Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid CF runs with the ball whilst under pressure from Bojan Miovski of Girona FC (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
From playing futsal for fun at 16 in his hometown of Shtip and attending a Champions League final as a Real Madrid supporter, Bojan Miovski could not have imagined — even in his wildest dreams — playing in the Champions League and becoming the leading striker of the Macedonian national team. But Girona’s No. 19 made quite a few dreams come true this season, despite enduring a difficult debut campaign in La Liga.
“A lot of my dreams came true this season, although not in the way I hoped or expected because I missed a penalty on my Champions League debut," Miovski said in an exclusive interview with RG. "But that only fuels my motivation, as I have overcome much worse situations in my career. Playing in the Champions League and in Europe’s top five leagues is every player’s ultimate goal, and back when I was only 16 years old, I was playing futsal friendlies with my friends… And if someone told me back then that 10 years later, I would play in the Champions League and La Liga, honestly, I would not believe it. But hard work always pays off.”
After scoring 44 goals in 98 appearances, the Macedonian became Aberdeen’s club-record sale upon leaving for Girona last summer, but the soon-to-be 26-year-old could not hit the ground running immediately in Spain’s top tier. The Catalonia-based club began the campaign by playing in the Champions League but finished the season in 16th place in the standings, just a point off the relegation zone in La Liga. Off the back of a life-changing year during which he made a big move and became a husband as well as a father, Miovski discussed the importance of a preseason, choosing a project over money, his disappointing debut season with Girona, and his time at Aberdeen.
A Year of Change and Challenge in Girona
One of the main factors behind Miovski’s slow start at Girona was missing out on a full preseason as the negotiations about his future dragged on longer than anticipated:
“I was unsure about where I would continue my career, although I knew that I was definitely going to leave. I started preseason with Aberdeen, but I did not feature in the preparation matches as nobody wanted me to get injured at the time.
Honestly, I did not expect the negotiations to drag on as much as they did, and it affected me physically, as I was not ready to play immediately, and my transfer was completed ahead of La Liga’s Round 2. Additionally, September’s international break commenced afterward, and I did not have any time to settle and get adjusted with my new teammates in training, which made the adaptation much more difficult than it could have been.”
After being named in the PFA Scotland’s Premiership Team of the Year for the 2023-24 season, Aberdeen’s No. 9 became one of the most sought-after forwards and attracted widespread interest from all over Europe, with Celtic being one of the most interested clubs in signing him. But Miovski decided to join Girona, a club playing in Europe’s top five leagues.
“As a footballer, I always pick my clubs based on my style of play, and Girona was the best option for me last summer," Miovski said. "Important to note, it was not the best financial offer that I got, but as a player, my priority is to develop my game and be at a club where I will play regularly. Girona played attacking football last season, and as a striker, I thought that I should join a team that created at least six or seven clear chances for the striker to score. But unfortunately, that was not the case this season, and it was the complete opposite compared to last. We had a lot of issues like injuries, and we played too slowly, we were not dangerous enough, nor did we make a lot of crosses, which made life difficult for us, the forwards. That is why I consider this season a failure from a collective point of view. Although we earned safety, we could have done much more with this squad. But in football, all of the pieces need to fall into place for the team to play well, and this season was unsuccessful for us.”
With only four goals scored across 22 appearances in all competitions this season, it is Miovski’s lowest tally in both goals scored and appearances made since 2019-20. But the Macedonian international shrugs off any confidence or quality concerns, which were raised by the Spanish media, and says:
Only 20 minutes played for Miovski between the March international break and the end of the season surprised many, including himself. When asked whether someone had spoken to him about his limited playing time, he answered.
“No, and I expected to play more, to be honest," Miovski said. "I was in a good place coming off the March international break after scoring a couple of goals and noting an assist for the Macedonian national team, and I was really confident and I wanted to translate my form at my club as well. Unfortunately, I missed the match against Barcelona due to a minor injury, but I was available up until the final couple of matches of the season. I expected to play much more than 20 minutes, as I wanted to help the club. But everyone is responsible for his own decisions, and it was the coach’s decision. I simply gave my all in training, but it is the coach (Míchel) who decides who will play, although I have a good relationship with him.”
Becoming a Fan Favorite at Aberdeen
Miovski’s eyes lit up once Aberdeen is mentioned, as the Macedonian spent a couple of seasons wearing the famous No. 9 shirt and evolved into a fan favorite at Pittodrie. At the same time, the ambidextrous player established himself as a starter in the Macedonian national team due to his excellent performances in the Scottish Premiership. Now, the Shtip-born striker is spearheading Macedonia’s attack in the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers with eight goals scored and 33 caps to his name.
“Aberdeen left a big mark on my career, and I miss a lot of those moments.
Also, my desire to wear the shirt and my ambition to always score a goal and secure a win played a key role in me becoming so loved at the club and building up such a strong connection with the supporters. Their fans are unbelievable, and I still receive a lot of messages from them to this day, which makes me very happy,” admitted Miovski.
The Dons won the Scottish Cup for the first time since 1990. Although Miovski watched the final and celebrated the victory as well, the former Don cannot help but feel regretful for not being able to make the fans happy by lifting a trophy during his time in Scotland.
“Every player wants to win trophies, and for me, personally, I regret the fact that I did not manage to lift a trophy during my two years with Aberdeen. But I am really glad that they won the Scottish Cup now, and I am especially happy for my former teammates who played with me in the Scottish League Cup final back in 2023-24 that we lost. This is what football is all about — winning trophies,” confessed Miovski.
However, the Red Army’s fan favorite leaves the door open for a potential comeback one day, with the sole aim of trying to add a trophy to the club’s illustrious cabinet and write his name in golden letters in Aberdeen’s history.
With the summer transfer window opening soon across Europe, the rumors about Bojan Miovski’s future are in full swing after an underwhelming debut campaign with Girona. But the 33-cap Macedonian international is focused only on improving next season, although only time will tell if the striker will continue to play at Estadi Montilivi or move elsewhere.
“My primary goal is to score as many goals as possible next season and help my team (Girona) achieve its targets. I signed a long-term deal last year, but I cannot predict what will happen over the summer. Although the club considers me a project to develop and I have three years left on my contract, everything is open, and whether I will leave or stay depends on the club,” said Miovski.
Filip Mishov
