1. Overview
Stefan Savić (Стефан Савићstêfaːn sâʋitɕsh) is a Montenegrin professional footballer born on January 8, 1991, in Mojkovac, Yugoslavia (now Montenegro). He primarily plays as a centre-back for Süper Lig club Trabzonspor and the Montenegro national team.
Savić began his career in Serbia with FK BSK Borča and FK Partizan, where he notably won the domestic double. He then moved to Manchester City for 6.00 M GBP, securing a Premier League title in his sole season there. In 2012, he transferred to Fiorentina, making over 100 appearances across three seasons. His career continued at Atlético Madrid from 2015, where he achieved significant success, winning the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Super Cup in 2018, and the La Liga title in the 2020-21 season. A full international since 2010, Savić has earned over 70 caps and scored nine goals for Montenegro.
2. Club career
Stefan Savić's professional football journey has spanned across several European leagues, beginning in Serbia before moving to England, Italy, Spain, and most recently, Turkey.
2.1. Career in Serbia
Savić started his youth career at his local club, FK Brskovo, before joining the youth setup of FK BSK Borča. He began his professional career with BSK Borča during the 2008-09 season. In early 2010, he underwent a ten-day trial with Arsenal. Savić stated that he had agreed to join Arsenal in the summer, but the transfer ultimately did not materialize.
On August 29, 2010, Savić signed a four-year contract with Partizan and was assigned the number 15 shirt. During his time at Partizan, he made four appearances in the 2010-11 UEFA Champions League group stage and played a crucial role in the club winning the domestic double, which included the Serbian SuperLiga and the Serbian Cup.
2.2. Manchester City
On July 6, 2011, Savić completed a transfer to Manchester City for a fee of 6.00 M GBP, signing a four-year contract. He made his debut for the club on August 15, coming on as a substitute against Swansea City at the City of Manchester Stadium. His first goal for Manchester City came on October 1, 2011, in a 4-0 away victory over Blackburn Rovers, where he headed in the final goal from a corner kick delivered by Samir Nasri.
During a four-match ban for key centre-back Vincent Kompany from January 11 to 25, Savić stepped into the starting lineup, as third-choice defender Kolo Touré was on international duty at the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations. While Savić displayed brief moments of good form during this period, he also exhibited signs of nervousness, leading to frequent misplaced passes, clearances, and a crucial penalty conceded against Liverpool in a League Cup match, which resulted in a Liverpool win. Furthermore, a poor first touch from Savić contributed to Jermain Defoe's goal in City's 3-2 victory over Tottenham Hotspur. With Kompany's return to the starting team, Savić reverted to a bench role. He concluded the season with 12 league appearances, which was sufficient for him to receive a medal as Manchester City clinched the 2011-12 Premier League title on the final day of the season. Following the season, manager Roberto Mancini informed Savić that he could not guarantee him sufficient playing time for the upcoming season, prompting Savić to seek a transfer. He also won the 2012 FA Community Shield with Manchester City.
2.3. Fiorentina
On August 31, 2012, Savić moved to Italian Serie A club Fiorentina as part of a deal that saw Matija Nastasić transfer to Manchester City. Savić was given the number 15 shirt. He made his Fiorentina debut on October 7, playing the full 90 minutes in a 1-0 victory over Bologna. In December, he scored his first two goals for the club in a 2-2 home draw against Sampdoria.
In the 2012-13 Serie A season, Savić made 26 league appearances and one Coppa Italia appearance, contributing to Fiorentina's fourth-place finish, which secured a spot in the 2013-14 UEFA Europa League. He continued to be a key player in Fiorentina's defense during the 2013-14 Serie A season, making 31 league appearances as the club again finished in fourth place. In the UEFA Europa League, Savić played four matches in the main competition and two more in qualifying, as Fiorentina reached the last 16 before being eliminated by rivals Juventus with a 2-1 aggregate score. He also featured in both legs of the 2013-14 Coppa Italia semi-final win against Udinese and played in the 2014 Coppa Italia Final, where Fiorentina lost 3-1 to Napoli.
