Dejan Jakovic
Encyclopedia
Dejan Jakovic is a Canadian
international soccer player who currently plays for D.C. United
in Major League Soccer
.
family in Croatia
prior to the break-up of the former Yugoslavia, Jakovic was brought by his parents to Canada
at the age of six following the outbreak of the ethnic warfare
in Croatia in 1991. They settled in Etobicoke, part of metropolitan Toronto
.
. He was a four-year letterwinner at Scarlett Heights Academy
, and was named team MVP as a junior and senior, captaining both indoor and outdoor teams. He played in the Canadian national youth program
, and also for two-time Ontario Cup
winner Woodbridge Strikers under Bob Graham. He was a member of the team that competed at the 2004 Dallas Cup
, played with former UAB teammate Lukasz Kwapisz.
At the age of 18 Jakovic had a trial with OFK Beograd
, but was not signed by the team. Instead, Jakovic accepted a scholarship to the University of Alabama at Birmingham
, and went on to play four years of college soccer
for the Blazers.
in preparations for the upcoming 2008-09 season, after successfully completing a tryout with the team. He officially signed with the club on June 30, 2008.
Jakovic made three league starts at the beginning of the season under head coach Zdeněk Zeman
. However, following the coaching change on September 6, 2008, Dejan lost his spot in the team, and failed to register a single league appearance following the appointment of new head coach Čedomir Janevski
. After the completion of the 2008 half-season Red Star began looking at options to move him. In December it was reported that he would be sent to FK Rad
along with Marko Blažić
, another player who started under Zeman but had played sparsely since Janevski took over, as part of the deal to bring defender Nemanja Pejčinović
to Red Star. However, by February 2009, no trade had been announced by the teams, and he was still on the list Red Star players that started preparations for second half of the season.
side D.C. United
on 27 February 2009.
. Later in 2008 he earned five caps for the Canada U-23 squad in the 2008 CONCACAF Men's Pre-Olympic Tournament
, during which Canada finished third, one place out of qualification. Jakovic was also chosen in the 23-man roster for the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup
, Canada won Group A with 7 points before being knocked out by Honduras
in the Quarter Finals.
Jakovic was selected for the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup
, however sustained a hamstring injury a week prior to the group stage in a friendly at BMO Field
against Ecuador
the match ended 2-2. David Edgar
was selected on June 6, to replace Jakovic in the 23 man squad for the CONCACAF
tournament.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
international soccer player who currently plays for D.C. United
D.C. United
D.C. United is an American professional soccer club based in Washington, D.C. which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league since its inception, in 1996.Over the...
in Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
.
Personal life
Born to an ethnic SerbSerbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
family in Croatia
Socialist Republic of Croatia
Socialist Republic of Croatia was a sovereign constituent country of the second Yugoslavia. It came to existence during World War II, becoming a socialist state after the war, and was also renamed four times in its existence . It was the second largest republic in Yugoslavia by territory and...
prior to the break-up of the former Yugoslavia, Jakovic was brought by his parents to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
at the age of six following the outbreak of the ethnic warfare
Croatian War of Independence
The Croatian War of Independence was fought from 1991 to 1995 between forces loyal to the government of Croatia—which had declared independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia —and the Serb-controlled Yugoslav People's Army and local Serb forces, with the JNA ending its combat...
in Croatia in 1991. They settled in Etobicoke, part of metropolitan Toronto
Metropolitan Toronto
The Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto was a senior level of municipal government in the Toronto, Ontario, Canada area from 1954 to 1998. It was created out of York County and was a precursor to the later concept of a regional municipality, being formed of smaller municipalities but having more...
.
College soccer
Jakovic took up association football in CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He was a four-year letterwinner at Scarlett Heights Academy
Scarlett Heights Entrepreneurial Academy
Scarlett Heights Entrepreneurial Academy is a secondary school within the Toronto District School Board whose curriculum is broadened through a Student Leadership Development Program. This program extends the base curriculum....
, and was named team MVP as a junior and senior, captaining both indoor and outdoor teams. He played in the Canadian national youth program
Canada men's national youth soccer teams
Canada's men's national soccer teams compete at various age levels, including under-23 , under-20, and under-17. Many of Canada's current internationals have played at one or more of these age levels early in their career, often working with the same coaches and teammates throughout their...
, and also for two-time Ontario Cup
Ontario Cup
The Ontario Cup is a soccer tournament for clubs based in the province of Ontario in Canada. It began play in 1901 under the Canadian Football Association, now known as the Ontario Soccer Association.-History:...
winner Woodbridge Strikers under Bob Graham. He was a member of the team that competed at the 2004 Dallas Cup
Dallas Cup
The Dallas Cup is an international football tournament for invited youth teams, held annually in Dallas, Texas. It was first held in 1980. The current champion is Cruzeiro...
, played with former UAB teammate Lukasz Kwapisz.
At the age of 18 Jakovic had a trial with OFK Beograd
OFK Beograd
Omladinski fudbalski klub Beograd, commonly referred to as OFK Beograd , is a football club from Belgrade, Serbia, more precisely from the Karaburma urban neighborhood. It currently is the oldest team playing in the Serbian SuperLiga. The name means "Youth Football Club Belgrade" in Serbian...
