Niša Saveljić

Niša Saveljić
Personal information
Full name	Niša Saveljić
Date of birth	27 March 1970 (age 54)
Place of birth	Titograd, SFR Yugoslavia
Height	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s)	Centre-back
Youth career
	OFK Titograd
Senior career*
Years	Team
1989–1993	Budućnost Podgorica
1993–1994	Hajduk Kula
1995–1997	Partizan
1997–2001	Bordeaux
2001	→ Partizan (loan)
2001–2003	Sochaux
2003	Bastia
2004	Guingamp
2004–2005	Istres
2005–2006	Partizan
Total
International career
1990–1991	Yugoslavia U21
1995–2000	FR Yugoslavia
Medal record
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals

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

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

Club career

Born in Titograd, Saveljić made his senior debut with Budućnost in the 1988–89 campaign. He spent the following four seasons at the club, before surprisingly moving to Hajduk Kula in the summer of 1993. However, after notable 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.

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.^[1] He helped them win the 2000–01 FR Yugoslavia Cup, before returning to France. In the following 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.^[2]^[3] He was suspended in May 2006 for confronting with his teammate Danko Lazović after a training session.^[4]^[5] Eventually, Saveljić left the club by mutual agreement in August 2006.^[6]

International career

Saveljić made his debut for FR Yugoslavia in a 3–1 win over 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.

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.^[7]

Personal life

Saveljić also holds French citizenship.^[8] He is the father of Nicolas Saveljić, a water polo player, and the cousin of Esteban Saveljich, a Montenegrin international footballer.^[9]

Career statistics

Club

Club	Season	League		Cup		League Cup		Continental		Total
Club	Season	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Budućnost Podgorica	1988–89	4	0			—		—		4	0
	1989–90	11	1			—		—		11	1
	1990–91	31	3			—		—		31	3
	1991–92	27	1			—		—		27	1
	1992–93	25	3			—		—		25	3
	Total	98	8			—		—		98	8
Hajduk Kula	1993–94	30	1			—		—		30	1
	1994–95	16	2			—		—		16	2
	Total	46	3			—		—		46	3
Partizan	1994–95	15	3			—		—		15	3
	1995–96	24	1			—		—		24	1
	1996–97	27	7			—		4	1	31	8
	Total	66	11			—		4	1	70	12
Bordeaux	1997–98	24	1	2	0	3	0	2	0	31	1
	1998–99	25	0	1	0	0	0	8	0	34	0
	1999–2000	21	2	5	0	1	0	8	0	35	2
	2000–01	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	13	1	3	0	—		0	0	16	1
Sochaux	2001–02	24	2	2	0	1	0	—		27	2
	2002–03	33	2	1	0	5	1	6	0	45	3
	Total	57	4	3	0	6	1	6	0	72	5
Bastia	2003–04	17	1	1	0	2	0	—		20	1
Guingamp	2003–04	17	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	17	1
Istres	2004–05	31	1	1	0	1	0	—		33	1
Partizan	2005–06	19	2	0	0	—		0	0	19	2
	2006–07	1	0	0	0	—		0	0	1	0
	Total	20	2	0	0	—		0	0	20	2
Career total		436	35	17	0	14	1	30	1	497	37

International

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

Coupe de la Ligue: Runner-up 2002–03

International

Yugoslavia

UEFA Under-21 Championship: Runner-up 1990

References

^ "Saveljić došao da vrati pehare" (in Serbian). glas-javnosti.rs. 13 March 2001.
^ "Potpisao i Niša Saveljić" (in Serbian). partizan.rs. 8 July 2005.^{[permanent dead link]}
^ "Saveljic 'at home' with Partizan". uefa.com. 25 July 2005.
^ "Tuča Saveljića i Lazovića?" (in Serbian). b92.net. 4 May 2006.
^ "Niša i Danko: "Nismo se tukli"" (in Serbian). b92.net. 5 May 2006.
^ "Niša Saveljić sporazumno raskinuo ugovor sa Partizanom" (in Serbian). partizan.rs. 11 August 2006.
^ "Launch of Girondins de Bordeaux USA". girondins.com. 9 August 2017.
^ "Saveljić: "Vratiću se u Partizan"" (in Serbian). b92.net. 28 January 2005.
^ "Niša Saveljić: Moj rođak Esteban je pravo rješenje za Crnu Goru" (in Montenegrin). vijesti.me. 24 January 2015.

External links

Niša Saveljić at FootballDatabase.eu
Niša Saveljić at Reprezentacija.rs (in Serbian)
Niša Saveljić – FIFA competition record (archived)
Niša Saveljić at National-Football-Teams.com

[1] "Saveljić došao da vrati pehare" (in Serbian). glas-javnosti.rs. 13 March 2001.

[2] "Potpisao i Niša Saveljić" (in Serbian). partizan.rs. 8 July 2005.^{[permanent dead link]}

[3] "Saveljic 'at home' with Partizan". uefa.com. 25 July 2005.

[4] "Tuča Saveljića i Lazovića?" (in Serbian). b92.net. 4 May 2006.

[5] "Niša i Danko: "Nismo se tukli"" (in Serbian). b92.net. 5 May 2006.

[6] "Niša Saveljić sporazumno raskinuo ugovor sa Partizanom" (in Serbian). partizan.rs. 11 August 2006.

[7] "Launch of Girondins de Bordeaux USA". girondins.com. 9 August 2017.

[8] "Saveljić: "Vratiću se u Partizan"" (in Serbian). b92.net. 28 January 2005.

[9] "Niša Saveljić: Moj rođak Esteban je pravo rješenje za Crnu Goru" (in Montenegrin). vijesti.me. 24 January 2015.

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