Sports Nicknames - Il Genio, The Genius

Dejan Savicevic is a legendary football player from Montenegro, who made his name playing for Red Star Belgrade and AC Milan.



Savicevic was a classic number 10. A creative midfielder, who enjoyed playing in a free role as a playmaker. He was great at crossing, had a magical left foot and when he felt like playing, he was unstoppable.

Savicevic signed his first big contract in 1988 with Red Star Belgrade, Yugoslavian biggest club, and played there for four years. He was instrumental in the team's Champions League win in 1991 and was the runner up to the Ballon d'Or award the same year.

A move to AC Milan followed. In his 7 years in Milan he won 3 scudettos and one more Champions League trophy in 1994.

The thing about Savicevic is that, despite his enormous talent, he did not always feel like playing. He had a fiery character and often clashed with managers. He did not enjoy early morning training sessions or playing against lesser teams. He was often lost in his own world during a match. But when he was on, it was a beautiful thing. Savicevic showed his brilliance in big games. The Italian media nicknamed him "Il Genio", which translates to "The Genius" in honor of his dazzling displays, ball control and passing.

One of the most famous Champions League goals is his lob vs. Barcelona in the 1994 final, a game which Milan won 4-0.

Internationally, Savicevic represented Yugoslavia and later Serbia-Montenegro.

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