Every squad needs a Nikola Maras at some point. Not the headline signing or the shirt seller, but the tall, right footed centre back who arrives, wins his headers and gets on with it. Since leaving Belgrade, Maras has done exactly that in Portugal and across Spain, for eight clubs in total. At 30, he has reached the part of a career where the next contract matters more than any old highlight.
His story isn't built on one famous night. It's built on staying employable at a decent level for more than ten years. That is harder than it looks.
The Numbers on Paper
| Full name | Nikola Maras |
|---|---|
| Born | December 19, 1995, Belgrade, Serbia |
| Age | 30 |
| Nationality | Serbian |
| Height and weight | 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in), about 79 kg (174 lbs) |
| Position | Centre back |
| Stronger foot | Right |
| Parent club | Deportivo Alaves (contract to June 30, 2027) |
| Most recent loan | CD Mirandes (scheduled to June 30, 2026), shirt number 19 |
| FC 26 rating | 68 overall |
| Market value (2026) | About 800,000 euros |
Rad Gave Him a Start at 17
Maras began in the youth setup at Partizan before moving to FK Rad's academy in 2010. Three years later he was in the first team. His debut came on May 26, 2013, off the bench in a 3 to 1 home win over Radnicki Nis. He was 17.
The first goal followed on August 16, 2014, in a 2 to 1 victory over Borac Cacak. Over the 2014 to 2015 Serbian SuperLiga season he turned from prospect into regular, and by the time he left after four seasons he was one of the more promising young defenders in the league. Rad is not a club that keeps talent for long. It develops it and sells it, and Maras followed that path.
Chaves: The Portuguese Detour
In August 2017 he signed a four year deal with GD Chaves. Portugal is a classic stepping stone for Balkan players: a stronger league, more scouts watching and a style that rewards defenders who can handle the ball. Two years there gave him the profile Spanish clubs wanted.
Almeria Bought What It Saw
UD Almeria took him on loan in August 2019 and liked him enough to make the move permanent in August 2020, for a reported fee of roughly 1.3 million euros. A loan that turns into a purchase is about the clearest vote of confidence a defender can get.
The 2021 to 2022 season brought his first real taste of La Liga, on loan at Rayo Vallecano. For a player who started at Rad, reaching Spain's top flight was a genuine achievement.
The Alaves Puzzle
Deportivo Alaves first brought him in on loan in 2022, then signed him permanently in 2023 for a reported 1.5 million euros, the biggest fee of his career. Here's the odd part. Since then, Alaves have mostly sent him elsewhere: Levante in 2024, Sporting Gijon for 2024 to 2025, and CD Mirandes from January 2026.
Read honestly, that pattern says Alaves value him as an asset but never settled on him as a starter. At Mirandes in the 2025 to 2026 La Liga 2 campaign, his minutes were limited too. That's not a disaster, but it is a signal that his role is shifting from automatic pick to dependable depth.
What 1.89 Metres Buys a Defender
At 1.89 m and around 79 kg, Maras is tall but fairly lean for his frame. The height is the headline. His best qualities are the ones you'd expect: heading, marking and positioning. He's a defender who reads where the cross is going rather than one who wins races over 40 metres.
His FC 26 rating of 68 overall feels about right. It describes a solid second tier starter or a useful top flight squad player, which is pretty much the career he has had.
Serbia Came Calling, Briefly
Maras represented Serbia at U20, U21 and U23 level and earned his first senior call up in 2016. He has two senior caps. Serbia have rarely been short of big central defenders, so breaking into that group was always going to be a stretch. Two caps is a modest number, but it is two more than most professionals ever get.
The Money: Estimates, Not Receipts
No official figures exist for Maras's wealth or wages, so treat everything here as an estimate. Icon Polls estimates his net worth at $3 million to $5 million, based on more than a decade of professional contracts in Serbia, Portugal and Spain plus several transfer and loan moves.
His salary has not been made public. Based on typical pay for players at his level in Spain's second division, Icon Polls estimates it falls somewhere around 300,000 to 500,000 euros a year, before bonuses and appearance fees.
His market value of about 800,000 euros, as listed by major valuation platforms, is lower than in his Almeria and Rayo days. That drop is normal for a defender entering his thirties and says more about age curves than form.
Where Things Stand After the Summer
The Mirandes loan was scheduled to end on June 30, 2026, and his Alaves contract runs until June 30, 2027. That leaves him in the final year with his parent club, the point at which clubs usually choose between a cheap sale, another loan or a mutual release. We haven't confirmed which route he has taken for 2026 to 2027, so check official club channels for his latest status.
Whatever comes next, his shirt history tells you the kind of career it has been. He wore 19 at Mirandes and, along the way, 2, 5, 12, 14, 15, 18, 25 and 31. A new dressing room, a new number, the same job.
Do you think the game undervalues reliable defenders compared with the stars up front? Have your say in our poll on the best football players of all time and see whether any defenders make your list.
Three Things People Ask
How tall is Nikola Maras?
He stands 1.89 m, which is about 6 feet 2 inches, and weighs roughly 79 kg.
Has Nikola Maras played in La Liga?
Yes. He played in Spain's top flight on loan at Rayo Vallecano during the 2021 to 2022 season.
Which clubs has he played for?
FK Rad, GD Chaves, UD Almeria, Rayo Vallecano, Deportivo Alaves, Levante, Sporting Gijon and CD Mirandes.
