1. Overview
Dalibor Veselinović, born on September 21, 1987, is a Serbian retired professional footballer who primarily played as a striker. He began his senior career with OFK Beograd in 2005, subsequently playing for several clubs across France, Belgium, South Korea, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, including RC Lens, Anderlecht, KV Mechelen, and Incheon United FC. Veselinović represented the Serbian national under-21 team before retiring in August 2019 at the age of 31 due to recurring injuries.
2. Birth and Background
2.1. Birth and Nationality
Dalibor Veselinović was born on September 21, 1987. He holds dual Serbian and Croatian nationalities. His name in Serbian Cyrillic is Далибор ВеселиновићSerbian.
3. Professional Career
Dalibor Veselinović's professional football career spanned over a decade, taking him through various clubs in Europe and Asia, and included appearances for his national youth team.
3.1. Club Career
Veselinović started his senior career with OFK Beograd, making his debut during the 2005-06 season. He spent three years at the club, which included a six-month loan period with FK Dinamo Vranje in the 2006-07 season.
In the summer of 2008, Veselinović signed for French Ligue 2 side RC Lens. He played four league matches for the club and scored one goal. During his time there, Lens won the Ligue 2 title for the 2008-09 season.
In the summer of 2009, Veselinović moved to Belgium, signing with Brussels. He had a highly successful season with the Brussels-based club, scoring 28 goals in 42 appearances. His impressive performances led to him signing for their cross-city rivals Anderlecht in December 2010, on a 4.5-year deal. However, he did not feature in many matches for Anderlecht and spent the following three seasons on loan with Kortrijk, Beerschot, and Waasland-Beveren. While with Anderlecht, he was part of the squad that won the 2012 Belgian Super Cup.
In June 2014, he signed a permanent contract with KV Mechelen. He became a starter at the club, making 84 appearances and scoring 16 goals. Veselinović left KV Mechelen in January 2017 after two and a half years.
Following his departure from Mechelen, he signed with Incheon United FC in January 2017, joining the K League Classic in South Korea. His K League registration name was 'Dali'. However, his performance was deemed unsatisfactory, and his contract was mutually terminated in the summer of 2017.
In January 2018, after his stint in South Korea, Veselinović joined French Ligue 2 club Gazélec Ajaccio on a free transfer, playing for half a year.
On August 24, 2018, Veselinović signed a one-year contract with Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina club HŠK Zrinjski Mostar. He left the club in May 2019 after his contract expired.
3.2. International Career
Veselinović was selected for the Serbia and Montenegro youth national team and, following Montenegro's independence, for the Serbian youth national team. He made two appearances for the Serbian national under-21 team in 2007.
4. Honours
Dalibor Veselinović earned the following team honours during his professional career:
| Club | Competition | Season |
|---|---|---|
| RC Lens | Ligue 2 | 2008-09 |
| Anderlecht | Belgian Super Cup | 2012 |
5. Retirement
In August 2019, Dalibor Veselinović announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 31. He stated that recurring injuries were the primary factor in his decision to conclude his playing career.