Dejan Savićević facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dejan Savićević
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Дејан Савићевић
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Savićević in 2007
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| President of the Football Association of Montenegro (FSCG) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 7 July 2001 |
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| Preceded by | Office established | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | 15 September 1966 Titograd, SR Montenegro, Yugoslavia |
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| Political party | Independent DPS (affiliated) |
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Association football career
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Dejan Savićević (born 15 September 1966) is a famous Montenegrin former footballer. He played as an attacking midfielder, a player who helps both attack and defense. People thought he was one of the best players in the world in the 1990s. Many also consider him one of the greatest Yugoslav footballers ever. When he played for AC Milan, Italian sports reporters called him Il Genio, which means "The Genius".
Savićević started his career with his hometown team, Budućnost, in Yugoslavia. Later, he joined Red Star Belgrade in 1988. He was a key player when they won the 1990–91 European Cup. He even came in second for the 1991 Ballon d'Or award that year. In 1992, he moved to the Italian champions AC Milan. With Milan, he won three Serie A titles and the 1993–94 UEFA Champions League, among other awards. He briefly returned to Red Star in 1999 before finishing his playing career with SK Rapid Wien in 2001.
He played for Yugoslavia in the 1990 and 1998 FIFA World Cups. After he stopped playing, he coached the Serbia and Montenegro national team from 2001 to 2003. Since 2001, he has been the president of the Montenegrin Football Association (FSCG). He is currently in his fifth term in this role.
Contents
Early Life and Youth Football
Dejan Savićević grew up in Titograd, which is now called Podgorica. From a young age, he loved playing street football with his friends. They played on outdoor fields near his home.
Starting in Organized Football
When he was 13, in 1979, Savićević tried playing organized football for the first time. He joined the youth system of Budućnost. However, after only three months, he left the team because he was not chosen for a tournament. He went back to playing street football.
His street football skills soon became more serious. He started playing in outdoor futsal tournaments. Futsal is a smaller version of football, played with five players on each side. Savićević played for a team called Tehnohemija. He was very good at controlling the ball and had great technical skills, even playing against older men.
In 1981, when he was almost 15, Savićević joined the youth teams of OFK Titograd. This was considered a bit late to start professional football. He continued to play street football while training with OFK Titograd.
In January 1983, at 16, Savićević joined OFK Titograd's main team. He played in a friendly tournament where he caught the eye of Budućnost's coach, Milutin Folić. Even though he was sick, Savićević wanted to play. By February 1983, he moved to the bigger club, Budućnost.
Club Career
Budućnost
Savićević played for Budućnost's youth team from 1983 to 1984. During this time, he also played nine games for the main team. The club gave him a special agreement, but it was not a full professional contract yet. He also played for Yugoslavia's national under-20 team.
On 5 October 1983, when he was 17, Savićević started his first full game for Budućnost. He scored a goal against Red Star Belgrade, helping his team win 1-0. This was his first goal in the top league.
Becoming a Regular Player
In the summer of 1984, Savićević became a full member of the Budućnost team. He played in 29 league games and scored six goals. He quickly became known as the club's best young talent.
Signing a Professional Contract
In the summer of 1985, Savićević wanted a professional contract. He even visited Red Star Belgrade to see if he could join them. However, he needed Budućnost's permission, which they were unlikely to give. Red Star was not interested enough to pay for his transfer at that time.
Savićević then accepted a four-year professional contract with Budućnost. In the 1985–86 season, he scored 10 goals in 32 league matches. Despite his good performance, he sometimes had disagreements with the club's management.
Success Under New Coach
Before the 1986–87 season, Milan Živadinović became the new coach. The team started very well, staying near the top of the league. They even beat Red Star Belgrade and Hajduk Split away from home. By December 1986, Budućnost was in fourth place.
Savićević became the team's most important player. His great play led to him being called up for the national team in October 1986. He was also voted the league's "breakthrough player of the season."
Red Star Belgrade
On 20 June 1988, Savićević signed with Red Star Belgrade, the Yugoslav league champions. Another talented player, Darko Pančev, also joined the team. They joined a strong squad that included Dragan Stojković and Robert Prosinečki.
Serving in the Army
Soon after joining Red Star, Savićević had to serve his mandatory time in the Yugoslav People's Army. This meant he missed the entire 1988–89 league season. However, he was allowed to play in Red Star's European games and national team matches.
He made his debut for Red Star in October 1988 in a European Cup game. He scored his first goal for the club in a 3-0 win. A few weeks later, he played against AC Milan in the European Cup. He scored a goal in one of the matches, but Red Star eventually lost on penalties.
Winning Trophies
Savićević's first full season with Red Star was 1989–90. He helped Red Star win three league titles in a row: 1989–90, 1990–91, and 1991–92. They also won two national Cups in 1990 and 1992.
His biggest achievements with Red Star were winning the European Cup and the Intercontinental Cup in 1991. After Red Star's European success in 1991, Savićević was voted second for the European Footballer of the Year award. He was also named the best Yugoslav athlete by Sport newspaper.
AC Milan
In 1992, AC Milan signed Savićević. He joined a team full of stars like Jean-Pierre Papin and Gianluigi Lentini. His first game for Milan was in the Coppa Italia, where he scored two goals. He made his Serie A debut on 13 September 1992.
Challenges and Success
Savićević's first season with Milan was a bit difficult. He didn't play as much as he wanted under coach Fabio Capello. Milan had many talented foreign players, and only three could play in European matches. Savićević often felt frustrated, but he still helped Milan win the league title.
His most famous moment came in the 1994 UEFA Champions League Final. Milan played against Barcelona in Athens. Savićević had an amazing game. He helped set up the first goal and then scored a spectacular goal himself from far away. Milan won 4-0, and his performance earned him the nickname "The Genius."
