Stefan Mugoša

Stefan Mugoša
Mugoša with Montenegro in 2019
Personal information
Full name Stefan Mugoša
Date of birth (1992-02-26) 26 February 1992 (age 34)
Place of birth Titograd, SR Montenegro, Yugoslavia
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position Striker
Team information
Current team
 Incheon United
Number 9
Youth career
Budućnost
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2009–2013 Budućnost 74 (16)
2013–2014 Mladost 29 (15)
2014–2015 1. FC Kaiserslautern 2 (0)
2015 → Erzgebirge Aue (loan) 15 (4)
2015–2017 1860 Munich 30 (0)
2017 → Karlsruher SC (loan) 12 (2)
2017 Sheriff Tiraspol 13 (7)
2018–2022 Incheon United 129 (68)
2022–2023 Vissel Kobe 6 (0)
2023– Incheon United 81 (38)
International career‡
2009–2011 Montenegro U19 7 (3)
2012–2014 Montenegro U21 9 (5)
2015– Montenegro 64 (15)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 2 November 2025
‡ National team caps and goals as of 5 September 2025

Stefan Mugoša (Montenegrin Cyrillic: Стефан Мугоша; born 26 February 1992) is a Montenegrin professional footballer who plays as a striker for K League 2 club Incheon United and for the Montenegro national team.

Club career

Early career

At 22 years of age, Mugoša was the top goalscorer at the 2013–14 Montenegrin First League, scoring 15 goals in 29 league appearances. As a result of his performance, foreign clubs started to show interest in him.

On 3 July 2014, Mugoša joined German 2. Bundesliga club 1. FC Kaiserslautern signing a three-year contract.[1] On 27 January 2015, after only two games (one each at the league and cup), he was loaned to Erzgebirge Aue for the rest of the season. Aue were not granted a purchase option.[2] He scored four goals at Aue, but the club was relegated to 3. Liga at the end of the season.

On 15 August 2015, Mugoša signed a three-year contract with 2. Bundesliga competitor 1860 Munich.[3] On 27 November, he scored his first goal for 1860 Munich in a 2–1 win against Mainz 05 at the 2015–16 DFB-Pokal.[4] On 31 January 2017, after playing for 1860 Munich for one and a half years, he was loaned to Karlsruher SC until the end of the 2016–17 season.[5] He scored 6 goals in 59 appearances including 28 starts for three 2. Bundesliga seasons.[6]

On 28 June 2017, Mugoša joined Moldovan club Sheriff Tiraspol.[7] He helped Sheriff win the 2017 Moldovan National Division, and participated at the 2017–18 UEFA Europa League group stage.[8]

Incheon United

After leaving Europe, Mugoša joined K League 1 side Incheon United on 8 February 2018.[9] He quickly made an impression in South Korea, being compared to Dejan Damjanović, his compatriot and one of the greatest K League players of all time, in his first season at Incheon.[10] He extended his contract with Incheon to 2021 after the season.[11]

On 1 September 2019, Mugoša scored his first hat-trick for Incheon in a 3–3 draw with Ulsan Hyundai.[12] He was selected as Montenegrin Footballer of the Year for 2019 by captains and managers of Montenegrin First League clubs after scoring double-digit goals for the second consecutive season at the K League 1 as well as showing effort at the national team.[13]

On 6 September 2020, Mugoša scored his second K League 1 hat-trick in a 3–2 win over Gangwon FC.[14] On 24 December, he agreed a contract extension to 2023.[15]

On 23 July 2021, Mugoša simultaneously reached 100 appearances and 50 goals at the K League 1 by scoring two goals in a 2–1 win over Suwon Samsung Bluewings.[16] In 2022, Mugoša scored in six consecutive K League 1 matches between the fifth and tenth matchdays.[17]

Vissel Kobe

In June 2022, Mugoša had been offered an annual salary of $2 million, more than double the $0.9 million at Incheon, by J1 League club Vissel Kobe,[18] and signed for them on 30 June.[19] However, Kobe manager Miguel Ángel Lotina, who wanted him, was sacked just after his transfer, and new manager Takayuki Yoshida did not prefer him. He made twelve appearances including five starts without a goal for one year at Kobe.[20]

