Ilija Mitić

Ilija Mitić

Personal information
Full name	Ilija Mitić
Date of birth	(1940-07-19) July 19, 1940
Place of birth	Belgrade, Kingdom of Yugoslavia
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1960–1963	FK Partizan	58	(14)
1963–1965	FK Bor
1965–1967	OFK Beograd
1967–1968	Oakland Clippers	47	(31)
1969	Dallas Tornado	19	(12)
1969–1970	Olympique de Marseille	6	(1)
1970–1971	Holland Sport
1971–1973	FC Den Bosch	45	(9)
1973–1975	Dallas Tornado	41	(24)
1975–1978	San Jose Earthquakes	67	(36)
International career
	Yugoslavia U-23	2	(0)
1973	USA	1	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Ilija Mitic (born July 19, 1940 in Belgrade, Kingdom of Yugoslavia) is a former Serbian American professional soccer player. He was a star of the North American Soccer League, its 7th all-time leading scorer with 239 points in 166 games, including 101 goals.

Mitic played with Partizan Belgrade as they won the Yugoslav championship in 1960-61. Earning 2 U-23 caps and 8 youth caps, he later joined OFK Belgrade.

Mitic signed with the Oakland Clippers of the newly formed National Professional Soccer League in 1967, won the league title, and was named to the NPSL's Best XI team. In the off-season the NPSL merged with the United Soccer Association to form the NASL. With the Clippers he was the NASL's 3rd leading scorer in 1968 and again a Best XI selection. Mitic joined the Dallas Tornado as the Clippers folded and was named a Best XI for the third consecutive year in 1969. Converting from forward to midfielder, Mitic was also chosen as an NASL Best XI in 1973 and 1974. He played indoor soccer for the Tornado as well, and was named to the All-Tournament team in 1975.

Traded after playing 3 games in 1975, he finished his NASL career with the San Jose Earthquakes and is the league's sixth all-time leading goal scorer. He played one 'A' international for the United States national soccer team, on October 10, 1973 at Candlestick Park, as the U.S. lost to Poland 0-1 in a friendly.

Sources

• Ilija Mitic at National-Football-Teams.com
• NASL homepage at the Wayback Machine (archived May 1, 2008)
• Profile at OM1899
• NASL stats at Nasljeseys.