Filip Despotovski

Filip Despotovski (Macedonian: Филип Дecпoтoвcки; born 18 November 1982 in Skopje, Macedonia[1]) is a Macedonian football midfielder who plays for Gostivar.

Filip Despotovski
Personal information
Full name Filip Despotovski
Date of birth (1982-11-18) 18 November 1982
Place of birth Skopje, Macedonia
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Defensive midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2001–2002 Cementarnica 19 (4)
2002–2003 OFK Beograd 20 (1)
2003–2004 Napredok 6 (1)
2004 Vardar 1 (0)
2004–2005 Bežanija 11 (2)
2005–2006 Mačva Šabac 14 (3)
2006–2007 Ethnikos Piraeus 18 (0)
2007–2008 Vardar 15 (0)
2008–2010 Vorskla 48 (2)
2010–2011 Inter Baku 12 (1)
2011–2012 Rabotnički 20 (2)
2012–2013 Pierikos 12 (0)
2013 Teteks 11 (0)
2013–2015 Vardar 52 (3)
2015 Teteks 14 (1)
2016 Akademija Pandev
2017–2018 Gostivar 8 (2)
National team‡
2009–2012 Macedonia 18 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 15 September 2013
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 29 February 2012

Professional career

Early career

Filip Despotovski started his career in Macedonia in FK Vardar's youth school, SSK Mladinec,[1] but would sign his first professional contract with Cementarnica 55.[1]

In his first professional season, Despotovski made 19 appearances and scored 4 goals for Cementarnica 55, which immediately earned him a transfer to prominent Serbian club OFK Beograd in summer 2002.[1][2]

In his first season with OFK, Despotovski made 17 appearances and scored 1 goal[2] to help the team to a third-place league finish. The following season though, Despotovski was no longer a starter,[2] and he would move on from the club. Over the next two-and-a-half seasons, Despotovski played for Macedonian club Napredok Kičevo and Serbian clubs FK Bežanija and Mačva Šabac.[1][2]

Ethnikos and Vardar

In 2006, Despotovski landed in Greece with Beta Ethniki club Ethnikos Piraeus,[2] and the move proved to be a turning point in his career. After one season with Ethnikos, FK Vardar, Macedonia's most prominent club, took notice of Despotovski's impressive form and signed him to a contract in summer 2007.[1][2]

Despotovski's rapid growth as a player continued at Vardar, and as such he did not remain at the club very long. Despotovski was noted as Vardar's best player in the first half of the 2007–08 season,[1] and during the winter transfer period Ukrainian Premier League club Vorskla Poltava stepped in and acquired his services from Vardar.[1][2]

FK Vorskla

In Despotovski's first full season with Vorskla, the team won the Ukrainian Cup for the first time in club history;[3] Despotovski played all 90 minutes in Vorskla's 1–0 defeat of FC Shakhtar Donetsk in the Cup Final.[3] The Cup victory earned Despotovski the distinction of being the fifth Macedonian international to win a Cup title, after Goran Pandev, Goran Popov, Zlatko Tanevski and Artim Sakiri.[3] In league play, Despotovski made 25 appearances and scored 1 goal;[2] Vorskla went undefeated in his first league 16 appearances.[1]

On 20 August 2009, Despotovski made his first appearance in European competition when Vorskla took on Primeira Liga club Benfica in the play-off round of the 2009–10 UEFA Europa League.[4] Despotovski appeared in the second leg of the tie against Benfica as well; the Portuguese team would advance with a 5-2 aggregate victory.[5] In league play, Despotovski made 14 appearances and scored 1 goal in 2009–10.[2]

FC Inter Baku

Despotovski signed a 1-year deal with Inter Baku on 30 August 2010.[6]

International career

2010 FIFA World Cup qualification

On 6 June 2009, Despotovski made his debut for the Macedonian National Team against Norway in 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (UEFA Group 9);[7] the Norway match was Macedonia's fifth of their eight total qualifying matches. Following his debut, Despotovski made two more appearances—both starts—in Group 9 qualification, against Iceland[8] and Scotland.[9]

UEFA Euro 2012 qualification

As of June 2011, Despotovski has made five appearances (four starts) for Macedonia in UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying (Group B).[10]

Other

In 2009, Despotovski played for Macedonia in friendly matches against Spain,[11] Qatar,[12] Canada [13] and Iran.

In 2010, Despotovski played for Macedonia in friendly matches against Montenegro,[14] Azerbaijan,[15] Romania,[16] and Malta.[17]

In 2011, Despotovski has played for Macedonia in a friendly match against Cameroon.[18]

Honors

FK Vorskla

References
  1. Naumovski, Igor (29 March 2009). "Filip Despotovski the Ukrainian phenomenon". MacedonianFootball.com.
  2. "Despotovski, Filip". National-Football-Teams.com.
  3. "Despotovski won the Ukrainian Cup". MacedonianFootball.com. 1 June 2009.
  4. "UEFA Europa League 2010 - Benfica-Vorskla". UEFA.com. 20 August 2009.
  5. "UEFA Europa League 2010 - Vorskla-Benfica". UEFA.com. 27 August 2009.
  6. Деспотовски продолжит карьеру в бакинском "Интере". ua-football.com/ (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 26 November 2013.
  7. "Macedonia held by Norway". MacedonianFootball.com. 7 June 2009.
  8. "Macedonia beat Iceland". MacedonianFootball.com. 10 June 2009.
  9. "Scotland 2-0 Macedonia". BBC.com. 5 September 2009.
  10. "Euro 2012 Qual's". MacedonianFootball.com.
  11. "Macedonia - Spain 2:3". MacedonianFootball.com. 12 August 2009.
  12. "MKD-QAT match report". MacedonianFootball.com. 11 October 2009.
  13. "Macedonia - Canada 3:0". MacedonianFootball.com. 14 November 2009.
  14. "MKD - MNE match report". MacedonianFootball.com. 3 March 2010.
  15. "Macedonia - Azerbaijan 3:1". MacedonianFootball.com. 29 May 2010.
  16. "ROU - MKD match report". MacedonianFootball.com. 3 June 2010.
  17. "MLT - MKD match report". MacedonianFootball.com. 11 August 2010.
  18. "MKD - CMR match report". MacedonianFootball.com. 10 February 2011.
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