Return to Incheon United

On 10 July 2023, Mugoša returned to Incheon United one year after his farewell. Mugoša renounced his residual salary at Kobe to leave them, and looked forward to returning to Incheon by refusing other Asian clubs' offers.[21]

On 24 November 2024, Mugoša changed his role to a goalkeeper in the middle of the last league match against Daegu FC. Incheon goalkeeper Lee Bum-soo suffered a fracture and the club already put all five substitutes into the field at the time. Mugoša became the second foreign player to play as a goalkeeper at the K League and the first foreign player to do so at the K League 1 after the K League started to prohibit clubs from recruiting foreign goalkeepers in 1999. He conceded one goal, but succeed to defend Incheon's lead, which ended in a 3–1 win. After the match, he became the top goalscorer at the 2024 K League 1, but the club was relegated to the K League 2 despite his contribution.[22]

On 25 May 2025, Mugoša scored two penalty goals in a 2–0 win over Jeonnam Dragons, reaching 100 goals at Incheon.[23] He also scored the most goals at the K League 2, promoting Incheon to the K League 1 just a year after their relegation.[24]

International career

In August 2012, Mugoša participated in the Valeri Lobanovsky Memorial Tournament, where his team lost in the final to Slovakia on penalties and took silver medals.[25]

On 8 June 2015, Mugoša made his senior debut for Montenegro in a friendly against Denmark.[26] On 26 March 2017, he scored his first senior international goal in a FIFA World Cup qualifier against Poland, which ended in a 2–1 loss.[27]

On 14 July 2022, Mugoša scored a hat-trick in a UEFA Nations League B match against Romania, leading Montenegro's 3–0 win.[27]

Personal life

Mugoša is one of the most popular footballers for South Korean drivers due to his name similar to Korean word "Musago" (무사고), which means "no accident". His name is frequently used in word play. South Koreans say "pray for Mugosa" (무고사 기원) whenever they buy a new car.[28]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 2 November 2025[29][30]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Budućnost 2009–10 1. CFL 7 0 0 0 — 7 0
2010–11 1. CFL 19 7 1 0 1[b] 0 21 7
2011–12 1. CFL 19 2 0 0 1[b] 0 20 2
2012–13 1. CFL 29 7 4 0 1[c] 0 34 7
Total 74 16 5 0 3 0 82 16
Mladost 2013–14 1. CFL 29 15 4 1 — 33 16
1. FC Kaiserslautern 2014–15 2. Bundesliga 1 0 1 0 — 2 0
2015–16 2. Bundesliga 1 0 0 0 — 1 0
Total 2 0 1 0 — 3 0
Erzgebirge Aue (loan) 2014–15 2. Bundesliga 15 4 — — 15 4
1860 Munich 2015–16 2. Bundesliga 20 0 2 1 — 22 1
2016–17 2. Bundesliga 10 0 1 0 — 11 0
Total 30 0 3 1 — 33 1
Karlsruher SC (loan) 2016–17 2. Bundesliga 12 2 — — 12 2
Sheriff Tiraspol 2017 Divizia Națională 13 7 — 8[d] 0 21 7
Incheon United 2018 K League 1 35 19 0 0 — 35 19
2019 K League 1 32 14 0 0 — 32 14
2020 K League 1 24 12 0 0 — 24 12
2021 K League 1 20 9 0 0 — 20 9
2022 K League 1 18 14 0 0 — 18 14
Total 129 68 0 0 — 129 68
Vissel Kobe 2022 J1 League 5 0 2 0 1[e] 0 8 0
2023 J1 League 1 0 3 0 — 4 0
Total 6 0 5 0 1 0 12 0
Incheon United 2023 K League 1 9 3 1 0 5[e] 2 15 5
2024 K League 1 38 15 1 0 — 39 15
2025 K League 2 34 20 0 0 — 34 20
Total 81 38 2 0 5 2 88 40
Career total 391 150 20 2 17 2 428 154
  1. ^ Includes Montenegrin Cup, DFB-Pokal, Korea Cup, Emperor's Cup
  2. ^ a b Appearance in UEFA Europa League
  3. ^ Appearance in UEFA Champions League
  4. ^ Four appearances in UEFA Champions League, four appearances in UEFA Europa League
  5. ^ a b Appearance(s) in AFC Champions League

