Zoran Rajović

Zoran Rajović (Serbian Cyrillic: Зоран Рајовић; born 28 October 1979) is a Serbian retired professional footballer and coach.

Zoran Rajović
Rajović in 2012
Personal information
Full name Zoran Rajović
Date of birth (1979-10-28) 28 October 1979
Place of birth Vinkovci, SR Croatia, SFR Yugoslavia
Height 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Striker
Youth career
Vojvodina
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1997–1999 Vojvodina 1 (0)
1998 → Vrbas (loan) 15 (4)
1999 → Vrbas (loan) 4 (1)
1999–2000 Beroe Stara Zagora 19 (4)
2001 Dalian Shide
2002 Vojvodina 2 (0)
2002–2004 Glasinac Sokolac 52 (27)
2004–2005 Zrinjski Mostar 30 (17)
2005 Ashdod
2005–2006 Hapoel Kfar Saba
2006 Ethnikos Piraeus 8 (0)
2007–2008 Zrinjski Mostar 31 (13)
2008–2009 Hajduk Kula 27 (6)
2009 Olimpik Sarajevo 8 (2)
2010 Diagoras 3 (0)
2010 Leotar 8 (2)
2011 Rudar Prijedor 7 (0)
2011 BEC Tero Sasana
2012 Serbian White Eagles 22 (18)
2013 Yadanarbon
2013–2014 Modriča
2014–2015 Orašje 22 (8)
2015 Mladost Antin 4 (0)
2016 Orašje 7 (2)
2018–2020 Scarborough SC 22 (8)
2021 Serbian White Eagles
International career
1997 FR Yugoslavia U18 1 (0)
Managerial career
2018–2020 Scarborough SC (player-coach)
2021–2022 Serbian White Eagles
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

Born in Vinkovci, SR Croatia, SFR Yugoslavia, Rajović moved to Vojvodina at an early age. He was later sent on loan to Vrbas on two separate occasions.[1] In the summer of 1999, Rajović moved to Bulgaria and joined Beroe Stara Zagora. He scored four league goals in 19 appearances, as the club avoid relegation from the top flight.[2] In 2001, he played in Asia with Dalian Shide F.C. in the Chinese Super League.[3] After a season in East Asia, he played in the First League of FR Yugoslavia with FK Vojvodina. In 2002, he played in the Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina and became best remembered for his time with Glasinac Sokolac and Zrinjski Mostar (two spells), becoming the Premier League top scorer in the 2004–05 season with 17 goals.[4][5][6]

In 2005, he played in the Israeli Premier League with F.C. Ashdod and Hapoel Kfar Saba F.C.[7] In 2006, he returned to Europe to play in the Football League with Ethnikos Piraeus F.C. and returned to Zrinjski Mostar in 2007.[8] During his second tenure with Zrinjski, he featured in the 2007–08 UEFA Cup against FK Partizan, and FK Rabotnički.[9] He spent time in the Serbian SuperLiga in 2008 with Hajduk Kula, and with Olimpik Sarajevo in 2009.[10][11] He later had stints with Diagoras F.C., FK Leotar, and FK Rudar Prijedor.[12][13]

In 2011, he returned to Asia to play with BEC Tero Sasana F.C.in the Thai Premier League, and in the Myanmar National League with Yadanarbon F.C.[14][15][16] In 2012, Rajović played in Canadian Soccer League with Serbian White Eagles, scoring 18 goals from 22 appearances.[17][18] Before retiring from the game, Rajović played for Modriča, Orašje (twice), and Mladost Antin.[19] In 2018, he returned to the Canadian Soccer League to become a player-coach for Scarborough SC.[20][21]

International career

At the international level, Rajović was capped for FR Yugoslavia at under-18 level.[22] He also featured in two unofficial matches for Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Managerial career

In 2018, he was appointed as a player-coach for Scarborough SC in the Canadian Soccer League.[23] In his debut season as a manager, he led Scarborough to the CSL Championship final but were defeated by FC Vorkuta in a penalty shootout.[24] The following season the club finished as runners-up in the First Division and secured a postseason berth. In the playoffs, Rajović led the eastern Toronto team to the championship finals for the second consecutive season where they defeated FC Ukraine United.[25] In 2020, he secured the First Division title, and reached the championship final against FC Vorkuta, but were defeated by a score of 2-1.[26]

