Sinisa Mihajlovic, former football ace and probably one of the best free-kick takers ever, has died on Friday in a hospital in Rome, Mihajlovic’s family confirms.Mihajlovic, 53, has been fighting an acute form of leukaemia since 2019. He underwent a bone marrow transplant after three cycles of chemotherapy. Despite the illness, he kept working as Bologna FC manager until September 2022, until it became unbearable for him to continue in the dugout as things started to complicate.My childhood hero has passed away 💔 RIP Sinisa Mihajlovic we will never forget you. pic.twitter.com/AaY9vxQLX1— Serbian Football (@SerbianFooty) December 16, 2022 During his prolific and long football career, the versatile Serb defender established himself as one of the best free-kick takers in the world. Sinisa still holds the all-time record in Serie A for the most free-kick goals in the Italian championship, with 28 goals altogether. Until this day, he’s the only player to score a free-kick hat-trick (against his former side Sampdoria, back in 1998).No player in Serie A history has scored more direct free-kicks than Siniša Mihajlović.28 of his 38 goals in Italy’s top-flight were scored that way, winning two league titles.A legend of the game. 🕊 pic.twitter.com/F8VvHevb9S— Squawka (@Squawka) December 16, 2022 Mihajlovic played 63 times and scored ten goals for Yugoslavia between 1991 and 2003, playing at both the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000.His club career saw him play for Red Star Belgrade, with whom he won the European Champions Cup in 1991, before moving to Italy, where he became a household name in the Serie A, playing for Roma, Sampdoria, Lazio and Inter Milan.13/12/98 – Lazio 5-2 SampdoriaSiniša Mihajlović Scores a Free-Kick Hat-Trick 🎯🎯🎯pic.twitter.com/rWFgzi8yMs— My Greatest 11 (@MyGreatest11) December 13, 2022 The Italian top flight said in a tweet: “Lega Serie A is deeply saddened by the passing of Siniša Mihajlović, an icon of football and life.”Bologna was the last stop on a coaching career that saw him also take the helm of Fiorentina, Sampdoria, AC Milan, Torino, Sporting Lisbon and the Serbia national team.
