 Returning head coach Slavoljub Muslin brought Žigić into Red Star's senior squad for the 2003 – 04 First League season, and gave him his debut in the starting eleven on the opening day. That first game ended in defeat, and Žigić's physical appearance – a growth spurt from the age of 16 had brought his height to 2.02 m (6 ft 7 1 ⁄ 2 in) – provoked suggestions that he might be better suited to basketball. He scored the second goal as they beat Hajduk Kula 2 – 0 in the next league match. In between, he produced a hat-trick against Nistru in the 2003 – 04 UEFA Cup qualifying round, and went on to contribute a further three goals as Red Star beat Odense 6 – 5 on aggregate in the first round. He scored twice in the 3 – 0 win in the Eternal Derby against Partizan, and celebrated by miming a basketball shot. By the mid-season break, he had 12 league goals as well as the 6 in the UEFA Cup, and was named Player of the Year for 2003, both by the captains of the First League teams voting via the Večernje novosti newspaper and by the Football Association. He finished the season as the league's top scorer, with 18, as Red Star won their 23rd title, and scored the winning goal in the cup final.
