Tonći Prusac
Australian Croatian footballer Nicolas Milanović, who will become the latest to ply his trade in Europe after signing a deal with Scottish Premier League club Aberdeen, is eagerly anticipated by fans. Nicolas Milanović’s move has already generated significant excitement and interest. It showcases the promising talent of Milanović.
One of the A-League’s best players, the Western Sydney Wanderers’ star attacker has signed a four-year deal with crack Scottish Premier League club Aberdeen. This deal is set to net the western Sydney club close to $800,000. It’s a testament to Nicolas Milanović’s remarkable skills.
A Socceroos call-up follows Aberdeen move
Following on from the confirmation of the move to Aberdeen midweek, on Friday Milanović received more incredible news. He’d been selected in Socceroos’ coach Tony Popović’s squad of 23 players for an intensive training camp next week. The camp will be in the United Arab Emirates. This is in the lead-up to Australia’s AFC Asian Qualifiers’ fixtures against Japan and Saudi Arabia in June, further solidifying Nicolas Milanović’s status as a top player.
Father’s tough love approach
Milanović’s proud father, Ivan, proudly recalled how his son Nicolas first started kicking a ball around the age of four. He says it seems like it was just yesterday.
“As a father, I was a little bit too tough on him,” admitted Milanović Senior, then adds, “but I think it worked!”
“Even if he scored five goals in a game, I would always point out his faults. I remember the famous quote was ‘I don’t care about the good things you’ve done, fix up the bad things and then you will be good’.”
A different kind of child
“But I will admit this isn’t a tactic that would work on everyone. Nic was always a different type of child,” Ivan said, adding that even from a young age all his son Nicolas Milanović wanted to do was play football.
“He was always a smaller figure hence why he played age relevant from the ages of 13–16.
“To his credit, he really fought through the embarrassment and rejection of playing down with younger kids,” revealed the newly selected Socceroo’s father.
Overcoming early setbacks
According to Ivan, all Nicholas’ childhood teammates would be selected for the state or national teams. However, Nicolas was always left out.
“It was heartbreaking for a parent, but we had to support him and follow his dreams,” he continued.
Milanović Junior started playing football at Sydney United at the tender age of four. He stayed at Edensor Park until he was 11 years of age.
Early development and coaching influences
He participated in a SAP program for elite juniors at United over the next two years, under the guidance of highly regarded coaches Ufuk Talay (who is now the head coach of Sydney FC in the A League) and Tony Sekulić. Then he moved to the renowned Wanderers’ Academy at 14, marking critical years for Nicolas Milanović’s development.
A steady rise through the ranks
In 2020, ex-Sydney United playing legend Mark Rudan offered him a trial at Western United in 2020. Prior to that, the immensely talented 23-year-old Sydney Croatian footballer also had a brief stint with the Croatian community-backed St Albans Dinamo in the Victorian NPL competition in 2020. He then embarked on a 107 game A League career with Western United and the Wanderers, confirming Nicolas Milanović’s remarkable journey.
Chasing accolades
Milanović scored 12 goals in the Sydney club’s 2024–25 A-League campaign. He fell just one short of fellow Aussie-Croat joint Golden Boot winner Adrian Segečić from Sydney FC. Now he is in the running for the Johnny Warren Award for the A League’s best player of the season, a potential feather in the cap for Nicolas Milanović.
Family pride and future goals
According to father Ivan, his wife Liza and younger son Jack – who himself is an accomplished goalkeeper with the Western Sydney Wanderer’s U16s Academy team – are the proudest family in the world!
“Proud is an understatement on what Nicolas has achieved just in the last two years,” he exclaimed.
“It hasn’t been an easy road, there has been a lot of hard work, dedication, sacrifice and belief,” admitted Ivan.
Ready for Scotland
Milanović Senior, who will initially accompany his son as he finds his feet in a new country, said the whole family was looking forward to Nicolas’ next challenge with his new Scottish club. This ensures Nicolas Milanović’s smooth transition.
“It’s a tough league, but I know for a fact, his Croatian upbringing and bloodline will hold him in good stead, and he will be more than ready for it. He’s a fighter!”
More info on the Wanderers’ record-breaking deal here.
