He started his playing career with Borac Čačak before joining Serbian Red Star Belgrade and then FK Vojvodina.
He won the Golden Boot Award after scoring 21 goals in the 2005 Chinese Super League season for Beijing Guoan.
Branko Jelić scored twice in a 2–0 win for FC Energie Cottbus against Bayern Munich on 15 March 2008.
[4] Jelić joined Australian A-League side Perth Glory for the 2009/10 season.
[6] In June 2011, he was released from the final year of his contract having played 33 times for the Glory.