In Rome, where Mile Svilar has become one of Serie A’s most dependable figures between the posts, the 27-year-old has collected a second straight award as the division’s best goalkeeper. Yet beyond club football, his international career has stalled in an unusual space between Belgium, where he was raised, and Serbia, for whom he made his only senior appearance.
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Svilar has been named Serie A goalkeeper of the season for the second consecutive year, another recognition of his standing at Roma. It contrasts sharply with his absence from international squads: he has not received a national-team call-up for five years.
The complication began with his background. Born and brought up in Antwerp to a Serbian father and a Bosnian mother, Svilar represented Belgium throughout his youth career, progressing from the under-15 side through to the under-21s.
In 2021, however, he accepted an invitation to join Serbia’s senior side after encouragement from his father, Ratko Svilar, a former Serbia goalkeeper.
His Serbia debut came that September in a friendly against Qatar. Svilar replaced Predrag Rajkovic after half-time as Serbia won 4-0.
That match remains his sole senior international outing, but it also established his official registration under FIFA’s eligibility rules. Afterwards, Svilar reconsidered the choice and indicated that he wanted to play for Belgium, the country of his birth and upbringing.
As a result, Roma’s award-winning goalkeeper currently finds himself outside both national-team set-ups: tied to Serbia by his one appearance, while unable to return directly to the Belgium pathway he followed throughout his youth.