During the 2014-15 Serie A season, Savić reached the milestone of 100 appearances for Fiorentina across all competitions. He was instrumental in their run to the semi-finals of the 2014-15 UEFA Europa League and their third consecutive fourth-place finish in Serie A, making a total of 41 appearances in all competitions that season.
2.4. Atlético Madrid
On July 20, 2015, Savić transferred to Atlético Madrid for a fee of 10.00 M EUR, signing a five-year contract. As part of the deal, midfielder Mario Suárez moved to Fiorentina for free, though Suárez was later sold for 4.00 M EUR in January 2016. Savić became the first Montenegrin footballer to play in a UEFA Champions League Final in the 21st century, achieving this 18 years after Predrag Mijatović scored the decisive goal in the 1998 UEFA Champions League Final for Real Madrid against Juventus. At Atlético, he often formed a strong defensive partnership with Diego Godín.
Despite facing recurring injury problems during his tenure, Savić remained a vital part of Atlético Madrid's defense. In April 2018, Inter Milan was reportedly interested in acquiring him. On May 8, 2021, Savić made his 200th appearance for Atlético Madrid in a league match against FC Barcelona. In the 2020-21 La Liga season, he played 42 matches across all competitions, contributing significantly to the club's league title victory, their first in seven seasons. On August 11, 2021, he extended his contract with the club until 2024.
During the 2022-23 La Liga season, Savić experienced an inconsistent period of appearances due to minor injuries and disciplinary actions, including a red card. For instance, in a league match against FC Barcelona on January 8, he was sent off after a brawl with Ferran Torres in the closing minutes, which resulted in a two-match suspension. Additionally, he suffered a toe fracture in late April, leading to a prolonged absence. Despite these setbacks, he still managed to play 22 league matches, serving as a crucial defensive anchor. With Atlético Madrid, Savić won the 2017-18 UEFA Europa League and the 2018 UEFA Super Cup. He was also a runner-up in the 2015-16 UEFA Champions League.
2.5. Trabzonspor
On July 25, 2024, Süper Lig club Trabzonspor officially confirmed that Savić had signed for them.
3. International career
Stefan Savić represented Montenegro at various youth levels, including the Under-17, Under-19, and Under-21 teams. He made his senior international debut for the Montenegro national team on August 11, 2010, in a friendly match against Northern Ireland. He entered the game as a substitute for Milan Jovanović for the final 15 minutes at the Stadion Pod Goricom. Savić scored his first two international goals on August 10, 2011, in a 3-2 friendly loss to neighboring Albania at the Loro Boriçi Stadium in Shkodër. As of March 25, 2024, he has made 73 appearances and scored nine goals for Montenegro.
4. Personal life
Stefan Savić was born in Mojkovac, Yugoslavia (now Montenegro). His father, Dragan Savić, who served as the president of the municipal assembly in Mojkovac, committed suicide on April 6, 2011, when Stefan was 20 years old. Following this tragedy, the Red Star Belgrade's Delije ultras, despite their rivalry with Savić's club Partizan, displayed a banner that read "Support for Stefan Savić" as a gesture of sympathy. In addition to his native Montenegrin language, Savić is fluent in English, Italian, and Spanish.
5. Career statistics
This section presents Stefan Savić's official match records in detail, organized by club and international appearances.
5.1. Club statistics
Stefan Savić's club career statistics are detailed below, showing his appearances and goals across various leagues and competitions. The 'National cup' column includes appearances in the Serbian Cup, FA Cup, Coppa Italia, Copa del Rey, and Turkish Cup. The 'League cup' column includes appearances in the EFL Cup. The 'Europe' column encompasses matches in the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, and UEFA Conference League. The 'Other' column includes appearances in competitions such as the FA Community Shield, UEFA Super Cup, and Supercopa de España.
