Antonio Milić

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Antonio Milić
Personal information
Date of birth (1994-03-10) 10 March 1994 (age 30)
Place of birth Split, Croatia
Height 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position(s) Centre-back
Team information
Current team
Lech Poznań
Number 16
Youth career
2002–2011 Hajduk Split
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011–2015 Hajduk Split 58 (7)
2015–2018 Oostende 105 (9)
2018–2020 Anderlecht 21 (0)
2019–2020Rayo Vallecano (loan) 18 (0)
2020– Lech Poznań 79 (6)
International career
2009–2010 Croatia U16 8 (1)
2010–2011 Croatia U17 11 (1)
2013 Croatia U19 1 (0)
2014–2015 Croatia U21 18 (3)
2018 Croatia 3 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 10 March 2024

Antonio Milić (Croatian pronunciation: [mǐlitɕ];[1] born 10 March 1994) is a Croatian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Polish club Lech Poznań.

Club career[edit]

Hajduk Split[edit]

A product of Hajduk Split academy, Krasimir Balakov handed Milić his first team minutes in the Croatian Cup match against Jadran Gunja but his first league appearance came off the bench on 26 November 2011, in a 2–1 win over Šibenik, aged just 17 years, 8 months and 16 days. He made only one other league appearances that season, also off the bench, but he made another two Cup appearances against Zagreb also. After manager Balakov left Hajduk, new manager Mišo Krstičević came to the Hajduk bench. Since Krstičević managed the Hajduk U-19 team before he knew how to use Milić for the next season. In June 2012 Antonio won the Croatian U-19 championship.

In the 2012–13 Prva HNL, he started as a first team regular. The team's manager, Mišo Krstičević, made Milić a much more stable member of the first team, often playing in the holding midfield role, but also playing as either a central defender or a central midfielder. He played a significant role in defeating Inter Milan 2–0 on San Siro in the 2012–13 UEFA Europa League. He showed great talent while playing in the Prva HNL, and many people consider him on becoming the leading Croatian defender. Antonio Milić and Josip Radošević together created the best double pivot couple in Prva HNL. During Hajduk's winter preparations, he suffered an injury, which kept him off the pitch for nearly two months but he returned and helped his team to reach the 2012–13 Croatian Cup final by scoring the equalizer goal in the away match against Slaven Belupo on Poljud. In May 2013 Antonio signed a new contract with Hajduk that would keep him with the club until 2015. In May 2013 he won the Croatian Cup.

Under new manager Igor Tudor, Antonio's role in the team changed and was somewhat reduced. He was deployed either at left back or at center back and made 22 appearances in all competitions.

Oostende[edit]

On 20 December 2014, it was announced that Milić will join the Belgian club K.V. Oostende for a fee of 500 thousand euros.

Anderlecht[edit]

After a great three-year display at Oostende, Milić was about to join Anderlecht at the end of January 2018, but failed to sign with them as the transfer could not be completed due to the end of the transfer window. On 22 May 2018, it was announced that Milić has signed a three-year contract with Anderlecht, along with his teammate Knowledge Musona.

Rayo Vallecano (loan)[edit]

On 30 August 2019, Milić joined Spanish Segunda División side Rayo Vallecano on a one-year loan deal.[2]

Lech Poznań[edit]

On 10 January 2021, Milić was transferred from Anderlecht to Polish side Lech Poznań.[3]

International career[edit]

He was called up to the senior Croatia squad for the first time for a World Cup qualifier against Ukraine in October 2017.[4]

In August 2018 he was called up as a part of Croatia's UEFA Nations League squad for matches against Spain and England. On 6 September 2018, Milić earned his first cap for Croatia in an international friendly against Portugal.

Career statistics[edit]

As of 10 March 2024
Club Season League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Hajduk Split 2011–12 Prva HNL 2 0 2 0
2012–13 Prva HNL 26 3 0 0 2 0 28 3
2013–14 Prva HNL 18 2 2 0 2 0 22 2
2014–15 Prva HNL 11 2 1 0 5 0 17 2
Total 57 7 3 0 9 0 69 7
Oestende 2014–15 Pro League 5 1 5 1
2015–16 Pro League 33 2 1 0 34 2
2016–17 First Division A 31 5 4 0 33 5
2017–18 First Division A 35 1 3 0 2 0 40 1
Total 104 9 9 0 2 0 115 9
Anderlecht 2018–19 First Division A 21 0 0 0 4 0 25 0
2020–21 First Division A
Total 21 0 0 0 4 0 25 0
Rayo Vallecano (loan) 2019–20 Segunda División 18 0 2 0 20 0
Lech Poznań 2020–21[5] Ekstraklasa 9 0 2 0 11 0
2021–22[6] Ekstraklasa 26 4 2 0 28 4
2022–23[7] Ekstraklasa 23 1 1 0 16[a] 1 1[b] 0 41 2
2023–24[8] Ekstraklasa 21 1 2 0 4[c] 1 27 2
Total 79 6 7 0 20 2 1 0 107 8
Career total 280 22 20 0 35 2 1 0 336 24
  1. ^ Two appearances in UEFA Champions League, fourteen appearances and one goal in UEFA Europa Conference League
  2. ^ Appearance in Polish Super Cup
  3. ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League

International[edit]

As of 18 November 2018[9]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Croatia 2018 3 0
Total 3 0

Honours[edit]

Hajduk Split

Lech Poznań

References[edit]

  1. ^ "mȉo". Hrvatski jezični portal (in Serbo-Croatian). Retrieved 17 March 2018. Mìlić
  2. ^ "Antonio Milic nuevo jugador del Rayo Vallecano" [Antonio Milic new player of Rayo Vallecano] (in Spanish). Rayo Vallecano. 30 August 2019. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
  3. ^ Mastromonaco, Remi (10 January 2021). "Official: Antonio Milic Arrives At Lech Poznan". Wallfoot. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  4. ^ "Ukraine 0-2 Croatia". BBC. 9 October 2017. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  5. ^ "Sezon 2020/21". 90minut. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  6. ^ "Sezon 2021/22". 90minut. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  7. ^ "Sezon 2022/23". 90minut. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
  8. ^ "Sezon 2023/24". 90minut. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
  9. ^ "Antonio Milić, international footballer". eu-football.info. Retrieved 2 October 2021.

External links[edit]