Yugoslavia was a country of 23 million people. The name Yugoslavia translates to “South Slavs” which meant that Bosnia, Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia and Bulgaria were all eligible to be part of Yugoslavia, however, Bulgaria didn’t become a member of Yugoslavia because of the U.S.S.R.

Historically, Yugoslavia was loaded with football talents, but they had never really performed as well as they should have. They only reached two European Championship Finals in the 1960s and an Olympic Gold Medal in 1960. Their most memorable moment would be winning the U-20 World Cup in 1987.

There were some great players from Yugoslavia before the 1970s, but my dad and I haven’t watched enough of them. Yugoslavia has produced great players before 1970s included the likes of Stjepan Bobek, Branko Zebec, Vladimir Beara and Fahrudin Jusufi. Also, newer players that hadn’t hit their peak wouldn’t be taking into account many of the modern players below the age of 30.

10. Darko Pančev

Date of birth 7 September 1965 Place of birth Skopje, SFR Yugoslavia Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) Playing position Striker (classic 9)

Darko Pancev with the Golden Boot



Years Team Apps Goal(s) 1983-1988 Vardar 207 132 1988-1992 Crvena Zvezda 141 116 1992-1995 Inter Milan 19 3 1994 VfB Leipzig (loan) 10 2 1995-1996 Fortuna Dusseldorf 14 2

Darko Pancev was born in Skopje on the 7th of September, 1965. Pancev was extremely successful in the Yugoslavian League. He was a pure goal machine and was just banging goal after goal in at Crvena Zvezda and Vardar. He started out at Vardar and made them into a title contender. He was unstoppable in the box and was like Icardi extremely effective in front of goal. He became the top scorer in the 1983-84 season with Vardar. He would normally have +20 goals per season which weren’t normal in the Yugoslavian League in the 80s. After 5 years at Vardar Pancev would go on and do greater things with Crvena Zvezda. Pancev and Zvezda would win the Champions League in the 1990-91 season. Pancev was collecting trophy after trophy with Crvena Zvezda. They had the greatest Yugoslavian club side ever with Pancev, Savicevic, Miodrag Belodedić, Vladimir Jugovic, Siniša Mihajlović and Prosinecki.

Darko Pancev after scoring the game winning penalty in the UCL final in 1990-91

His journey in Europe, however, was horrible and the big problem was the teams weren’t built around his talent.

There are strikers who don’t run and there are strikers who run. I was one of those strikers with a natural talent for scoring, and I ran only when I was within 30 metres of goal. Unfortunately Inter didn’t want to accept that style of play. Darko Pancev

Pancev was a simple number 9, a poacher of the finest quality. He didn’t like to run or help out in defence, but could occasionally put the opponent under pressure. An unreal finisher and scored an endless amount of goals in the Yugoslav league. He needed the team to be built around him or else he would be extremely ineffective. He could score with every single part of his body and didn’t have any weaknesses there. He would mostly be in the box or just outside of it. He ended second place in the Ballon d’Or vote in 1991. He came in front of Predrag Mijatovic in the battle for number 10 spot.

9. Josip Katalinski

Date of birth 12 May 1948 Place of birth Sarajevo, FPR Yugoslavia Date of death 9 June 2011 (aged 63) Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 1⁄2 in) Playing position Libero (Sweeper)

Josip Katalinski

Years Team Apps Goal(s) 1965-1975 Željezničar Sarajevo 230 32 1975-1978 OGC Nice 103 28

Josip Katalinski was born in Sarajevo on the 12 May 1948. For many Josip Katalinski will be the most unknown figure in this list. Katalinski was a brilliant libero, the best comparison being Beckenbauer. They both played in the same offensive way and was just as good in one on one duels. Katalinski was the main guy when Zeljeznicar won their only title in their history (1971-72). Josip scored goal after goal as a defender which was remarkable. He became the Yugoslav Player of the Year in 1974. A key part of the national team, His nickname was “Škija” which is a colloquial name for Ravnjak’s tobacco, found in wider Herzegovinian territory. He was both the anchor and the playmaker of the team which shows you the talent Škija was.

Katalinski at Nice

He was a hero at Nice who finished second place in Ligue 1 (1975–76) and this was mainly because of Katalinski. This was Nice’s best finish since winning the league in 1959. Katalinski retired in 1978 at Nice.