In 2021, Rajović became the assistant coach for the Serbian White Eagles, and shortly after was promoted to head coach.[27] He held this position until April 2022.[28]

Personal life

He holds Serbian, Croatian, and Bosnian-Herzegovinian passports. His father is former Dinamo Vinkovci player Milorad Rajović. Rajović was the agent of footballer Stefan Mitrović.[29]

Honours

Player

Zrinjski Mostar

Individual

Performance

Manager

Scarborough SC

References
  1. "Statistika odigranih prvenstvenih utakmica i datih golova za FK Vrbas 1969-2007" (in Serbian). fkvrbas.weebly.com. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
  2. ""Берое в елита": 1999-2000 г. – Завръщането" (in Bulgarian). beroe.bg. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
  3. "Zoran Rajović". archive.li. 22 February 2013. Archived from the original on 22 February 2013. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  4. "Zoran Rajović: Živjet će u nama dok Neretva teče" (in Croatian). hercegovina.info. 27 February 2016. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
  5. "FK Glasinac 2003-04". en.eufo.de. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  6. "Zrinjski Mostar 2004-05". en.eufo.de. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  7. "Hapoel Kfar Saba 2005-06". en.eufo.de. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  8. "Zrinjski Mostar 2007-08". en.eufo.de. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  9. "UEFA Champions League, UEFA Cup 2007/08 Details". RSSSF. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  10. "Hajduk Kula 2008-09". en.eufo.de. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  11. "Olimpik Sarajevo 2009-10". en.eufo.de. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  12. "Zoran Rajović: Nisam pogrešio u izboru kluba". Glas Srpske. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  13. "Zoran Rajović stigao u Leotar". SportSport.ba (in Bosnian). Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  14. "Zoran Rajovic - Orasje". www.footballdatabase.eu. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  15. "Yadanabon Football Club | Myanmar National League". archive.is. 11 April 2013. Archived from the original on 11 April 2013. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  16. "Zoran Rajović: Igranje za Zrinjski mi je najdraže u karijeri" (in Croatian). hercegovina.info. 22 January 2013. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
  17. "PROCESSION OF INCOMING TALENT KEY TO SUCCESS OF 2016 CHAMPIONS….never ending arrivals keep Serbian White Eagles on top". canadiansoccerleague.ca. 12 November 2016. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
  18. Mozzart Sport (20 July 2012). "Sve što ste hteli da znate... o kanadskoj CLS ligi" (in Serbian). Archived from the original on 7 March 2019. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
  19. "Rajović u Orašju - Posavina Sport". www.posavinasport.com (in Croatian). Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  20. "Scarborough SC – Canadian Soccer League". Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  21. Sokolović, A. (5 December 2018). "Zoran Rajović za Radiosarajevo.ba: Moje prijateljstvo s Lukom Modrićem". Radio Sarajevo. Retrieved 3 December 2019.
  22. Zoran Rajovic at 11v11.com
  23. "Футболен мениджър от Брежани се прицели в титлата в Канадската първа лига". Вестник СТРУМА (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  24. "Прокобата на дузпите отново провали К. Димитров в Канада". Вестник СТРУМА (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  25. Adamson, Stan (26 October 2019). "SCARBOROUGH ON TOP…..Vorkuta B wins Second Division Championship – Canadian Soccer League". Retrieved 3 December 2019.
  26. Adamson, Stan (18 October 2020). "VORKUTA RALLY FOR CSL CHAMPIONSHIP VICTORY – Canadian Soccer League". Canadian Soccer League. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
  27. Stanchev, Stancho (4 November 2021). "Бивши играчи на "Беласица" и "Литекс" сътвориха голово зрелище в Канада". Вестник СТРУМА (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 5 November 2021.
  28. Vujcic, Djuradj (16 November 2022). "Re-Cap of 2022 Signings". Serbian White Eagles FC. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
  29. Ninković, Dušan (24 December 2021). "Crvena zvezda i Partizan žele Stefana Mitrovića" (in Serbian). Mondo. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
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