_(cropped).jpg) Nikolić with theChicago Fire in 2017 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | (1987-12-31)31 December 1987 (age 37) | ||
| Place of birth | Senta,SR Serbia,Yugoslavia | ||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[1] | ||
| Position | Striker | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1996–2006 | Senta | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2006–2007 | Barcs | 19 | (3) |
| 2007–2008 | Kaposvölgye | 14 | (11) |
| 2008–2010 | Kaposvár | 49 | (30) |
| 2010–2015 | Videoton | 149 | (87) |
| 2015–2017 | Legia Warsaw | 56 | (40) |
| 2017–2019 | Chicago Fire | 96 | (51) |
| 2019–2022 | Fehérvár | 75 | (30) |
| 2022–2023 | Pendikspor | 8 | (0) |
| 2023 | AEK Larnaca | 12 | (1) |
| Total | 478 | (253) | |
| International career | |||
| 2013–2021 | Hungary | 43 | (8) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Nemanja Nikolić (Serbian Cyrillic:Немања Николић,pronounced[němaɲanǐkolitɕ];Hungarian:Nikolics Nemanja; born 31 December 1987) is a former professional footballer who played as astriker.
Nikolić is a formerHungary national team international; he has made 43 appearances and scored 8 goals for the senior team. As aSerbian Hungarian fromVojvodina, Nikolić was also eligible to representSerbia, his country of birth, but he never received a call-up to the team.[2][3]
Nikolić was born inSenta,Yugoslavia to a Serbian father and a Hungarian mother. He began his career with his brother atSenta.
On 7 February 2008, Nikolić was signed byKaposvár. He played his first match againstVideoton. He managed to score thirty goals in just 49 matches therefore many top Hungarian sides wanted to sign him such asÚjpest,Ferencváros andVideoton.
In 2010Videoton signed Nikolić. He became top scorer in the2009–10 season of theHungarian League.[4][5]
Nikolić won the2010–11 season of the Hungarian League withVideoton. With the arrival of the Portuguese coachPaulo Sousa he was often left out from the first squad in the early matches of the2011–12 season of theHungarian League. However, as a substitute he managed to score againstPaks,Siófok (twice),Újpest (twice) andPápa in a row in the Hungarian League.
On 2 August 2012, Nikolić scored the only goal of the first leg of the third round of the2012–13 UEFA Europa League season, when Videoton beat the BelgianK.A.A. Gent 1–0 at the Sóstói Stadion.[6] He also scored in the second leg of the tie which was won by 3–0 by Videoton at theJules Ottenstadion.[7] On 4 September 2012, he scored a goal in the 2012–13 UEFA Europa League season whenVideoton beat Portugal'sSporting CP 3–0 atStadion Sóstói.[8][9]
On 26 October 2014, Nikolić set a new record scoring in 12 consecutive league matches in the 2014–15 season.[10]
On 8 June 2015, Nikolić joinedEkstraklasa club,Legia Warsaw.[11] On 19 July 2015, Nikolić debuted in the2015–16 season of theEkstraklasa by scoring two goals againstŚląsk Wrocław at theStadion Miejski,Wrocław.[12] On 16 March 2016 Nikolic scored ahat-trick againstZawisza Bydgoszcz at the Pepsi Arena,Warsaw. The match ended with a 4–0 win for Legia Warsaw.[13] On 15 May 2016 Legia became champions of the2015–16 Ekstraklasa season by beatingPogoń Szczecin 3–0 at home. He was the top scorer of the2015–16 Ekstraklasa season, scoring 28 goals in 37 matches.[14]
Nikolić joined theChicago Fire as aDesignated Player for a reported transfer fee of $3 million fromLegia Warsaw on 20 December 2016 on a three-year deal worth reportedly $1.9 million per year, per MLS Players Union documents.[15][16]
