Sinisa Mihajlovic dead aged 53: Inter Milan, Lazio and Yugoslavia World Cup legend passes away after long cancer battle

SERBIAN football legend Sinisa Mihajlovic has died aged 53.

The 63-cap Yugoslavia international, who was manager of Serie A side Bologna until September, had been suffering from cancer.

Mihajlovic, who was first diagnosed with Leukemia in 2019, confirmed in March that he was undergoing a fresh round of treatment.

As a player Mihajlovic represented Yugoslavia at the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000.

He spent much of his club career in Italy, playing for Inter Milan, Lazio, Roma and Sampdoria, as well as Red Star Belgrade and Vojvodina in his native Serbia.

Tributes have poured in following news of his death, with Serie A describing Mihajlovic as "an icon of football and life" in an emotional statement.

It said: "Serie A is deeply saddened by the passing of Sinisa Mihajlovic, an icon of football and life.

"His pure class as a footballer and coach, his strength and his humanity are an example that leaves an indelible mark on Italian and world football.";

Mihajlovic went into coaching after hanging up his boots, which included a year in charge of Serbia.

He also had spells with the likes of AC Milan, Fiorentina, and Torino.

In 2018 he signed a three-year deal to manage Sporting Lisbon but was sacked just after just nine days when the club changed presidents.

In 2019, while boss of Bologna, Mihajlovic announced that he had been diagnosed with an acute form of Leukemia.

He kept his role while he battled the illness, before he was sacked in September of this year.

Bologna wrote on Twitter following the news of his death: "Goodbye, Mister, you will forever be in our hearts."

While former club Lazio, who Mihajlovic spent six years playing for, wrote: "SS Lazio mourns the passing of Sinisa Mihajlovic: a great Lazio man, a warrior on the pitch and in life.

"His courage on the pitch was second only to that shown in the face of a serious illness, which never weakened him spirit and temper. 

"An indelible trace in the history of Lazio will remain of this fighter with a big heart, not only for having been Champion of Italy, but for the message of hope in the face of the difficulties that he was able to represent up to the last moment of his life.

"We will remember him as he deserves, with the infinite embrace of his team and his people. Our deepest condolences to the family."

In April emotional footage showed the moment he was paid a surprise visit by his players while undergoing treatment in hospital.

Known for his set-piece taking ability, Mihajlovic scored a free-kick for Yugoslavia against Iran at France '98.

At club level he won Serie A twice, once with Lazio and once with Inter, as well as the European Cup with Red Star Belgrade in 1991.