, but was not signed by the team. Instead, Jakovic accepted a scholarship to the University of Alabama at Birmingham
University of Alabama at Birmingham
The University of Alabama at Birmingham is a public university in Birmingham in the U.S. state of Alabama. Developing from an extension center established in 1936, the institution became an autonomous institution in 1969 and is today one of three institutions in the University of Alabama System...
, and went on to play four years of college soccer
College soccer
College soccer is a term used to describe association football played by teams who are operated by colleges and universities as opposed to a professional league operated for exclusively financial purposes...
for the Blazers.
Red Star Belgrade
On June 28, 2008, Jakovic joined Red Star BelgradeRed Star Belgrade
Red Star Belgrade is a football club from Belgrade, Serbia. The club is a part of the Red Star Sports Society.Red Star Belgrade is the most successful Serbian club, with a record of 25 national championships and 23 national cups in both Serbian and ex-Yugoslav competitions...
in preparations for the upcoming 2008-09 season, after successfully completing a tryout with the team. He officially signed with the club on June 30, 2008.
Jakovic made three league starts at the beginning of the season under head coach Zdeněk Zeman
Zdenek Zeman
Zdeněk Zeman is a Czech-Italian football coach. He has managed numerous different teams, mostly in Italian football, over the years, and is currently in charge of Serie B club Pescara.-Biography:...
. However, following the coaching change on September 6, 2008, Dejan lost his spot in the team, and failed to register a single league appearance following the appointment of new head coach Čedomir Janevski
Cedomir Janevski
Čedomir Janevski is Macedonian football manager and who was a defender during his playing career. Janevski was known as a strong defender, one of the many that were produced by Yugoslavia in the 1980s. After his playing career, Janevski turned to coaching and got his UEFA Professional coaching...
. After the completion of the 2008 half-season Red Star began looking at options to move him. In December it was reported that he would be sent to FK Rad
FK Rad
FK Rad is a football club from Belgrade, Serbia. It plays at Stadion Kralj Petar I, which is located in the southern part of the city's Banjica neighbourhood....
along with Marko Blažić
Marko Blažic
Marko Blažić is a Serbian football midfielder who plays for FC Amkar Perm in the Russian Premier League....
, another player who started under Zeman but had played sparsely since Janevski took over, as part of the deal to bring defender Nemanja Pejčinović
Nemanja Pejcinovic
Nemanja Pejčinović is a Serbian footballer, who plays for OGC Nice on loan from Serbian SuperLiga club, FK Rad.-Club career:...
to Red Star. However, by February 2009, no trade had been announced by the teams, and he was still on the list Red Star players that started preparations for second half of the season.
D.C. United
Jakovic signed for Major League SoccerMajor League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
side D.C. United
D.C. United
D.C. United is an American professional soccer club based in Washington, D.C. which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league since its inception, in 1996.Over the...
on 27 February 2009.
International career
Jakovic made his debut for senior Canadian men's soccer team on January 30, 2008 against MartiniqueMartinique national football team
The Martinique national football team represents the French overseas department and region of Martinique in international football. The team is controlled by the Ligue de Football de la Martinique , a local branch of French Football Federation . On 7 August 2010, the national team adopted the...
. Later in 2008 he earned five caps for the Canada U-23 squad in the 2008 CONCACAF Men's Pre-Olympic Tournament
2008 CONCACAF Men's Pre-Olympic Tournament
The 2008 CONCACAF Men Pre-Olympic Tournament was an association football tournament that took place in three venues in the United States from March 11 to March 23, 2008....
, during which Canada finished third, one place out of qualification. Jakovic was also chosen in the 23-man roster for the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup
2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup
The 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup was the tenth edition of the Gold Cup competition, and the twentieth association football championship of North America, Central America and the Caribbean . It was contested from 3 July to 26 July 2009 in the United States. This competition was the fourth tournament...
, Canada won Group A with 7 points before being knocked out by Honduras
Honduras national football team
The Honduran national football team, nicknamed Los Catrachos, La Bicolor or La H, is the national team of Honduras and is controlled by the Federación Nacional Autónoma de Fútbol de Honduras...
in the Quarter Finals.
Jakovic was selected for the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup
2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup
The 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup was the 11th edition of the CONCACAF Gold Cup competition and 21th CONCACAF regional championship overall in CONCACAF's fifty years of existence...
, however sustained a hamstring injury a week prior to the group stage in a friendly at BMO Field
BMO Field
BMO Field is a Canadian soccer stadium located in Exhibition Place in the city of Toronto. The open-air structure can seat up to 21,800 spectators, depending on seating configurations. It is owned by the City of Toronto, and managed by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd...
against Ecuador
Ecuador national football team
The Ecuadorian national football team represents Ecuador in international football competitions and is controlled by the Ecuadorian Football Federation. They generally play official home matches at Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa in Quito, but often play friendlies in other stadiums around the country...
the match ended 2-2. David Edgar
David Edgar (footballer)
David Edward Edgar is a Canadian football player who currently plays for Championship side Burnley. He can play as a centre back, right back, left back or defensive midfielder.-Early life:Edgar was born to Eddie Edgar and Christine Edgar...
was selected on June 6, to replace Jakovic in the 23 man squad for the CONCACAF
CONCACAF
The Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football is the continental governing body for association football in North America, Central America and the Caribbean...
tournament.