Miloš Krasić

Miloš Krasić
Милош Красић
Personal information
Full name	Miloš Krasić
Date of birth	1 November 1984 (age 39)
Place of birth	Titova Mitrovica, SFR Yugoslavia
Height	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s)	Winger
Team information
Current team	Fenerbahçe
Number	27
Youth career
	FK Rudar
1999–2001	Vojvodina
Senior career*
Years	Team
2001–2004	Vojvodina
2004–2010	CSKA Moscow
2010–2012	Juventus
2012–	Fenerbahçe
International career‡
2006–	Serbia
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17:03, 20 January 2013 (UTC); ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 08:16, 15 November 2011 (UTC)

Miloš Krasić (Serbian Cyrillic: Милош Красић; born 1 November 1984) is a Serbian professional football winger who plays for Fenerbahçe SK^[1] and the Serbian national team. He represented Serbia at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. At one point in his career he was named by FourFourTwo as one of the 100 best players in the world.^[2]

Early years

After starting out with the hometown side FK Rudar, Krasić was noticed by FK Vojvodina in 1999 and he made a switch northwards at age 14. He spent the next four-and-a-half seasons in Novi Sad, where he further raised his level and became the team captain.

Club career

CSKA Moscow

FK Vojvodina and CSKA Moscow were in negotiations over Krasić's transfer since January 2004, but the deal stalled. The player himself even made several unsuccessful trips to Moscow.^[3] Finally, during the summer of 2004, the deal was completed and the winger was on his way to Russia. He featured in three games during the club's UEFA Cup 2004–05-winning run, including a cameo appearance in the final. He also helped them win the Russian title in 2005 and 2006, the Russian Cup in 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2009, and the Russian Super Cup in 2006, 2007 and 2009.

Juventus

After much speculation in the summer of 2010, Juventus and CSKA Moscow agreed on a fee for Krasić reported to be in the range of about €15 million. Krasić officially became a Juventus player on 21 August and was given the No. 27 shirt.^[4] Krasić was instrumental in his home début against Sampdoria, assisting a goal and creating many chances. The game ended 3–3. In his second away game in the Serie A, against Udinese, Krasić proved once again instrumental in their 4–0 victory, assisting Fabio Quagliarella and Claudio Marchisio for a goal each. Krasić scored his first Juventus goals against Cagliari on 26 September 2010, netting a hat-trick. He scored his first European goal for Juventus, helping his side salvage a point against Austrian side Red Bull Salzburg in the Group A tie of the 2010–11 UEFA Europa League, in a match that finished 1–1. On 26 October, he was given a two-match ban after diving, although successfully winning a penalty (the penalty was then missed), during the league match against Bologna. Krasić scored a goal in a 2–0 away win over Genoa after Eduardo put a ball in his own net in the 18th minute. On 12 December, in the game against Lazio, Krasić scored a very late, match-winning goal in which his attempted cross deflected off Lazio goalkeeper Fernando Muslera and into the net. The match ended immediately after the goal in a 2–1 victory for Juventus. He scored a screamer which guided the Bianconeri to a 2–1 victory against Brescia. He managed to score another screamer against Roma, in which the match ended 2-0. He scored his first goal of the 2011/2012 Serie A season against Catania Calcio.

Fenerbahçe

Fenerbahçe completed the transfer of Krasić for €7 million on 3 August 2012. Krasić signed a four-year contract worth €2.3 million per-season.^[5] His first match in Fenerbahce, 12 August 2012 with Galatasaray match. Krasić scored his first goal for Fenerbahçe career against Göztepe in a 4-0 Turkish Cup victory.

International career

Krasić has been an important part of Serbia and Montenegro under-21 squad on the last two European U-21 championships, as well as at the 2004 Summer Olympics. He was in the team that finished as runners-up in the 2004 European under-21 Championship in Germany, but did not play in any games. Two months later, he was part of the Serbia and Montenegro squad at the 2004 Summer Olympics. In May 2006, Krasić was playing a leading role for Serbia and Montenegro in the 2006 European under-21 Championship in 2007 against Kazakhstan. He also played in the match against Portugal on 28 March at the Red Star Stadium in Belgrade. The game ended in a 1–1 draw. He was an important player for the Serbian senior squad in the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification. He scored one goal in the match against Lithuania, another in the game against Austria, and set up three in the game against Romania, which sealed qualification.

Playing style

Krasić is a right-sided midfielder/winger, noted for his powerful dribbling technique and speed. He has earned comparisons with former Juventus great, Pavel Nedvěd.^[6]^[7] He was named one of three examples of "traditional wingers" (the other two were Antonio Valencia and Ángel di María) by UEFA's Champions magazine, who says such wingers take on the full-backs by the flanks to get as close to the goal-line as possible to cross the ball.^[8]

Career statistics

As of 20 January 2013

Club performance			League		Cup		Europe		Other^[9]		Total
Season	Club	League	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
2000–01	Vojvodina	First League FRY	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
2001–02		First League FRY	26	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	26	2
2002–03		First League S & M	23	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	23	1
2003–04		First League S & M	27	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	27	4
2004	CSKA Moscow	Russian Premier League	7	0	1	0	4	0	0	0	12	0
2005			27	2	8	1	14	0	1	0	50	3
2006			26	3	6	0	8	0	1	0	41	3
2007			22	4	3	0	6	1	1	0	32	5
2008			28	6	2	1	6	0	0	0	36	7
2009			26	9	3	0	10	4	1	0	40	13
2010			14	2	0	0	3	0	1	0	18	2
2010–11	Juventus	Serie A	33	7	2	1	6	1	0	0	41	9
2011–12	Juventus	Serie A	7	1	2	0	0	0	0	0	9	1
2012–13	Fenerbahçe	Süper Lig	10	0	4	1	5	0	1	0	20	1
Totals	Yugoslavia/Serbia & Montenegro		77	7	0	0	0	0	0	0	77	7
	Russia		150	26	23	2	51	5	5	0	229	33
	Italy		40	8	4	1	6	1	0	0	50	10
	Turkey		10	0	4	1	5	0	1	0	20	1
Career total			277	41	31	4	62	6	6	0	376	51