10 Things to Know About Mile Svilar!

Here's what you need to know about the club's newest reinforcement...

1. The basics

Mile Svilar was born in Antwerp, Belgium, on 27 August 1999. Standing at 1.89m tall, goalkeeping runs in the youngster’s blood.

His father, Ratko, was also a goalkeeper – playing for Yugoslavia on a handful of occasions in a career that saw him spend most of his time with Belgian club Antwerp (where he then enjoyed a coaching career) – hence the location of his son’s birth.

2. From the beginning

Svilar thus began his own career as an aspiring footballer in Belgium, where he also immediately started out as a goalkeeper.

As a 14-year-old he was welcomed into the Anderlecht youth system, where his performances were soon noted by the national team set-up – as he represented Belgium at youth level from Under-15 right the way through to Under-21.

But, eventually in a position to choose who he would represent at full international level, Svilar decided to follow in his father’s footsteps and declare for Serbia – making his international debut for them in August 2021.

3. A breakthrough in Portugal

Svilar never made his senior professional debut for Anderlecht, despite spending almost a decade on the club’s books. Instead he moved to Benfica in 2017, and it was with the Portuguese giants that he would finally break into the senior game.

On 14 October 2017, aged barely 18, Svilar started Benfica’s Portugal Cup match against Olhanense – a game his side would win 1-0.

4. Champions League experience

That game paved the way for the match that would really put Svilar on the radar internationally – four days later, buoyed by his performance in that cup match, Svilar was thrown into the fray as Benfica faced Manchester United in the Champions League group stage.

At 18 years and 52 days old, Svilar thus became the youngest goalkeeper ever to play in the competition – beating a record previously held by the legendary Iker Casillas.

5. Praise from Mourinho

Manchester United, on that occasion, were coached by a certain Jose Mourinho.

“To me he seems really talented,” Mourinho said after the game. “This kid is amazing, he’s a talent, he’s a superhero. Respect to Benfica for playing him straight away, at 18.”

6. A run-in with Nemanja Matic

At Roma, Svilar will link-up with occasional international teammate Nemanja Matic. The Serbian midfielder nearly scored his first goal for Manchester United against the young goalkeeper, in the return clash of that Champions League meeting. In the end Matic’s ambitious effort was deflected in by the goalkeeper in unfortunate fashion.

Mourinho nevertheless defended Svilar, saying: “Only great goalkeepers concede goals like that. I prefer my goalkeeper to concede a goal like that rather stay rooted to his line for 90 minutes.”

7. A real work ethic

Svilar’s personal trainer, Jeroen Beeusaert, has followed the goalkeeper throughout the off-season, making sure he is ready for the new campaign.

“Some footballers need to be pushed, others need to be told to slow down,” Beeusaert said.

“Mile belongs to the second category.”

8. What's in a number?

Svilar will wear the No. 99 shirt at Roma, the year of his birth. It’s the same choice another renowned goalkeeper from his age group, Gianluigi Donnarumma, made during his time at AC Milan.

Svilar will join a small group of players to have worn the No. 99 shirt – in fact, only Justin Kluivert has worn it in competitive fixtures.

Valmir Berisha and Abdullahi Nura also both had the squad number assigned to them, but neither ever played a proper contest.

9. Class of No. 99

Svilar will be the sixth player born in 1999 to play for the Roma first team.

Those to come before him, in alphabetical order: Mirco Antonucci, Zan Celar, Justin Kluivert, Luca Pellegrini and Nicolò Zaniolo.

10. Antwerp calling...

Just one other player in the history of the club was born in Antwerp like Svilar: Radja Nainggolan, who went on to make 203 appearances for the club in all competitions, scoring 33 goals.