Former Omonia soccer player Stefan Jovetić gave a wide-ranging interview to the Italian website “Corriere della Sera.”

Among his comments, his statement that life in Cyprus is ideal for him and his family stands out, confirming that his priority is to find another team on the island.

The full interview

Stefan, what is life like in Cyprus?

“It’s the ideal place for me and my family at this stage of my career. I needed more peace and quiet and to play soccer so I could enjoy it.”

You’ve traveled a lot. Let’s start from the beginning. What was your childhood dream?

“To play in Serie A, which in the ’90s was the best league in the world.”

As a child, you also experienced the war:

“I remember the bombings. Those are experiences that stay with you. I was just a kid, but they forced me to grow up very quickly.”

Returning to soccer, in 2007 Europe began to take notice of you:

“There were several teams interested in me: Juventus, Real Madrid, and Manchester United.”

But you chose Fiorentina, where you excelled:

“It was the best choice. I was young; I needed to play and gain experience. It was the right step for my development. I had some wonderful moments at Fiorentina. We even got to compete against the big teams and play in the Champions League.”

It was also at Fiorentina that I suffered my first serious injury:

“It was very difficult. I was a 20-year-old going through the best period of my life. The cruciate ligament injury sidelined me for a whole year. Ten days before I got injured, my agent had told me about offers from Inter and Real Madrid, but I didn’t feel ready yet. Then I tore my ligament.”

Your departure from Fiorentina came later and wasn’t without controversy:

“They twisted the words of an interview I gave. I still remember the headline: ‘Goodbye, Florence, I’m off to Juventus.’ I had never said those words. It’s true that I could have gone to Turin. It would have been easier for me, too. But I had too much respect for the Fiorentina jersey.”

And you went to Manchester City, but you didn’t live up to expectations. What went wrong?

“It wasn’t easy to adjust. It was a new league. I had to deal with quite a few injuries. On a team full of champions, if you’re sidelined by injuries, it’s hard to find consistency. But when I was playing, I performed well.”

Then came Inter:

“Mancini had wanted me ever since my time at City. I got off to a very strong start in Milan. I think it was a positive year for me.”

But for the club, those weren’t easy years:

“The previous season, the team had finished ninth. That year, we finished fourth, and we were in first place until January. The problem was off the field. We had three different presidents in the span of a year. It was hard to maintain stability.”

You found that stability in Seville. Even so, you weren’t signed through a regular transfer:

“In six months, I scored seven goals. I wanted to stay there and did everything I could to make it happen. I was willing to take a pay cut, but Sevilla couldn’t afford the 13 million euros that Inter was asking for. I returned to Milan and went through summer training with Spalletti. I worked extremely hard and believed I would find a spot on the team. But things turned out differently.”

Tell us more about that:

“The matches began. I was on the bench for the first one, and for the second and third as well. I spoke with him. At that moment, he needed a player with different characteristics than mine. He told me he might change his mind, but it would take time. He asked me to wait, but I didn’t have time to waste. I deserved to play.”

Then came Monaco, Hertha Berlin, and Olympiacos. In Greece, you won the Conference League:

“It was an incredible feeling—my first European title. It came late, but with a unique club. And I won it in front of my three children. It was the most beautiful achievement of my career.”

You dedicated the victory to your father:

“It’s been seven years since he passed away. We had a wonderful relationship. Even though so much time has passed, the sadness and pain remain. I owe him a lot. Maybe if I’d been closer to him, things would have turned out differently. It’s a great source of regret for me.”

You’ve also thanked your wife many times. How important was she?

“Crucial. Only she knows what I’ve been through. She was by my side during the most difficult moments of my life: my father’s death and Montenegro’s failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. We were so close to making my dream come true. Then came the last two games. I got injured, and we lost both of them. It was the biggest athletic disappointment of my life. But I want to lead my country to either the World Cup or the European Championship. That’s why I keep playing.”

Speaking of the World Cup, who do you think will win it?

“Spain or France.”

And speaking of dreams, would you like to return to Fiorentina?

“Yes, it would be a beautiful chapter in my story. But no one has ever called me back.”

Looking back, are you satisfied with your career?

“Yes. I know how far I could have gone without the injuries. I had quite a few, two of them very serious. Mentally, it wasn’t easy, because when you get injured, it affects your mind too. But now, when I think about my journey, I see a great personal victory: I always came back; I always stood tall despite the difficulties. I was a fighter. I could have quit years ago, but I’m still here.”

Do you have any regrets?

“I gave a lot to soccer—maybe everything. And maybe I missed out on a lot of experiences. I didn’t give myself the chance to live life to the fullest. I was constantly thinking about soccer. I don’t know how good that was for me mentally. My wife helped me a lot with that. Thanks to her, I started to enjoy life more. She made Stefan a more mature and self-aware person.”