8. Davor Šuker

Date of birth 1 January 1968 Place of birth Osijek, SFR Yugoslavia Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) Playing position Striker (classic 9)

Davor Suker “The hero of 1998 World Cup”

Years Team Apps Goal(s) 1984-1989 Osijek 91 40 1989-1991 Dinamo Zagreb 60 34 1991-1996 Sevilla 153 76 1996-1999 Real Madrid 86 38 1999-2000 Arsenal 22 8 2000-2001 West Ham 11 2 2001-2003 1860 Munich 25 5

Davor Suker, born in Osijek on the 1st January 1968, would be known as the most notorious striker from the former Yugoslavia since Bobek. Davor started out in his home town of Osijek. He played five years for Osijek. In one of his season at Osijek became he the top scorer in the Yugoslavian League. He than moved to Dinamo Zagreb, where during the following two seasons he scored 34 goals in 60 Yugoslav First League matches. Suker had impressed Ivica Osim (coach for Yugoslavia) and was called up to the Yugoslavia national team. Suker had attracted several clubs, including Spanish club Sevilla, which he joined in 1991.

Davor Suker would be extremely consistent at Sevilla and spent consecutive seasons amongst the division’s top goal scorers. He came second place in the top scorer battle In the 1993–94 season just behind Romario. Suker scored 24 goals that season.

Davor Suker signed with Real Madrid and was again amongst the league’s top scorers with 24 goals in the 1996–97 season. While at Madrid, he helped them claim La Liga and UEFA Champions League titles as well.

But Suker’s crowning moment of his career was the 1998 FIFA World Cup, where he won the Golden Boot by scoring six goals in seven matches. He also won the Silver Ball as the second best player of the tournament after Mr Ronaldo. Croatia came third and claimed the bronze medal.

Davor Suker at Real Madrid

He would later play for Arsenal, West Ham, and 1860 Munich with less success. Suker was a player that made everything look easy. Every goal looks so elegant and with his great positioning made it a lot easier for him to score. He was the typical 9 like Pancev and Mijatovic, but he was just overall better in term of career and consistency.

7. Luka Modrić

Date of birth 9 September 1985 Place of birth Zadar, SR Croatia Height 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in) Playing position Central Midfielder

Luka Modric with the Ballon d´Or

Years Team Apps Goal(s) 2003-2008 Dinamo Zagreb 94 26 2003-2004 Zrinjski (loan) 22 8 2004-2005 Inter Zapresic (loan) 18 4 2008-2012 Tottenham Hotspur 127 13 2012- Real Madrid 190 11

Luka Modric was born in Zadar on the 9th of September, 1985. Starting his career as a trequartista and then at Real Madrid became a central midfielder with many defensive duties. Modric started out at Dinamo Zagreb but wasn’t really good enough so he was sent out on loan. A late bloomer by today’s standard, Modric would come to Tottenham as a 22-year-old, but really broke out at 24. Modric was a flashback player in his time at Tottenham. He looked like a player from the 80s, but without great scoring ability. Modric is without a doubt the player with the most honours but isn’t the player by any means talent-wise. He had great success at Real Madrid, winning multiple Champions League trophies and is still an amazing player for this generation. Modric is also the first player to win the Ballon d’Or from ex-Yugoslavia.

Modric and Pjanic are both made out to be creative maestro as a number 10, but their problems are mostly that they are not that fast. Modric, known for his passing range and dribbling skills is considered a master of the “pre-assist”. He would be often referred to as the midfield maestro and his tactical strategy, and tactical vision had made him compared to a conductor of an orchestra.

6. Safet “Pape” Sušić

Date of birth 13 April 1955 Place of birth Zavidovići, FPR Yugoslavia Height 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in) Playing position Attacking midfielder (fantasista)

Safet Susic at Yugoslavia

Years Team Apps Goal(s) 1973-1982 FK Sarajevo 221 86 1982-1991 PSG 287 67 1991-1992 Red Star (Paris) 17 3

Safet “Pape” Sušić was born in Zavidovići on the 13th April 1955. Sušić was a gifted midfielder and was personally known for his dribbling skills and technical ability. He is seen as one of the finest European players of his generation. Sušić played as an attacking midfielder and as a fantasista (a creative playmaker). He played for FK Sarajevo, Paris Saint-Germain and Red Star Saint-Ouen. At the end of his career became he a deep-lying playmaker. PSG fans should all see him as the first legend of their club. He won them their first title and was loved by the fans.

