Luka Ilić

Luka Ilić (Serbian Cyrillic: Лука Илић; born 2 July 1999) is a Serbian professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Ligue 2 side Troyes.[5]

Luka Ilić
Ilić in 2022
Personal information
Full name Luka Ilić[1]
Date of birth (1999-07-02) 2 July 1999[2]
Place of birth Niš, Serbia, FR Yugoslavia[2]
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)[3]
Position(s) Attacking midfielder[4]
Team information
Current team
 Troyes
Number 21
Youth career
2006–2008 Filip Filipović
2008–2014 Real Niš
2014–2017 Red Star Belgrade
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016–2017 Red Star Belgrade 0 (0)
2017–2022 Manchester City 0 (0)
2017–2018 → Red Star Belgrade (loan) 14 (2)
2018–2020 → NAC Breda (loan) 41 (7)
2020–2021 → Twente (loan) 29 (2)
2022– Troyes 5 (2)
2022–2023 → TSC (loan) 25 (6)
International career‡
2016 Serbia U17 5 (1)
2017–2018 Serbia U19 5 (1)
2017–2020 Serbia U21 12 (3)
2023– Serbia 1 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19:49, 19 September 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 26 January 2023

Club career

Red Star Belgrade

Luka started playing football with local football club Filip Filipović at the age of 7, along with his younger brother Ivan. Later he played with football club Real Niš until 2014, when he joined Red Star Belgrade.[6] He joined the first team in for the 2016–17 season under coach Miodrag Božović,[7] making his senior debut for the team in a friendly match against Ludogorets Razgrad on 14 November 2015.[8] Ilić signed his first professional contract with Red Star Belgrade in February 2016.[9] During the summer pre-season in 2017, Ilić presented as one of the top ten club's youth prospects.[4] He made his official debut for the club on 6 July 2017, replacing Slavoljub Srnić in second leg of the first qualifying round for 2017–18 UEFA Europa League against Floriana.[10] Several days later, Red Star accepted an offer from the English side Manchester City and Ilić had been sold for a €5 million net fee along with his younger brother Ivan.[11][12] Within the arrangement, Luka returned at one-year loan deal to Red Star.[13][14] Ilić made his Serbian SuperLiga debut on 13 August 2017, as a substitution for Nemanja Milić in the match against OFK Bačka.[15] He scored his first senior goal in 4–0 victory over Mačva Šabac on 14 October 2017.[16]

NAC Breda

Ilić signed for Dutch side NAC Breda on loan for the 2018–19 season.[17] On 3 August 2019, it was announced that Ilić would spend another year on loan at NAC despite their relegation.[18]

FC Twente

Ilić was announced as a FC Twente loan signing on transfer deadline day for the 2020–21 season.[19] On 8 July 2021, it was announced he would spend another year on loan at the club.[20] After making only five appearances it was announced that Ilić would not be continuing with the team after the winter break, cutting his loan spell short and returning to his parent club.[21]

Troyes

In January 2022 Ilić made a permanent transfer to French side Troyes. He signed contract until summer of 2024.[5]

Style of play

As a left-footed player, Ilić performed at all position in midfield through the youth career. In early years of playing football, he usually performed more offensive as a second striker or attacking midfielder.[22] Joining the youth team of Red Star Belgrade, Ilić converted his position, playing as right-side central midfielder, and later as a defensive midfielder with a box-to-box role, being paired with his brother.[23] He characterized by lucidity and great performances face to face game against the opponent.[24] Ilić is also free-kick taker.[25]

Personal life

Born in Niš, Ilić grew up in a sports family. His father Srđan played as a winger in Radnički Niš and his mother Danijela Ilić played basketball professionally. Luka's younger brother, Ivan is also a professional footballer.[23]

International career

Ilić made his debut and first international goal for Serbia on 25 January 2023 in a friendly match against United States which Serbia won 2–1. He was a starter in that game and scored his first international goal.[26]

Career statistics

Club
As of 31 January 2022[27]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Red Star Belgrade 2016–17[28] Serbian SuperLiga 0000——00
Red Star Belgrade (loan) 2017–18[29] Serbian SuperLiga 142201[lower-alpha 1]0—172
NAC Breda (loan) 2018–19 Eredivisie 16210——172
2019–20 Eerste Divisie 25530——285
Total 4174000—457
FC Twente (loan) 2020–21 Eredivisie 24200——242
2021–22 5000——50
Total 29200——292
Troyes 2021–22 Ligue 1 0000——00
Career total 84116010009011
  1. Ilić made an appearance against Floriana before rejoined the club as a loaned player[10]

