Niša Saveljić

Niša Saveljić
Personal information
Full name Niša Saveljić
Date of birth (1970-03-27) 27 March 1970 (age 54)
Place of birth Titograd, SR Montenegro, SFR Yugoslavia
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Centre-back
Youth career
OFK Titograd
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1988–1993 Budućnost Podgorica 98 (8)
1993–1994 Hajduk Kula 46 (3)
1995–1997 Partizan 66 (11)
1997–2001 Bordeaux 71 (3)
2001 → Partizan (loan) 13 (1)
2001–2003 Sochaux 57 (4)
2003 Bastia 17 (1)
2004 Guingamp 17 (1)
2004–2005 Istres 31 (1)
2005–2006 Partizan 20 (2)
Total 436 (35)
International career
1990–1991 Yugoslavia U21 7 (1)
1995–2000 FR Yugoslavia 32 (1)
Medal record
Silver medal – second place UEFA Under-21 Championship 1990
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Niša Saveljić (Serbian Cyrillic: Ниша Савељић; born 27 March 1970) is a Montenegrin former footballer who played as a defender.

At international level, Saveljić represented FR Yugoslavia in one World Cup (1998) and one European Championship (2000).

Club career

Born in Titograd, Saveljić made his senior debut with Budućnost in the 1988–89 campaign. He spent five seasons at the club, before surprisingly moving to Hajduk Kula in the summer of 1993. Due to his consistent performances with the club, Saveljić secured a transfer to Partizan in the 1995 winter transfer window. He won back-to-back championship titles in 1996 and 1997.[1]

In the summer of 1997, Saveljić moved to France and signed with Bordeaux. He won the league title in his second season at the club. Afterwards, Saveljić spent another two years with Bordeaux, while also being loaned to his former club Partizan in the 2001 winter transfer window.[2] He helped them win the 2000–01 FR Yugoslavia Cup, before returning to France. Over the next four years, Saveljić went on to play for Sochaux, Bastia, Guingamp and Istres.

In July 2005, Saveljić made another return to Partizan, signing a two-year deal.[3][4] He was suspended in May 2006 for confronting with his teammate Danko Lazović after a training session.[5][6] Eventually, Saveljić left the club by mutual agreement in August 2006.[7]

International career

Saveljić made his debut for FR Yugoslavia in a 3–1 win against Hong Kong on 31 January 1995. He earned 32 caps and scored one goal for the national team, having represented the country at the 1998 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2000.[8]

Post-playing career

In August 2017, Saveljić was appointed CEO of the newly founded Girondins de Bordeaux USA, as a result of a partnership between Bordeaux and Washington, D.C.-based club Olney Girls 99.[9]

Personal life

Saveljić acquired French nationality by naturalization on 15 January 2003.[10][11] He is the father of water polo player Nicolas Saveljić, the older brother of the late Monteniggers member Nebojša Saveljić, and the cousin of Montenegrin international footballer Esteban Saveljich.[12]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Budućnost Podgorica 1988–89 Yugoslav First League 4 0 — — 4 0
1989–90 Yugoslav First League 11 1 — — 11 1
1990–91 Yugoslav First League 31 3 — — 31 3
1991–92 Yugoslav First League 27 1 — — 27 1
1992–93 First League of FR Yugoslavia 25 3 — — 25 3
Total 98 8 — — 98 8
Hajduk Kula 1993–94 First League of FR Yugoslavia 30 1 — — 30 1
1994–95 First League of FR Yugoslavia 16 2 — — 16 2
Total 46 3 — — 46 3
Partizan 1994–95 First League of FR Yugoslavia 15 3 0 0 — — 15 3
1995–96 First League of FR Yugoslavia 24 1 8 3 — — 32 4
1996–97 First League of FR Yugoslavia 27 7 0 0 — 4 1 31 8
Total 66 11 8 3 — 4 1 78 15
Bordeaux 1997–98 French Division 1 24 1 2 0 3 0 2 0 31 1
1998–99 French Division 1 25 0 1 0 0 0 8 0 34 0
1999–2000 French Division 1 21 2 5 0 1 0 8 0 35 2
2000–01 French Division 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 2 0 5 0
Total 71 3 9 0 5 0 20 0 105 3
Partizan (loan) 2000–01 First League of FR Yugoslavia 13 1 3 0 — 0 0 16 1
Sochaux 2001–02 French Division 1 24 2 2 0 1 0 — 27 2
2002–03 Ligue 1 33 2 1 0 5 1 6 0 45 3
Total 57 4 3 0 6 1 6 0 72 5
Bastia 2003–04 Ligue 1 17 1 1 0 2 0 — 20 1
Guingamp 2003–04 Ligue 1 17 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 17 1
Istres 2004–05 Ligue 1 31 1 1 0 1 0 — 33 1
Partizan 2005–06 Serbia and Montenegro SuperLiga 19 2 0 0 — 0 0 19 2
2006–07 Serbian SuperLiga 1 0 0 0 — 0 0 1 0
Total 20 2 0 0 — 0 0 20 2
Career total 436 35 25 3 14 1 30 1 505 40

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year[13]
National team Year Apps Goals
FR Yugoslavia 1995 5 1
1996 5 0
1997 5 0
1998 7 0
1999 3 0
2000 7 0
Total 32 1

Honours

Club

Partizan

Bordeaux

Sochaux

International

Yugoslavia

References

  1. ^ "Niša Saveljić" (in Serbian). partizanopedia.rs. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  2. ^ "Saveljić došao da vrati pehare" (in Serbian). glas-javnosti.rs. 13 March 2001. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  3. ^ "Potpisao i Niša Saveljić" (in Serbian). partizan.rs. 8 July 2005. Retrieved 2 January 2016.
  4. ^ "Saveljic 'at home' with Partizan". uefa.com. 25 July 2005. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  5. ^ "Tuča Saveljića i Lazovića?" (in Serbian). b92.net. 4 May 2006. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  6. ^ "Niša i Danko: "Nismo se tukli"" (in Serbian). b92.net. 5 May 2006. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  7. ^ "Niša Saveljić sporazumno raskinuo ugovor sa Partizanom" (in Serbian). partizan.rs. 11 August 2006. Retrieved 2 January 2016.
  8. ^ "Niša Saveljić, international football player". eu-football.info. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  9. ^ "Launch of Girondins de Bordeaux USA". girondins.com. 9 August 2017. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
  10. ^ "JORF n° 0014 du 17 janvier 2003 - Légifrance". www.legifrance.gouv.fr. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  11. ^ "Saveljić: "Vratiću se u Partizan"" (in Serbian). b92.net. 28 January 2005. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  12. ^ "Niša Saveljić: Moj rođak Esteban je pravo rješenje za Crnu Goru" (in Montenegrin). vijesti.me. 24 January 2015. Retrieved 2 January 2016.
  13. ^ "Saveljić Niša" (in Serbian). reprezentacija.rs. 14 April 2020. Retrieved 11 November 2021.