Dejan Čurović

Dejan Čurović

Čurović in 2018
Personal information
Full name	Dejan Čurović
Date of birth	(1968-08-10)10 August 1968
Place of birth	Zemun, SR Serbia, SFR Yugoslavia
Date of death	11 August 2019(2019-08-11) (aged 51)
Place of death	Belgrade, Serbia
Height	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s)	Striker
Youth career
	Zemun
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1986–1993	Zemun	106+	(39+)
1993–1994	Partizan	32	(19)
1994–2000	Vitesse	109	(41)
2000–2003	Groningen	42	(7)
Total		289+	(106+)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Dejan Čurović (Serbian Cyrillic: Дејан Чуровић, pronounced [dějan tʃûroʋitɕ]; 10 August 1968 – 11 August 2019) was a Serbian footballer who played as a striker.

A powerful forward,[1] Čurović played with four clubs during his career, namely Zemun and Partizan in the former Yugoslavia, as well as Vitesse and Groningen in the Netherlands. He secured legendary status at Vitesse by scoring the last ever goal at the Nieuw Monnikenhuize and the opening goal at the GelreDome.[2][3][4]

Playing career

Čurović started out at his local club Zemun. He was a member of the team that won the Yugoslav Second League in 1990. In his debut season in the Yugoslav First League, Čurović scored 11 goals in 27 appearances, as the club finished in 13th place.

In the summer of 1993, Čurović was transferred to Partizan. He quickly formed a prolific striking partnership with Savo Milošević and finished the 1993–94 season as the team's second-highest scorer with 27 goals, helping the Crno-beli win the double.[5]

After a successful year at Partizan, Čurović moved abroad and signed with Dutch club Vitesse. He spent six seasons in Arnhem, scoring 47 goals across all competitions.[6] In the summer of 2000, Čurović switched to fellow Eredivisie side Groningen.[7] He spent three years at the club, before retiring from the game.[8]

Post-playing career

In June 2011, Čurović was appointed as sporting director of Serbian First League club Inđija.[9]

Death

Čurović died from leukemia on 11 August 2019, one day after his 51st birthday.[10]

Career statistics

Club	Season	League
		Apps	Goals
Zemun	1989–90	19	3
	1990–91	27	11
	1991–92	31	12
	1992–93	29	13
	Total	106	39
Partizan	1993–94	32	19
Vitesse	1994–95	11	4
	1995–96	28	8
	1996–97	22	6
	1997–98	27	17
	1998–99	11	5
	1999–2000	10	1
	Total	109	41
Groningen	2000–01	24	5
	2001–02	13	2
	2002–03	5	0
	Total	42	7
Career total		289	106

Honours

Zemun

• Yugoslav Second League: 1989–90

Partizan

• First League of FR Yugoslavia: 1993–94
• FR Yugoslavia Cup: 1993–94

References

1. "Kule dribla, Čure razgrće" (in Serbian). vesti-online.com. 27 October 2009. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
2. "Visie Aalbers meer dan luchtkasteel" (in Dutch). trouw.nl. 22 December 1997. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
3. "Vitesse maakt goede start in Gelredome" (in Dutch). trouw.nl. 26 March 1998. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
4. "Curovic maakt 1ste goal in Gelredome" (in Dutch). nos.nl. 25 April 2017. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
5. "Dejan Čurović" (in Serbian). partizanopedia.rs. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
6. "Dejan Curovic" (in Dutch). sv-vitesse.nl. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
7. "Curovic definitief naar FC Groningen" (in Dutch). gic.nl. 28 July 2000. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
8. "Dejan Curovic stopt bij FC Groningen" (in Dutch). vi.nl. 14 January 2003. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
9. "Fudbaleri počinju pripreme" (in Serbian). indjija.rs. 30 June 2011. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
10. "Preminuo bivši napadač Partizana Dejan Čurović" (in Serbian). b92.net. 11 August 2019. Retrieved 10 January 2023.

External links

• Dejan Čurović at WorldFootball.net