Speaking on the transfer, in a press release by the club, Fire GM Nelson Rodriguez stated "Through this transfer, we have secured a champion in his prime, and one of the most prolific goal scorers in Europe over the last few years".[17]
Fire coachVeljko Paunović noted his awareness of Nikolić from an early age from his time in Serbia. In an article published by the Fire Paunović praised Nikolić's skillset:
"His quality is scoring goals and assisting, but then he's a man that can participate in both phases of team play," Paunovic said. "He's very good in all phases of the game. Defensively, he helps the team to recover the ball as soon as possible in order that we can control the game and create opportunities for our team to win. Sometimes he will benefit from team play and he will be just the executor, but sometimes he's capable of creating his own situations in the game, the opportunities 1v1, and scoring his own goals.[18]"
Nikolić's high career strike-rate continued with the Fire, where he became an instant success - leading the league in scoring and acquiring numerous accolades through the first half of the season, and ultimately winning the2017 MLS Golden Boot.[19][20] His first goal for the club came in the Fire's 2017 home opener againstReal Salt Lake, in which he scored an unassisted effort in the 11th minute.[21]
Nikolić was named to the MLS Team of the Week in week 7 alongside fellow Fire forwardLuis Solignac.[22] He was additionally selected as MLS player of the week in week 7.[23]
He was once again chosen for team of the week in week 11 for his brace in Chicago's 4–1 win against the reigningMLS Cup championSeattle Sounders FC.[24]
With 10 goals through the first 11 games of the season, Nikolić led the league in scoring. With his brace against theColorado Rapids on 16 May, he became the first Fire player to score in four straight games since Mike Magee in 2013.[25] This brace once again earned him MLS Team of the Week honors.[26]
After week 15 Nikolić continued to lead the league in scoring, with 12 goals in 15 games. He was named to the week 15 Team of the Week for his goal against Atlanta United in Chicago's 2–0 home win alongside Fire playersBastian Schweinsteiger,David Accam, andJoão Meira.[27]
He was namedMLS Player of the Month for May for his six goals and one assist during the Fire's undefeated run during the stretch.[28]
A week after Fire teammate David Accam was named player of the week for week 17 for hishat-trick againstOrlando City SC, Nikolić earned the same honor on 3 July for his brace againstVancouver Whitecaps FC. It was the second time he won the award (the first time in week 7 as noted above). After week 18 Nikolić continued to lead theMLS Golden Boot race with 16 goals in 18 matches.[29]
AlongsideBastian Schweinsteiger Nikolić was named to the "2017 MLS All-Star Fan XI".[30] Nikolic finished the 2017 season as the Golden Boot winner with 24 goals and 4 assists.
Nikolić finished the2018 season as the Fire's top scorer, finishing seventh in scoring league-wide, with 15 goals and 2 assists.[31]
In February 2020, Nikolić left the Fire on the expiry of his contract and returned to Hungary and former club Videoton now known as Fehérvár.[32] Nikolić was given the number 71 shirt upon his return.[32]
On 11 October 2013, Nikolić debuted in theHungary national team against theNetherlands in an 8–1 defeat at theAmsterdam Arena in the2014 FIFA World Cup qualification.[33][34] On 14 October 2013, Nikolić scored his first goal in the national team againstAndorra in the 51st minute.[35][36] His second goal was recorded as an own goal byLima.
