Serbian vice-captain Aleksandar Mitrovic can be a nightmare to defend. At 28 years old, he is already Serbia's record goal scorer. He is extremely physical and animated, once being described as a man who could start a fight in an empty room.
Mitrovic's size and aggression allows him to bully smaller defenders and press ball-players. He's also able to effectively contribute in defense when his side sits deep against pressure. He ranks in the top five percent of Premier League forwards when it comes to tackles and touches in the defensive third. He uses his size, strength and leaping ability to make himself a dominant force in the air, ranking in the top five percent in aerial duels won and aerial duel success rate.
Mitrovic scored eight times in eight qualification games for Serbia, and scored six times in his five UEFA Nations League appearances. However, there was a time where his ability was questioned against the world's top competition. He scored 26 goals for Fulham in the Championship in the 2019-20 season as the league's joint top-scorer, but managed only three in the next season after their promotion to the Premier League. When they were relegated again, he broke the Championship scoring record with a staggering 43 goals. He seems to have silenced the top-flight critics after his excellent start to the season for Fulham. His eight Premier League goals at the time of writing is bettered only by Harry Kane and Erling Haaland.
Having proven that he can perform in top competitions for his club, Mitrovic will hope that Qatar provides him with a platform to showcase his abilities on the biggest international stage.
