Marko Simić (Montenegrin: Марко Симић, pronounced [mâːrko sǐːmitɕ]; born 16 June 1987) is a professional footballer who plays as a defender for Latvian club Liepāja.[1]

Marko Simić
Simić with Montenegro in a friendly versus Iran in 2014
Personal information
Full name Marko Simić
Date of birth (1987-06-16) 16 June 1987 (age 37)
Place of birth Obrenovac, SR Serbia, Yugoslavia
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Centre-back
Team information
Current team
Liepāja
Number 55
Youth career
Partizan
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2006–2007 Spartak Varna 0 (0)
2007Chernomorets Byala (loan) 6 (0)
2007–2008 Radnički Kragujevac 11 (0)
2008Mladenovac (loan) 12 (1)
2008–2009 Budapest Honvéd 3 (0)
2009–2010 Bežanija 25 (4)
2010 Jagodina 12 (1)
2011–2012 BATE Borisov 48 (5)
2013–2016 Kayserispor 75 (4)
2016 Hapoel Tel Aviv 6 (0)
2017 Rostov 7 (0)
2017–2020 Pakhtakor Tashkent 56 (6)
2020–2022 Liepāja 39 (3)
2022–2023 Budućnost Podgorica 27 (4)
2023–2024 Sutjeska 23 (0)
2024– Liepāja 1 (0)
International career
2013–2021 Montenegro 50 (2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15 July 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 16 November 2021

Born in Obrenovac,[2] SR Serbia, SFR Yugoslavia (now Serbia), Marko Simić initially played in the youth categories of FK Partizan.[3] Simić was a part of one of the best generations of BATE Borisov which made the group stages of the UEFA Champions League in 2011 and 2012. He made his debut for the Montenegro national team in 2013.

Club career

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Spartak Varna

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In January 2007 Simić joined Bulgarian A PFG side Spartak Varna. He made his team début on 3 February in a 3–1 friendly win over Svetkavitsa,[4] but he never played in competitive match for Spartak. One months later Simić joined North-East V AFG club Chernomorets Byala on loan and earned 6 appearances to the end of the season.[5]

Journeyman years

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In summer of 2007 he signed with Serbian League West side FK Radnički Kragujevac. After a loan spell with OFK Mladenovac during the second half of the season, he moved to Hungary to play with Budapest Honvéd FC in the Hungarian Championship. In summer 2009 he was back to Serbia to play with Serbian First League (second tier) club FK Bežanija.[6] The following summer he moved to FK Jagodina playing in the Serbian SuperLiga where he made 12 league appearances scoring one goal during the first half of the 2010–11 season.

BATE Borisov

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During the winter break he moved to FC BATE Borisov in the Belarusian Premier League. He has established himself as a starter for the team. Simić featured in BATE's lineups in the UEFA Champions League in 2011 and 2012, featuring against Barcelona, Milan, and Bayern Munich.[7]

Kayserispor

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In the winter 2013 transfer window, Simić moved to Kayserispor, whose coach at the time, Robert Prosinečki, was instrumental in bringing Simić to the club.[8]

Rostov

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On 14 March 2017, he signed a short-term deal with the Russian Premier League side FC Rostov until the end of the 2016–17 season after Rostov's first-choice defender Vladimir Granat suffered a season-ending injury.[9]

International career

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On 29 September 2011, he received his first ever call for the Serbia national team for the upcoming UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying matches against Italy and Slovenia on 7 and 11 October, but did not debut.[10]

Later, he received a call for the Montenegro national football team and debuted in a friendly match played against Belarus on 14 August 2013.[11] As of 15 October 2020, he has earned a total of 43 caps, scoring 1 goal.[12]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of 25 May 2023.[13]
Club Season League Cup League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Radnički Kragujevac 2007–08 Serbian League West 11 0 0 0 11 0
Mladenovac (loan) 2007–08 Serbian First League 12 1 0 0 12 1
Budapest Honvéd 2008–09 NB I 3 0 0 0 3 0
Bežanija 2009–10 Serbian First League 25 4 0 0 25 4
Jagodina 2010–11 Serbian Superliga 12 1 1 0 13 1
BATE Borisov 2011 Belarusian Premier League 26 3 0 0 14 2 0 0 40 5
2012 22 2 2 0 9 0 33 2
Total 48 5 2 0 23 2 73 5
Kayserispor 2012–13 Süper Lig 15 0 15 0
2013–14 12 0 2 0 14 0
2014–15 TFF First League 24 3 4 1 28 4
2015–16 Süper Lig 24 1 6 1 30 2
Total 75 4 12 2 87 6
Hapoel Tel Aviv 2016–17 Israeli Premier League 6 0 0 0 3 0 7 0
Rostov 2016–17 Russian Premier League 7 0 0 0 7 0
Pakhtakor 2017 Uzbekistan Super League 13 3 13 3
2018 25 1 1 0 1 0 27 1
2019 15 2 3 0 3 0 3 0 24 2
Total 53 6 4 0 3 0 4 0 65 6
Liepāja 2020 Virslīga 11 0 3 0 14 0
2021 22 1 3 1 4 0 29 2
2022 6 2 0 0 6 2
Total 39 3 6 1 4 0 49 4
Budućnost Podgorica 2022–23 Montenegrin First League 27 4 1 0 28 4
Career total 318 28 26 3 6 0 31 2 0 0 350 33

International

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As of match played 16 November 2021[14]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Montenegro 2013 2 0
2014 5 0
2015 7 0
2016 6 0
2017 4 1
2018 9 0
2019 8 0
2020 4 0
2021 5 1
2022 0 0
Total 50 2

International goals

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Scores and results list Montenegro's goal tally first.[14]
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 1 September 2017 Astana Arena, Astana, Kazakhstan   Kazakhstan 3–0 3–0 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
2. 27 March 2021 Podgorica City Stadium, Podgorica, Montenegro   Gibraltar 2–1 4–1 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification

References

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  1. ^ Marko Simić at Soccerway
  2. ^ Marko Simić: spreman sam za Mesija Archived 30 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine article and interview at Kurir
  3. ^ Marko Simić: spreman sam za Mesija Archived 30 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine article and interview at Kurir
  4. ^ "Спартак Варна победи Светкавица" (in Bulgarian). sportni.bg. Retrieved 3 February 2007.[permanent dead link]
  5. ^ "Бивш футболист на Черноморец Бяла игра в Шампионската лига" (in Bulgarian). varnautre.bg. Archived from the original on 3 November 2011. Retrieved 2 November 2011.
  6. ^ Marko Simić at Srbijafudbal
  7. ^ Mozzart Sport (author name unknown) (4 October 2012). "Marko Simić: Pokazali smo da nije sve u parama" (in Serbian). {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  8. ^ [1] Archived 14 July 2014 at the Wayback Machine Ostojić, Dražen. Alo! Marko Simić kod Robija (in Serbian) 15 January 2013
  9. ^ Марко Симич – игрок «Ростова» (in Russian). FC Rostov. 14 March 2017. Archived from the original on 25 September 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2017.
  10. ^ Dva debitanta, na spisku i Vidić!? at B92
  11. ^ Crna Gora remizirala u Bjelorusiji Archived 28 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine at Vijesti, 14-8-2013
  12. ^ "Player Database". eu-football.info. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  13. ^ Marko Simić at Soccerway. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  14. ^ a b "Simić, Marko". National Football Teams. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
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