On 18 November 2014, Nikolić scored againstRussia in a 2–1 defeat in afriendly match at theGroupama Arena,Budapest,Hungary.[37]
Nikolić was called up to Hungary's squad forUEFA Euro 2016.[38] On 18 June 2016, he played in a 1–1 draw againstIceland at theStade Vélodrome,Marseille in which his run and far post drive was re-directed in by Iceland for the last minute equalizer.[39]
On 3 May 2018, Nikolić announced his retirement from the national team.[40] But this situation has been changed when he agreed withMarco Rossi on his return.[41]
On 1 June 2021, Nikolić was included in the final 26-man squad to represent Hungary at the rescheduledUEFA Euro 2020 tournament.[42]
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Continental | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Barcs | 2006–07 | NB II | 19 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 19 | 3 | |
| Kaposvölgye | 2007–08 | NB II | 14 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 14 | 11 | |
| Kaposvár | 2007–08 | NB I | 12 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 2 | — | 21 | 8 | |
| 2008–09 | NB I | 22 | 16 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 7 | — | 30 | 24 | ||
| 2009–10 | NB I | 15 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 18 | 11 | ||
| Total | 49 | 30 | 11 | 4 | 9 | 9 | — | 69 | 43 | |||
| Videoton | 2009–10 | NB I | 15 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 10 |
| 2010–11 | NB I | 24 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 35 | 13 | |
| 2011–12 | NB I | 30 | 19 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 47 | 30 | |
| 2012–13 | NB I | 27 | 13 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 12 | 4 | 51 | 27 | |
| 2013–14 | NB I | 28 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 34 | 19 | |
| 2014–15 | NB I | 25 | 21 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 24 | |
| Total | 149 | 87 | 24 | 18 | 25 | 14 | 17 | 4 | 215 | 123 | ||
| Legia Warsaw | 2015–16 | Ekstraklasa | 37 | 28 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 55 | 36 |
| 2016–17 | Ekstraklasa | 19 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 6 | 31 | 19 | |
| Total | 56 | 40 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 21 | 8 | 86 | 55 | ||
| Chicago Fire | 2017 | MLS | 34 | 24 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 37 | 24 | |
| 2018 | MLS | 31 | 15 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | — | 35 | 19 | ||
| 2019 | MLS | 31 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 32 | 13 | ||
| Total | 96 | 51 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 0 | — | 104 | 56 | |||
| Fehérvár | 2019–20 | NB I | 14 | 5 | 5 | 1 | — | — | 19 | 6 | ||
| 2020–21 | NB I | 31 | 15 | 6 | 5 | — | 3 | 2 | 40 | 22 | ||
| 2021–22 | NB I | 30 | 10 | 4 | 4 | — | 2 | 0 | 36 | 14 | ||
| Total | 75 | 30 | 15 | 10 | — | 5 | 2 | 95 | 42 | |||
| Pendikspor | 2022–23 | 1. Lig | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 9 | 0 | ||
| AEK Larnaca | 2022–23 | Cypriot First Division | 12 | 1 | — | — | 4 | 0 | 16 | 1 | ||
| Career total | 478 | 253 | 66 | 44 | 36 | 23 | 47 | 14 | 627 | 334 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hungary | 2013 | 2 | 1 |
| 2014 | 8 | 1 | |
| 2015 | 6 | 1 | |
| 2016 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2017 | 2 | 2 | |
| 2018 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2020 | 8 | 2 | |
| 2021 | 7 | 1 | |
| Total | 42 | 8 | |
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15 October 2013 | Ferenc Puskás Stadium,Budapest, Hungary |  Andorra | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 2 | 18 November 2014 | Groupama Arena,Budapest, Hungary |  Russia | 1–2 | 1–2 | Friendly |
| 3 | 5 June 2015 | Nagyerdei Stadion,Debrecen, Hungary |  Lithuania | 3–0 | 4–0 | |
| 4 | 9 November 2017 | Stade Josy Barthel,Luxembourg City, Luxembourg |  Luxembourg | 1–1 | 1–2 | |
| 5 | 14 November 2017 | Groupama Arena, Budapest, Hungary |  Costa Rica | 1–0 | 1–0 | |
| 6 | 6 September 2020 | Puskás Aréna,Budapest, Hungary | Russia | 2–3 | 2–3 | 2020–21 UEFA Nations League B |
| 7 | 8 October 2020 | Vasil Levski National Stadium,Sofia, Bulgaria |  Bulgaria | 3–0 | 3–1 | UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying play-offs |
| 8 | 28 March 2021 | San Marino Stadium,Serravalle, San Marino |  San Marino | 3–0 | 3–0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
Videoton
Legia Warsaw
Individual
In October 2025, he completed the UEFA-MIP course and obtained aUEFA coaching license to manage football teams.[57] On 11 November 2025, he was appointed as the sports director of Videoton.[58]
On 28 January 2011, Nikolić obtainedHungarian citizenship. András Cser-Palkovics, mayor ofSzékesfehérvár said that "We know about him that he knows the country, speaks the language since he has big plans withVideoton this year". Nikolić said that "I knew that it is not easy to obtainHungarian citizenship but I hoped that due to the fact that my mother is Hungarian it would be easier but it turned out to be a bit more difficult."[59]
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