Safet Susic started out his career at FK Sarajevo and was one of the best footballers in the league. He was magical at Sarajevo and is seen as a godly figure there. During the 1979–80 season, Susic became the top scorer in the Yugoslav First League with 17 goals. Susic was honoured as the Yugoslav Footballer of the Year in the same season.

In 1982, Sušić signed with Paris Saint-Germain. Scoring 96 goals and make a record 61 assists for PSG between 1982 and 1991. He has the third most appearance with 343 appearances for PSG. He was voted as Paris Saint-Germain’s best player of all time and the best foreign player of Ligue 1 of all time by France Football in 2010.

Susic (PSG) vs Papin (Marseille)

He even got a legendary song.

His former international teammate, the Macedonian Darko Pančev said:

“It’s well known how much I valued and still do value Safet Sušić. For me he’s unsurpassable, the best Yugoslavia had. Probably one of the best in the world. I was often known to say that us other players should have to pay to play in the same team as Pape. At least I always talked and thought like that. Pape was a treasure for every forward. His crosses were unbelievable. Sometimes his ball would hit me without me even being aware of it. A wonderful player.”

5. Robert Prosinečki

Date of birth 12 January 1969 Place of birth Schwenningen, West Germany Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) Playing position Attacking midfielder

Robert Prosinecki

(Too long of a career)

Years Team Apps Goal(s) 1986-1987 Dinamo Zagreb 2 1 1987-1991 Crvena Zvezda 117 25 1991-1994 Real Madrid 55 10 1994-1995 Oviedo (loan) 30 5 1995-1996 Barcelona 19 2 1996-1997 Sevilla 20 4 1997-2000 Croatia Zagreb 50 14

Prosinečki was born in Schwenningen, West Germany, into a family of Yugoslav guest workers. Prosinečki was born on the 12th of January, 1969. He was a special player to say at least. One of the most skilful players from 80s Eastern Europe. Robert’s nickname was Žuti (yellow) because he was blond and most people from Balkan has brown or black hair. He liked working on the wing but preferred playing centrally. He had a great pace with outstanding vision. Prosinecki was always a great pressuring player. He could hold the ball at his feet for more than 30 seconds before passing it because he was that brilliant at retaining possession. An expert at set pieces, his technical level was outstanding, especially in dribbling and driving the ball. He also had weaknesses like being injury prone and smoking too goddamn much.

Prosinečki started out at Dinamo Zagreb and got his first team appearances during the 1986–87 league season under head coach Miroslav Blažević. Prosinečki’s father began pushing the club to give his 18-year-old son a contract, but the coach Blažević sent him away, famously claiming that he would eat his coaching diploma if Prosinečki ever became a real football player.

Prosinečki’s father took Robert to Belgrade and there he got a professional contract. It was Crvena Zvezda that picked up this star. Prosinečki became a first team regular and more, much to Blažević’s chagrin. During his four-year spell at the club, Prosinečki helped Red Star win three Yugoslav First League titles and one Yugoslav Cup, as well being the key part in the club’s greatest success in history by winning the 1991 European Cup.

Prosinecki with the trophy with the big ears

He would later on have success at Real Madrid under the coach Radomir Antic. Prosinceki wouldn´t keep his level because of injuries, but he was a part of the “Golden Croatian Generation”. They had huge success in the 1998 World Cup and made it to the Semi Finals. Prosinecki was a part of a trio with him, Boban and Suker.

4. Zvonimir Boban

Date of birth 8 October 1968 Place of birth Imotski, SFR Yugoslavia Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) Playing position Attacking midfielder (trequartista)

Zvonimir Boban

Years Team Apps Goal(s) 1985-1991 Dinamo Zagreb 109 45 1991-2001 Milan 178 21 1991-1992 Bari (loan) 17 2 2001 Celta Vigo (loan) 4 0

Zvonimir Boban was born in Imotski on the 8th of October, 1968. Boban’s nickname was Zorro (the fictional character). He was a talented and creative player in midfield, he was known for his use of feints to beat opponents. Boban had excellent vision with an extremely long passing range. He was extremely technically gifted and was one of the best in Europe. He mixed these attributes with unique tactical versatility and intelligence, which made him able to play every position in the midfield and even play as a winger at Milan. Boban would personally prefer to play in a playmaking role. Throughout his career, he was known for his vocal presence and for his aggression on the pitch. A strong character, Boban is the greatest Croatian player and one of the greatest player for the former Yugoslavia. He was the best player of Golden Generation trio with Prosinecki and Suker.

