Dragan Džajić

Dragan Džajić (Serbian Cyrillic: Драган Џајић; born 30 May 1946) is a Serbian football administrator and former player who is the current president of the Football Association of Serbia from 14 March 2023.[2]

Dragan Džajić
Džajić in October 1970
President of Football Association of Serbia
Assumed office
14 March 2023
Preceded byNenad Bjeković (acting)
President of Red Star Belgrade
In office
19 December 2012 – 19 June 2014
Preceded byVladan Lukić
Succeeded bySvetozar Mijailović
In office
1998–2004
Preceded bySvetozar Mijailović
Succeeded byDragan Stojković
Personal details
Born
Dragan Džajić

(1946-05-30) 30 May 1946
Ub, PR Serbia, Yugoslavia
Height1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)[1]
OccupationFootballer
Football administrator
Association football career
Position(s) Left winger
Youth career
1961–1963 Red Star Belgrade
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1963–1975 Red Star Belgrade 281 (108)
1975–1977 Bastia 56 (31)
1977–1978 Red Star Belgrade 25 (5)
Total 362 (144)
International career
1964–1978 Yugoslavia 85 (23)
Medal record
Men's Football
Representing  Yugoslavia
European Championship
Silver medal – second place 1968 ItalyTeam
Mediterranean Games
Gold medal – first place1971 IzmirTeam
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Džajić is widely considered to be one of the best footballers to emerge from the former Yugoslavia, and one of the greatest left wingers of all time.[3] Džajić was known for his crosses, passes, dribbling with great pace, natural technique and his left footed free kicks.

In November 2003, to celebrate UEFA's Jubilee, he was selected as the Golden Player of Serbia and Montenegro by the Football Association of Serbia and Montenegro as their most outstanding player of the past 50 years.[4]

Club career

Born on 30 May 1946, in the small town of Ub, 60 kilometres outside Belgrade, Džajić's football career (1961–1978) was spent primarily with Red Star Belgrade. A left winger, his career with the club spanned 590 games and 287 goals by winning five league titles and four Yugoslavian Cups. In 1969, Džajić received the Sport newspaper's Golden Badge award for Yugoslavia's best athlete. He is considered to have been one of the most important players in the history of the club and is one of only five players to have been awarded the Zvezdine zvezde status.

Early starter

Džajić was plucked from the relative obscurity of his local club, FK Jedinstvo, by Red Star Belgrade youth coach Miljan Miljanić, spending two years in the club's youth system.

Though only 17 years and 8 days of age, Džajić was handed his first team debut by head coach Miša Pavić in a Yugoslav First League match against FK Budućnost Titograd on 8 June 1963, which finished 0–0. It was the last week of the 1962–63 league season with FK Partizan already clinching the league championship and Red Star hovering in 7th place, out of European spots.[5] The match was played at Omladinski Stadium at Karaburma because Red Star's famous home Marakana was in the final construction stages.

Džajić started out as a left-back but it was further up the flank that he made his impact. An expert dribbler, his left foot provided a constant stream of goals for teammate Vojin Lazarević. Džajić was rewarded with championship medals in 1964, 1968, 1969, 1970 and 1973, while he lifted the cup in 1964, 1968, 1970 and 1971.

Semi-final defeat

European Champion Clubs' Cup success very nearly came his way too. In the 1970–71 season, Red Star Belgrade reached the semi-finals of the top continental club competition, and beat Panathinaikos FC 4–1 in the first leg in Belgrade. Džajić was suspended for the return in Athens, however, which the Greek team won 3–0 to go through on away goals.

Bastia

From 1975 to 1977, he played for SC Bastia in France (scoring another 31 times). He is considered to have been one of their most notable players of all time.

International career

Džajić was just eighteen when he was first named to the Yugoslavia national team. He made his debut on 17 June 1964 in a 2–1 defeat against Romania at the JNA Stadium in Belgrade. Džajić would go on to earn 85 caps (the most in the history of the Yugoslavia national team) and score 23 goals. He became renowned for his passing, dribbling and goal-scoring. His most famous international match was likely the 1968 European Championship semifinal against England, in which his 87th-minute lob over the goalkeeper Gordon Banks gave Yugoslavia a 1–0 victory against the defending world champions. The British press dubbed him "the magic Dragan." He went on to score in the final against Italy but he could not prevent Yugoslavia losing 2–0 after a replay.

Džajić said about his most well-known international matches (at the UEFA Euro 1968):

I have nice memories from that championship. It's true that our failure in the final hurts me, but from today's perspective, I can say that we made a great result. Some excellent teams were behind us, but against the home side, we were in a subordinate position due to a 'higher power.' The referee Dienst was the Azzurri's twelfth man and they won only due to his help. In those circumstances, our generation couldn't win the gold medal. It's also too bad that there was no Ilija Petković in the repeated match because our game play would have been much quicker.[6]

Džajić (right) facing Sweden's Jan Olsson at the 1974 FIFA World Cup

He participated in the 1974 FIFA World Cup which was held in West Germany. Džajić participated in Yugoslavia's opening championship game draw with world champions Brazil and scored one goal in a record victory of 9–0 against Zaire. However, after passing the second stage of the championship, Yugoslavia didn't repeat the results of their opening games. They lost three games in a row, and had to return home.

