Milan Jovanović (footballer, born 1981)  Milan Jovanović (Serbian Cyrillic: Милан Јовановић; born 18 April 1981) is a Serbian former professional footballer who played as a winger. He began his career with FK Vojvodina and had brief spells at Shakhtar Donetsk and Lokomotiv Moscow before joining Standard Liège, where he was named Belgian Pro League player of the year in 2008 and Belgian Golden Shoe the following year. In 2010–11, he spent the season at Liverpool, returning to Belgium afterwards to spend the rest of his career at Anderlecht. Jovanović earned 44 caps for the Serbian national team from his debut in 2007, and scored 11 international goals. Coach Radomir Antić created a wing-tandem with Jovanović and Miloš Krasić which is remembered as the best wing-partnership in the modern history of the Serbian national team. He represented Serbia at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He is commonly referred to by his nickname of Lane. Son of Stamenko and Gordana, Jovanović was born and raised in Bajina Bašta before moving to Valjevo, Novi Sad, and Belgrade in pursuit of a football career. He played in the youth teams of FK Kosmos Bajina Bašta and FK Budućnost Valjevo. Jovanović came to make his debut with FK Vojvodina during the 1999–2000 season. He then played at Shakhtar Donetsk and Lokomotiv Moscow, before arriving at Standard Liège in 2006. At Standard Liège, Jovanović quickly became a fan favourite, scoring 14 goals in his first season and earning the nickname "the snake" for his fast movement. Another two highly successful seasons in Belgium followed, with Jovanović turning down a move to Spanish giants Real Madrid in 2009 because he was worried he would not play regularly. Jovanović was hugely successful in Belgium and on 13 January 2010, was named as the Jupiler League's Player of the Year. However, the year after, Standard Liege ended the season at the 8th position, with Jovanović managing to score 10 goals in his last season in Belgium. Jovanović joined English Premier League club Liverpool on 8 July 2010 on a free transfer.