Boban started his career with Dinamo Zagreb. He made his debut for the team in the 1985–86 season, aged 16. He ended up playing 109 games for the club over six seasons. Boban scored 45 goals and become club captain aged 19. A.C. Milan signed him in 1991 in a deal worth £8 million. Boban was immediately loaned to Bari because they didn’t think he was good enough to fill one of their three non-Italian spots. His team at Milan was extremely successful with trophies everywhere. He won four Serie A titles and one UEFA Champions League title. He was also a full-time translator for Dejan Savicevic at Milan.

He was the captain of the Croatia national team. Croatia was in his time third place at the 1998 FIFA World Cup. He was a part of the legendary Yugoslavian under-20 team in 1987, where they won the tournament in a dominating fashion. Boban was capped 51 times for Croatia, scoring 12 goals, between 1990 and 1999.00:0011:22

3. Dejan Savićević

Date of birth 15 September 1966 Place of birth Titograd, SFR Yugoslavia Height 1.82 m (5 ft 11 1⁄2 in) Playing position Attacking midfielder (complete midfielder)

Years Team Apps Goal(s) 1983-1988 Budućnost Titograd 130 36 1988-1992 Crvena Zvezda 72 23 1992-1998 AC Milan 97 21 1999 Crvena Zvezda 3 0 1999-2001 Rapid Wien 44 18

Dejan Savicevic was born in Titograd (Podgorica) on the 15th of September, 1966. He was a classic number 10 who wanted to play a free role as a playmaker. Savicevic played the classic number 10 in offence but was a number 8 in defence. He was great at knowing the talent around him and amazing at finding his teammates Pancev or Binic deep. Dejan’s thought-process was extremely fast, the opposite of Prosinecki. He was the main guy in the offence since Piksi left. His vision was on another level to every other player on this team. Dejan was great at making pressure with Prosinecki to get the fast counter through Binic or Pancev. After leaving his safe spot in Beograd did he receive some criticism for his poor work-rate and limited stamina, which wasn’t a problem at Crvena Zvezda.

From a genius you always expect these great plays: no one else could even imagine them -Fabio Capello about Dejan Savicevic´s goal against Barca.

Dejan Savicevic started his career with Budućnost Titograd. After some great seasons at Titograd came Dragan Džajić to get him to Crvena Zvezda. There he would be a part of the team that won the 1990–91 European Cup, before joining A.C. Milan in 1992. He would have great success and win three Serie A titles and the 1993–94 UEFA Champions League, among other trophies.0:009:36

2. Dragan “Piksi” Stojković

Date of birth 3 March 1965 Place of birth Nis, SFR Yugoslavia Height 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in) Playing position Attacking midfielder (fantasista)

Years Team Apps Goal(s) 1981-1986 Radnički Niš 70 8 1986-1990 Crvena Zvezda 120 54 1990-1994 Marseille 29 5 1991-1992 Hellas Verona (loan) 19 1 1994-2001 Nagoya Grampus 184 57

Dragan “Piksi” Stojkovic was born in Niš on the 3rd March, 1965. Dragan Stojkovic’s nickname was after Pixie, one of the characters from the cartoon Pixie and Dixie and Mr Jinks. Probably the biggest football talent in Yugoslavia and in Europe, Piksi would always go under the radar because his time in other European teams. Piksi was the definition of a fantasista. Piksi was a highly skilful midfield playmaker, capable in any position in midfield and attack. His decision-making and pace was so other-worldly that when Milan meet Crvena Zvezda was he seen as the biggest star on the pitch. Stojkovic was the biggest zvezda (star) in Yugoslavia with Drazen Petrovic in Yugoslavia’s last time as a country. He was known in particular for his vision, technique, creativity, dribbling skills (very Messi like), and passing ability, but he was many times injured. He was complete to say the least. Despite his talent, his career was affected by several injuries, which hindered his potential to be seen outside of Yugoslavia. Crvena Zvezda fans always debate who was better Džajić or Piksi, but I think there is a clean cut between those two. He is also one of only five players to receive the Zvezdina zvezda or Star of Red Star.

