Safet Sušić

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Sušić played as an attacking midfielder, often in a role of trequartista or fantasista (i.e. a creative playmaker) and rarely as a second striker for Sarajevo, Paris Saint-Germain and Red Star, and internationally for Yugoslavia. Later during his career, he was utilized more in a role of a deep-lying playmaker, both for club and national team. In 2010, France Football voted Sušić as Paris Saint-Germain's best player of all time and the best foreign player of Ligue 1 of all time, with his compatriot and friend who also had a spell with PSG, Vahid Halilhodžić, being voted seventh. As part of the UEFA Jubilee Awards in 2004, the Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina chose Sušić as the nation's greatest ever player. Following his retirement from playing, Sušić started working as a manager. He worked for a number of club sides: Cannes, İstanbulspor, Al Hilal, Konyaspor, Ankaragücü, Çaykur Rizespor, Ankaraspor, Évian, Alanyaspor, Akhisarspor and the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team. After losing in the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying play-offs, Sušić led Bosnia and Herzegovina to the top of their 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying group, earning the country its first-ever World Cup appearance. He won his only trophy as manager with Akhisarspor, the 2018 Turkish Super Cup.

In Their Own Story

The floodlights cut through the haze at Parc des Princes as the crowd held its breath. Safet Sušić stood over the ball, the silence stretching thin before he struck it. He didn't rush; he read the defense like a map, his vision bypassing three defenders with a perfect arc that landed softly at his striker's feet. When the goal erupted into chaos, 'Pape' simply adjusted his captain's armband, a faint smile playing on his lips. In those moments of high pressure, Sušić didn't just play; he conducted the symphony of Paris with an unshakeable calm.

Reader's Guide

Born in Zavidovići, FPR Yugoslavia, present-day Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sušić started playing football in the youth team of his hometown club Krivaja. In 1972, he joined the youth team of Sarajevo. Sušić made his senior debut for Sarajevo in 1973, one year after joining the youth team. During the 1979–80 season, he was the top scorer in the Yugoslav First League with 17 goals. In 1979, he was honoured as the Yugoslav Footballer of the Year, also being selected as the best athlete hailing from SR Bosnia and Herzegovina. In 1981, Sušić was awarded the Sixth April Award of Sarajevo. In December 1982, Sušić joined Paris Saint-Germain, where he became a star on the European stage. During his first season with the club, Sušić helped PSG to win the 1982–83 Coupe de France, scoring three goals over two legs in the semi-final against Tours, and once in 3–2 victory over Nantes in the final. The same year, he was nominated for the Ballon d'Or. During the 1985–86 season, Sušić scored ten goals as the Parisiens won their first ever national league title. Overall, Sušić scored 85 goals and made a record 95 assists for PSG between 1982 and 1991. He is fifth in the club's all-time appearance list with 344 appearances, tied with Paul Le Guen. On 22 September 1984, in a 7–1 home drubbing of Bastia, he assisted on five of the side's goals. At 36, Sušić went to the second Paris-based club for a final year with Red Star. On 5 February 2010, France Football chose Sušić as the best player in the history of Paris Saint-Germain, ahead of players such as Carlos Bianchi, Mustapha Dahleb, Ronaldinho, George Weah, Joël Bats, Raí and Luis Fernández. In his only season with Red Star, he played in Ligue 2, the second division of French Football. He played in 17 league games for the club in that season campaign, scoring 3 goals in the process. Shortly after leaving Red Star, Sušić announced his retirement from football in 1992. During Sušić's playing career, Bosnia and Herzegovina was part of SFR Yugoslavia and thus he represented the Yugoslavia national team at international level. Between 1977 and 1990, Sušić appeared 54 times for Yugoslavia, scoring 21 times. He debuted for his country in 1977 and scored his first goals for the team against Hungary in October of that year. A month later, he scored a hat-trick in a 6–4 victory against Romania during the 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification.

Did You Know?

• Sušić scored a hat-trick in a 6–4 victory against Romania during 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification.
• He scored his only World Cup goal in a 4–1 win against the United Arab Emirates at the 1990 FIFA World Cup.
• France Football voted Sušić as Paris Saint-Germain's best player of all time in 2010.
• He led Bosnia and Herzegovina to their first-ever World Cup appearance in 2014.