In the 1994–95 season, Savićević continued to play well, despite some injuries. He scored nine league goals, his best scoring season in Italy. He also helped Milan reach the Champions League final again, but they lost.
In the 1995–96 season, Milan won the league title again. Savićević played in 23 league games and scored six goals. He showed off his amazing technical skills and ball control many times.
His last seasons at Milan were less successful. He left Milan in the summer of 1998. In total, he won seven trophies with Milan, including three league titles, one Champions League, and one European Super Cup. He played 144 games and scored 34 goals for the club.
Return to Red Star
In January 1999, Savićević returned to Red Star Belgrade. He was 32 years old. He was immediately made the team captain. He played well in a big game against Partizan on 20 March 1999. However, the league season was stopped shortly after due to the NATO attacks on Yugoslavia. He played only three league games in his second time with Red Star.
Rapid Wien
Savićević played his last two seasons with the Austrian team SK Rapid Wien. He retired from playing football in 2001 because of ongoing injury problems.
International Career
Savićević played for his national team for 13 years. His career was split into two parts: first for SFR Yugoslavia and then for FR Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro).
Early National Team Days
Savićević made his national team debut on 29 October 1986 against Turkey. He scored a goal in a 4-0 win. However, he didn't always get to play much under coach Ivica Osim. Savićević sometimes openly criticized the coach in the media.
1990 World Cup Qualifying
In October 1988, Savićević played a big role in a World Cup qualifier against France. He came on as a substitute and helped Yugoslavia come back to win 3-2. A month later, he scored three goals in a 4-0 win against Cyprus. Yugoslavia qualified for the 1990 World Cup.
1990 World Cup
At the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy, Savićević played in some matches. He started against West Germany, but Yugoslavia lost. He came on as a substitute in the knockout stage against Spain and played well, helping Yugoslavia win in extra time. In the quarter-finals against Argentina, he also came on as a substitute. He had a great chance to score but missed. Yugoslavia lost to Argentina on penalties.
Euro 92 and UN Embargo
Savićević was chosen for the UEFA Euro 1992 tournament. However, Yugoslavia was not allowed to play due to the UN embargo. This meant he missed two and a half years of national team football. He couldn't play in competitive matches from when he was 25 until he was almost 30.
1998 World Cup
Savićević was part of Yugoslavia's team for the 1998 FIFA World Cup. He played in two games: one against the United States and another against the Netherlands. He missed UEFA Euro 2000 due to an injury.
Player Profile
Playing Style
Many people believe Savićević is the best footballer Montenegro has ever had. He was a classic "number 10" player, meaning he liked to play freely and create chances. He usually played as an attacking midfielder, either in the middle or on the wings. He was very fast, skillful, and good at dribbling. He could easily get past other players.
Savićević was also known for his great vision and accurate passes, which helped him set up many goals for his teammates. He could also score goals himself with powerful and accurate shots. His talent and exciting play at Milan earned him the nickname "Il Genio" (The Genius).
While he was praised for his skills and creativity, some people criticized him for not always working hard enough or being consistent. He also had a strong personality, which sometimes led to arguments with his coaches. He also had many injuries during his career.
What People Said About Him
Savićević is seen as one of the greatest Yugoslav footballers of all time. Fabio Capello, his coach at Milan, said Savićević was "an exceptional talent" and that they "turned him into a superstar." Capello also said that Savićević was "one of the best players overall that I have ever coached."
Ivica Osim, his coach for the Yugoslav national team, said Savićević was "one of the best players I ever coached." Vladimir Cvetković, Red Star Belgrade's general secretary, called him "a genius" and compared his moves to what Lionel Messi does today, but with "even more flair and style."
Many experts also consider Savićević to be one of the greatest dribblers ever.
Coaching Career
After he stopped playing, Savićević became the head coach of the FR Yugoslavia national team in May 2001. He was 34 years old and had no coaching experience.
2002 World Cup Qualifying
At first, Savićević was part of a three-person coaching team. He was the only one on the sidelines during games. His first match as coach was a 1-1 draw against Russia. The team later won against Switzerland, which was their best game under him. However, they failed to qualify for the 2002 World Cup after drawing with Slovenia.
In December 2001, Savićević became the only head coach. He stayed in the job until June 2003.
Euro 2004 Qualifying
Savićević started the UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying campaign in October 2002 with a 1-1 draw against Italy. During his time as coach, he had some disagreements with players. He resigned on 20 June 2003, after a 1-2 loss to Azerbaijan. This was the team's fifth loss in a row. His coaching record was 4 wins, 11 losses, and 2 draws.
Administrative Career
In the summer of 2004, Savićević became the president of the Football Association of Montenegro (FSCG). He has been re-elected several times, most recently on 5 July 2017, for his fifth term.
As FSCG president, Savićević has overseen many national team qualifying campaigns. However, Montenegro has not yet qualified for a FIFA World Cup or UEFA Euro tournament. Their best result was reaching the play-offs for Euro 2012, where they lost to the Czech Republic.
Personal Life
Savićević married Valentina "Vanja" Brajović in the late 1980s. They had a son, Vladimir, born in 1989, and a daughter, Tamara, born in 1992. They divorced in 2000.
His son, Vladimir Savićević, also became a footballer and played for Montenegro's U19 team. In November 2019, Savićević's daughter Tamara married footballer Aleksandar Kapisoda.
Images for kids
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Savićević's number 10 Milan jersey (next to Paolo Maldini’s number 3 jersey) in the San Siro museum
See also
In Spanish: Dejan Savićević para niños
