Football icon Mihajlovic dies aged 53

Former AC Milan and Bologna manager Sinisa Mihajlovic has passed away at the age of 53 following a battle with cancer Read Full Article at RT.com

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Dec 16, 2022 - 16:00
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Football icon Mihajlovic dies aged 53

Former Yugoslav international Mihajlovic passed away following a long illness

Sinisa Mihajlovic, an iconic figure within Italian football, has passed away at the age of 53 following a battle with cancer, it has been announced.

Born in Vukovar, Croatia, Mihajlovic would go on to spend much of his life in Italy after moving to Serie A from Red Star Belgrade in 1992.

He later wore the colors of Sampdoria, Lazio and Inter Milan, before hanging up his boots in 2006, winning the Italian championship with both Lazio and Inter during that time. 

He was considered by many to be among the best dead-ball specialists in the history of the sport and still holds the record for the most free-kick goals in the history of Italian football, with 28. 

A tough-tackling defender for much of his career in Italy, Mihajlovic was caught up in controversy on more than one occasion. 

His temper came to the fore in the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France, when he was seen appearing to spit in the face of German player Jens Jeremies after the pair exchanged insults following a heavy challenge from Mihajlovic.

In 2003, he was issued with an-eight match UEFA suspension after he was again accused of spitting, this time at former Chelsea player Adrian Mutu. He would coach Mutu at Fiorentina several years later.