International

Scores and results list Montenegro's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Mugoša goal.[31]
List of international goals scored by Stefan Mugoša
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 26 March 2017 Podgorica City Stadium, Podgorica, Montenegro  Poland 1–1 1–2 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
2 8 October 2017 National Stadium, Warsaw, Poland  Poland 1–2 2–4 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
3 27 March 2018 Podgorica City Stadium, Podgorica, Montenegro  Turkey 2–2 2–2 Friendly
4 14 October 2018 LFF Stadium, Vilnius, Lithuania  Lithuania 1–0 4–1 2018–19 UEFA Nations League C
5 3–0
6 17 November 2018 Red Star Stadium, Belgrade, Serbia  Serbia 1–2 1–2 2018–19 UEFA Nations League C
7 22 March 2019 Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia, Bulgaria  Bulgaria 1–0 1–1 UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying
8 7 June 2019 Podgorica City Stadium, Podgorica, Montenegro  Kosovo 1–1 1–1 UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying
9 5 September 2019 Podgorica City Stadium, Podgorica, Montenegro  Hungary 2–1 2–1 Friendly
10 19 November 2019 Podgorica City Stadium, Podgorica, Montenegro  Belarus 1–0 2–0 Friendly
11 17 November 2020 Podgorica City Stadium, Podgorica, Montenegro  Cyprus 4–0 4–0 2020–21 UEFA Nations League C
12 4 June 2022 Podgorica City Stadium, Podgorica, Montenegro  Romania 1–0 2–0 2022–23 UEFA Nations League B
13 14 June 2022 Stadionul Rapid-Giulești, Bucharest, Romania  Romania
1–0
 3–0 2022–23 UEFA Nations League B
14
2–0
15
3–0

Honours

Budućnost

Sheriff Tiraspol

Incheon United

Individual

References

  1. ^ "Stefan Mugoša wird ein Roter Teufel" [Stefan Mugoša becomes a Red Devil] (in German). 1. FC Kaiserslautern. 3 July 2014. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
  2. ^ "Stefan Mugosa auf Leihbasis zu Erzgebirge Aue" [Stefan Mugosa on loan to Erzgebirge Aue] (in German). 1. FC Kaiserslautern. 27 January 2015. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  3. ^ "Vom Betze zu den Löwen: Stefan Mugosa" [From the Betze to the lions: Stefan Mugosa] (in German). TSV 1860 Munich. 15 August 2015. Archived from the original on 18 August 2015. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
  4. ^ "Mainz vs. TSV 1860 Munich - Football Match Summary - October 27, 2015". ESPN.
  5. ^ "Stefan Mugosa wechselt in den Wildpark" (in German). Karlsruher SC. 31 January 2017. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
  6. ^ "Stefan Mugoša » Club matches » 2. Bundesliga". WorldFootball. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
  7. ^ "Welcome, Stefan". FC Sheriff Tiraspol. 29 June 2017. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
  8. ^ "Stefan Mugoša 2017-2018 Europa League Match Logs". FBref. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
  9. ^ [인천] 인천UTD, 몬테네그로 국가대표 공격수 무고사 영입 (in Korean). K League. 9 February 2018. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
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  11. ^ Janičić, Svetozar (16 January 2019). "Mugoša produžio ugovor sa Inčonom" (in Serbian). Sportklub. Retrieved 2 September 2019.
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  14. ^ 강원전 해트트릭 인천 무고사, K리그1 19R MVP 선정 (in Korean). Kyeonggi Ilbo. 9 September 2020. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  15. ^ 인천, 무고사와 2023년까지 재계약...팀 내 최고 대우 [공식발표]. The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). Osen. 24 December 2020. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
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  20. ^ '日 생활' 지우고 싶은 무고사 "이니에스타+보얀도 못 뛰던 고베, 빨리 떠나고 싶었다" [현장인터뷰] (in Korean). Xportsnews. 7 August 2023. Retrieved 8 November 2025.
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  39. ^ 조현우가 울먹였다! 16년만 골키퍼 MVP…감독상·영플은 ‘강원 동화 주역’ 윤정환·양민혁 품으로 [K리그 대상 종합]. Naver (in Korean). Sports Seoul. 29 November 2024. Retrieved 29 November 2024.
allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stefan_Mugo%C5%A1a