Administrative

Džajić retired as a player in 1978, at the age of 32. Right away, he began performing a role as Red Star's technical director. In his first season in the new administrative role, the club reached the UEFA Cup final. Džajić became the main decision-maker within the club when it comes to transfer policy.

In 1998, Džajić became the club's president – a position he resigned from in 2004 due to health issues.

Corruption allegations and presidential abolition

On 31 January 2011, the trial started in which Džajić was charged of fraud perpetrated during the sale of players from Red Star Belgrade during Džajić's time as the president of the club, specifically Nemanja Vidić. Džajić pleaded not guilty.[7] The charges against Nemanja Vidić were dropped. Nemanja Vidić also denied all accusations against Dragan Džajić.

On 16 November 2012, Tomislav Nikolić, the President of Serbia, signed an exempt from criminal liability of all charges. This abolition ended all legal proceedings against Džajić.[8]

Return to Red Star and re-election as president in 2012

It was stated by local Serbian newspapers at the beginning of December 2011 that Džajić would return to the administration of Red Star, as it was believed that Džajić was the only one who could get Red Star back on track. However, nothing came of this. Džajić spoke to Blic (tabloid daily newspaper in Serbia) after the board meeting, saying: "I spoke with people from the club, the desire to return was not disputed, I wanted to help, because everything that I previously experienced with the club cannot be forgotten. I followed, listened to and read what happened at the meeting, I wanted to come back but nothing happened and life goes on. I remain available and in this case I can only wish Red Star better days."[9]

On 19 December 2012, Džajić was elected as President of Red Star Belgrade for the second time.[10] He resigned from the position on 19 June 2014.[11] He was then chosen as honorary president of the club

On 14 March 2023, Dzajic was elected president of Football Association of Serbia for a mandate of four years.[2]

Legacy
Džajić on a 2022 stamp of Serbia

In November 2011, Džajić was named to "the greatest European Championship XI of all time" by Goal.com.[12][13]

On 2 December 2022, Red Star Belgrade announced that the number 11 worn by Džajić will be retired from the 2023–24 season on.[14]

Honours

Club

Red Star Belgrade

International

Yugoslavia

Individual

Awards

References
  1. "Dragan Dzajic :: Dragan Džajić". www.thefinalball.com.
  2. "ВАНРЕДНА ИЗБОРНА СЕДНИЦА СКУПШТИНЕ ФСС | ДРАГАН ЏАЈИЋ, ЛЕГЕНДАРНИ ИГРАЧ И ФУНКЦИОНЕР, ИЗАБРАН ЗА НОВОГ ПРЕДСЕДНИКА ФУДБАЛСКОГ САВЕЗА СРБИЈЕ" [EXTRAORDINARY ELECTION SESSION OF THE FSS ASSEMBLY | DRAGAN DŽAJIĆ, LEGENDARY PLAYER AND OFFICIAL, ELECTED AS THE NEW PRESIDENT OF THE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION OF SERBIA] (in Serbian). Football Association of Serbia. 14 March 2023.
  3. Riaz, Adnan (22 October 2020). "Full List Of 110 Nominees For France Football's 'Ballon d'Or Dream Team' Have Been Revealed". SPORTbible. Archived from the original on 3 November 2020. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
  4. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 12 March 2004. Retrieved 23 November 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. Džajin debi za Zvezdu – 8. juna 1963.;Mondo.rs, 8 June 2013
  6. "Vesti spezial magazine, pg. 13". Vesti (in Serbian). 16 May 2000.
  7. "Former Yugoslavia star Dragan Dzajic goes on trial for alleged fraud in sale of players". Canadian Press. 31 January 2011. Retrieved 31 January 2011.
  8. "President exempts ex-Red Star head from criminal prosecution". B92. 1 April 2023. Archived from the original on 21 February 2013.
  9. "Džajić: Hteo sam da se vratim u Zvezdu, ali me nisu ni zvali!".
  10. Večernje novosti (19 December 2012). "Džajić i zvanično novi predsednik Zvezde" (in Serbian). Retrieved 26 April 2022.
  11. B92 (19 June 2014). "Ostavka Džajića, Terzić gensek" (in Serbian). Retrieved 26 April 2022.
  12. Garganese, Carlo (29 November 2011). "The greatest European Championship XI of all time - featuring Zidane, Van Basten & Maldini". Goal.com. Archived from the original on 29 March 2022. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
  13. "Džaja među 11 veličansvetnih!". www.novosti.rs.
  14. "Поштовање Џаји - дрес са бројем 11 се повлачи из употребе". FK Crvena zvezda. 2 September 2022. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
  15. "1968 team of the tournament". Union of European Football Associations. 1 April 2011. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  16. "1976 team of the tournament". UEFA.com. 21 March 2016. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
  17. "ERIC BATTY’S WORLD XI – THE SIXTIES" Retrieved on 17 June 2016
  18. FIFA XI´s Matches - Full Info Archived 17 November 2015 at the Wayback Machine
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