro at the 2006 FIFA World Cup (the other one being Dragoslav Jevrić). He had already been capped three times for the national team, but on 23 May 2006 he got injured and could not participate in the competition.
After Montenegro became an independent country, and a new national team was established, Vučinić scored the first goal of Montenegro's history when he netted a penalty kick in the team's first international match on on 24 March 2007 against Hungary.[23]
During the 2010 World Cup qualifiers, Vučinić's netted a free kick in the 60th minute against Bulgaria and also scored a remarkable goal against Italy. Montenegro, however, failed to qualify and finished in fifth place in their qualifying group. In the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifiers, Vučinić produced two key goals that contributed to two victories for Montenegro.
Vučinić is currently Montenegro's captain.
