Nikola's not a Spaniard, he's a Montenegrin … or is he? Contested belonging and national capital in elite athletes

Following an interview discussing his sense of national belonging, Nikola Mirotić made the headlines of various sport news outlets. This was not the first time either that the professional basketballer's statements and behaviour had been analysed by the media, as across his career, he has been scrutinised from a national perspective. With three different nations (Serbia, Montenegro and Spain) having a claim over his belonging, Mirotić's media coverage from these countries is analysed, using the theoretical framework of national schemas and national capital. In doing so, this article builds upon and adds to the literature of athletes’ contested belongings; whereas most case studies within the latter have covered instances with only two national claims, which are then emphasised as national and non-national from either entity's perspective, Mirotić's case demonstrates how multiple claims can be applied to a single athlete. This consequently highlights the role of hierarchies in the application of national schemas, as well as stressing the importance of context in claims to national capital.