Biography
Who is Predrag Rajković?
Early years in Serbia
Predrag Rajković was born in Negotin, Serbia, on October 31, 1995. He began his football training at the age of 7 with his father, Saša, who had experience as a goalkeeper for Hajduk Veljko. He remained with his hometown club until 2009, when he transferred to the youth setup at FK Jagodina. He spent four years developing with the youth teams before gaining a first-team license for the 2011–12 season.
During his time at Jagodina, he wore jersey number 45 before switching to number 1. He made his professional debut for Jagodina on March 9, 2013, in a Serbian SuperLiga match against Partizan. Following the departure of his teammate Bondžulić, the club management decided to give him a chance in the starting lineup, influenced partly by his strong performances in the 2013 UEFA European Under-19 Championship.
Professional growth at Red Star
In August 2013, he signed a four-year contract with Red Star Belgrade, choosing the jersey number 95 to signify his birth year. Initially serving as a backup, he eventually became the first-choice goalkeeper during the 2014–15 season due to administrative problems that prevented new signing Damir Kahriman from playing. During this campaign, he recorded 16 clean sheets in 28 league appearances.
Predrag Rajković demonstrated leadership during this period, as coach Nenad Lalatović appointed him team captain. His peers voted him the best goalkeeper of the 2014–15 season. In June 2015, he signed a new three-year contract with the club. His play during the Europa League qualifying matches against Kairat drew praise from opposing coach Vladimír Weiss, who noted his skill during the team's difficult start to the season.
International and club career abroad
He has enjoyed significant success on the international stage. He was a key member of the team that won the 2013 UEFA European Under-19 Championship, where he performed crucial saves and penalty stops. Later, he helped Serbia win the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand, earning the Golden Glove award as the tournament's best goalkeeper. He made his senior national team debut on August 7, 2013, in a friendly against Colombia.
His club career took him outside of Serbia, beginning with a transfer to Maccabi Tel Aviv in August 2015 for a reported fee of 3 million euros. He made his debut in a victory over Hapoel Be'er Sheva. In May 2017, the club named him their player of the season. He later joined the French club Stade de Reims in 2019 for 3 million euros, followed by a move to the Spanish club Mallorca in 2022 for 4.5 million euros. In August 2024, he transferred to the Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad.
Family and personal life
Predrag Rajković married his girlfriend, Ana Cakić, on August 8, 2018. He chose his national team teammate, Saša Zdjelar, to serve as his best man during the wedding ceremony. The couple has three children, consisting of two sons and one daughter.
Birthday and age
Predrag Rajković was born on October 31, 1995, which makes Predrag 31 years old today. That birthday falls under the Scorpio sign. Predrag shares the date with 63 other famous people.
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