He started his career in his hometown side Radnički Niš in 1981–82 when he made one first-team appearance. He would play for them the next four seasons, Stojkovic would have 69 appearances for Radnički and scored 8 goals. In the summer of 1986, twenty-one-year-old Stojković moved to Crvena Zvezda Beograd. He would spend the next four seasons scoring 54 times in 120 appearances. It was there he became the biggest star in Yugoslavia. He was magical for Crvena Zvezda. Though he had a bad time at Marseille because of injuries, he redeems himself in Japan at J-League team Nagoya Grampus Eight, then managed by Arsène Wenger and featuring Gary Lineker. Stojković played 183 matches for the club, scoring 57 times. Retiring in 2001, he was a member of the FIFA Xl team twice in 1991 and 1998.

Stojković made 84 career international appearances, scoring 15 times, those split between the SFR Yugoslavia national team and the FR Yugoslavia national team.

The talent we never saw outside of Europe.

Scored a wonderful volley as a coach

1. Dragan Džajić

Date of birth 30 May 1946 Place of birth Ub, FRR Yugoslavia Height 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in) Playing position Left winger (the creator of the position in Europe)



The Greatest Yugoslav Ever.

Years Team Apps Goal(s) 1963-1975 Crvena Zvezda 280 108 1975-1977 Bastia 56 31 1977-1978 Crvena Zvezda 25 5

The greatest Yugoslavian player ever IMO, was born in Ub on the 30th May, 1946. Džajić was extremely well-loved because of his high level dribbling skills and also how easily he would pass an opponent. He was admired for being an exceptional left-winger who could both score goals and deliver defense-splitting passes with fantastic precision. He was probably the best crossing player of all time with millimeter precision. His territory was on the left wing and it was impossible the take this territory from him. He would many times leave the defender in his way to deliver an inch-perfect pass into the penalty area.

Džajić was not only a creator, but he was also a goal-machine too. According to Goal.com Džajić accumulated 424 career goals from the wing. He could score from every angle and had also many successful attempts from corner-kicks. Known as a dead-ball specialist, he was the most gifted player ever from Yugoslavia. His vision was on another level of greatness and had a deadly left foot. He was extremely good at free-kicks. The technique looks like Platini or Prosinecki.

Pele on Džajić

“Džajić is the Balkan miracle, a real wizard. I’m just sorry he’s not Brazilian because I’ve never seen such a natural footballer.”

Džajić would only play for two clubs in his career Batista and Crvena Zvezda. Džajić debuted at the age of 17 in the 1962-63 season. Džajić started out as a left back and was moved further up the field after playing there because of an injury. He showed why he should be on the left wing against Partizan on Markana. From that day on would he be Crvena Zvezda’s godly number 11. His sweet left foot provided countless goals for teammate Vojin Lazarević, and his right wasn’t bad either. Džajić would score 108 goals in 280 games (official games) for Crvena Zvezda. There is no record for his assist total, but it would probably be high .



Goals, assists, crosses, he got the whole package.

He would also play for Bastia and make them a title contender. They were second place with Džajić and he was dominating the league. From 1975 to 1977, he played for SC Bastia in France (scoring another 31 times). He is their greatest best player of all time.

Džajić was just 18 when he was first named to the Yugoslav national team. Džajić would end up with 85 caps which is the most caps for the Yugoslav national team, scoring 23 goals. The most famous game of Džajić would be the semi-final against England in which his 87th-minute lob over goalkeeper Gordon Banks gave Yugoslavia a 1–0 victory against the defending World Champions. The English press called him “the magic Dragan”. Yugoslavia would than lose the final to Italy on a replay game after the first game ended 1-1 in which Džajić scored.

If you ask me Dragan Džajić is the greatest Yugoslavian player ever. Džajić was in 2013 identified as the greatest Yugoslavian player of all time. Džajić is also part of Star of Red Star.