International
As of January 26, 2023
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Serbia 202311
Total11
Scores and results list the Serbia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Ilić's goal.
List of international goals scored by Luka Ilić
No. Date Venue Cap Opponent Score Result Competition
1January 25, 2023BMO Stadium, Los Angeles, United States1 United States1–12–1Friendly

Honours

Red Star Belgrade

References
  1. "Updated squads for 2017/18 Premier League confirmed". Premier League. 2 February 2018. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
  2. "Лука Илић". Red Star Belgrade official website (in Serbian). Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  3. "Ilic, Luka". srbijafudbal.com (in Serbian). Archived from the original on 13 August 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  4. "ALO! PREDSTAVLJA Top 10 Zvezdinih klinaca za budućnost". Alo! (in Serbian). 31 May 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  5. "Luka Ilic rejoint l'ESTAC !". estac.fr (in French). Retrieved 30 January 2022.
  6. "Звездини бисери - Браћа Илић". Red Star Belgrade official website (in Serbian). 31 March 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  7. "Одржана летња "прозивка"". Red Star Belgrade official website (in Serbian). 13 July 2016. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  8. "Luka Ilić za BUTASPORT.RS: Nisam spavao od uzbuđenja noć pred utakmicu sa Bugarima". butasport.rs (in Serbian). 15 November 2015. Archived from the original on 23 September 2018. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  9. "Kadet, omladinac, prvotimac - sve za par meseci!". mondo.rs (in Serbian). 26 February 2016. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  10. "DEBITOVAO ZA ZVEZDU Luka Ilić: Ostvario sam san, ovo je podsticaj da nastavim da radim". Blic (in Serbian). 8 July 2017. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
  11. "Manchester City make €5.5m bid for Red Star Belgrade brothers Luka and Ivan Ilić". mcfcwatch.com. 10 July 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  12. "Detalji transfera braće Ilić u Mančester Siti!". mozzartsport.com (in Serbian). 16 July 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  13. ""FUDBAL", vanredni broj 13/17" (PDF). Football Association of Serbia (in Serbian). 10 August 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 August 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  14. "Терзић: Звездаши, будите поносни". Red Star Belgrade official website (in Serbian). 7 August 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  15. "Rutina Zvezdinih rezervista pred Krasnodar: Dva prvenca u crveno-belom dresu, ali je Čeković skinuo magiju s Borjanovog gola (VIDEO)". mozzartsport.com (in Serbian). 13 August 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  16. "Лука Илић - Пресрећан сам!". Red Star Belgrade official website (in Serbian). 14 October 2017. Retrieved 15 October 2017.
  17. "NAC rents Ilić officially from Manchester City" (in Dutch). NAC Breda. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
  18. "NAC presents three new acquisitions" (in Dutch). Voetbal247. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
  19. "Luka Ilic To FC Twente" (in Dutch). FC Twente. Archived from the original on 8 October 2020. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
  20. "Twente loan Man City youngster again" (in Dutch). Football Oranje. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
  21. "FC Twente keeps a close eye on Ilic's departure: midfielder will not return in 2022" (in Dutch). Tubantia. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
  22. "Zvezda veruje u decu: 16 potpisa na "Marakani"!". mondo.rs (in Serbian). 10 March 2016. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
  23. "Лука и Иван Илић предводе нови талас талената: Живимо за фудбал и Звездин дрес!". Večernje novosti (in Serbian). 7 April 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  24. "Zvezda ima novo blago: Tamo gde stane Grujić nastaviće Luka Ilić! (VIDEO)". mozzartsport.com (in Serbian). 18 November 2015. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  25. "Velika nervoza, dva crvena kartona i bezbolan poraz Orlića". mozzartsport.com (in Serbian). 10 October 2017. Retrieved 10 October 2017.
  26. "БРАВО ОРЛОВИ, СРБИЈА БОЉА ОД АМЕРИКЕ". Football Association of Serbia. 26 January 2023.
  27. Luka Ilić at Soccerway
  28. "Ilić, Luka 2016–17 season". Serbian SuperLiga official website (in Serbian). Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  29. "Ilić, Luka 2017–18 season". Serbian SuperLiga official website (in Serbian). Retrieved 13 August 2017.
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