Vanja Milinković-Savić is a Serbian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Serie A club Napoli, on loan from Torino, and represents the Serbia national team.
Born on February 20, 1997, in Ourense, Galicia, Spain, he stands at an imposing 2.02 meters tall, making him one of the tallest players in his position.
His height, combined with strong command of the penalty area and shot-stopping abilities, has helped him carve out a solid career in European football.
Siblings
Vanja is the younger brother of Sergej Milinković-Savić, the accomplished midfielder who has played for clubs like Lazio and currently features for Al Hilal in the Saudi Pro League.
Their father, Nikola Milinković, was a professional footballer with a journeyman career across several clubs, while their mother, Milana Savić, was a professional basketball player.
The family also includes their sister Jana Milinković-Savić, who follows in their mother’s footsteps as a professional basketball player.
Career
Vanja’s career began in the youth ranks of Vojvodina in Serbia.
He signed his first professional contract there before attracting attention from Manchester United in 2014.
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The Premier League club signed him for around €1.75 million, but he spent the initial period on loan back at Vojvodina, where he made his senior debut and gained valuable experience.
Work permit issues prevented him from breaking into United’s first team, leading to his release in late 2015.
He then joined Polish club Lechia Gdańsk, where he became a regular and showcased his potential.
In 2017, he transferred to Torino in Serie A, marking the start of a long association with the Italian club.
At Torino, Vanja gradually established himself, overcoming several loan spells at SPAL, Ascoli, and Standard Liège to develop consistency.
He became a reliable presence, often praised for his distribution and presence in goal.
By the 2022–23 season and beyond, he was a key starter for Torino in Serie A.
In 2025, Vanja moved on loan to Napoli with a conditional obligation to buy, taking on a new challenge at a more ambitious club while continuing to feature prominently.
Accolades
Milinković-Savić’s major honor at the youth level came with the Serbia U20 team, where he was part of the squad that won the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2015 in New Zealand, contributing as a backup goalkeeper behind Predrag Rajković.
At the club level, he has earned silverware with Napoli, including the Supercoppa Italiana.
He has also represented Serbia at senior major tournaments, such as the 2022 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2024, accumulating over 20 caps.
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