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| BSK Borča | 2008-09 | Serbian First League | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | 3 | 0 | |||
| 2009-10 | Serbian SuperLiga | 21 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | 22 | 2 | ||||
| 2010-11 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | 3 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 27 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | 28 | 2 | |||||
| Partizan | 2010-11 | Serbian SuperLiga | 20 | 1 | 4 | 0 | - | 4 (UEFA Champions League) | 0 | - | 28 | 1 | ||
| Manchester City | 2011-12 | Premier League | 11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 3 (2 UEFA Champions League, 1 UEFA Europa League) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 1 |
| 2012-13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 (FA Community Shield) | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| Total | 11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 21 | 1 | ||
| Fiorentina | 2012-13 | Serie A | 26 | 2 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | 27 | 2 | |||
| 2013-14 | 31 | 0 | 3 | 0 | - | 6 (UEFA Europa League) | 0 | - | 40 | 0 | ||||
| 2014-15 | 29 | 2 | 3 | 0 | - | 9 (UEFA Europa League) | 0 | - | 41 | 2 | ||||
| Total | 86 | 4 | 7 | 0 | - | 15 | 0 | - | 108 | 4 | ||||
| Atlético Madrid | 2015-16 | La Liga | 12 | 0 | 5 | 0 | - | 7 (UEFA Champions League) | 0 | - | 24 | 0 | ||
| 2016-17 | 32 | 1 | 7 | 0 | - | 10 (UEFA Champions League) | 0 | - | 49 | 1 | ||||
| 2017-18 | 27 | 0 | 3 | 0 | - | 7 (3 UEFA Champions League, 4 UEFA Europa League) | 0 | - | 37 | 0 | ||||
| 2018-19 | 18 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | 1 (UEFA Champions League) | 0 | 1 (UEFA Super Cup) | 0 | 22 | 0 | |||
| 2019-20 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 4 (UEFA Champions League) | 1 | 2 (Supercopa de España) | 0 | 28 | 1 | |||
| 2020-21 | 33 | 1 | 1 | 0 | - | 8 (UEFA Champions League) | 0 | - | 42 | 1 | ||||
| 2021-22 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 5 (UEFA Champions League) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 0 | |||
| 2022-23 | 22 | 0 | 4 | 0 | - | 3 (UEFA Champions League) | 0 | - | 29 | 0 | ||||
| 2023-24 | 23 | 0 | 3 | 0 | - | 6 (UEFA Champions League) | 0 | 1 (Supercopa de España) | 0 | 33 | 0 | |||
| Total | 217 | 2 | 25 | 0 | - | 51 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 297 | 3 | |||
| Trabzonspor | 2024-25 | Süper Lig | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | 3 (1 UEFA Europa League, 2 UEFA Conference League) | 0 | - | 12 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 369 | 9 | 39 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 76 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 494 | 11 | ||
5.2. International statistics
This section details Stefan Savić's international appearances and goals for the Montenegro national team.
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montenegro | |||
| 2010 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2011 | 8 | 2 | |
| 2012 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2014 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2015 | 7 | 1 | |
| 2016 | 4 | 1 | |
| 2017 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2018 | 4 | 1 | |
| 2019 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2020 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 3 | 2 | |
| 2023 | 8 | 2 | |
| 2024 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 73 | 9 | |
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 August 2011 | Loro Boriçi Stadium, Shkodër, Albania | 7 | Albania | 1-1 | 2-3 | Friendly |
| 2 | 2-1 | ||||||
| 3 | 8 September 2015 | Zimbru Stadium, Chișinău, Moldova | 33 | Moldova | 1-0 | 2-0 | UEFA Euro 2016 qualification |
| 4 | 8 October 2016 | Podgorica City Stadium, Podgorica, Montenegro | 38 | Kazakhstan | 5-0 | 5-0 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 5 | 10 September 2018 | Podgorica City Stadium, Podgorica, Montenegro | 50 | Lithuania | 1-0 | 2-0 | 2018-19 UEFA Nations League C |
| 6 | 17 November 2022 | Podgorica City Stadium, Podgorica, Montenegro | 63 | Slovakia | 1-2 | 2-2 | Friendly |
| 7 | 2-2 | ||||||
| 8 | 7 September 2023 | Darius and Girėnas Stadium, Kaunas, Lithuania | 69 | Lithuania | 2-1 | 2-2 | UEFA Euro 2024 qualification |
| 9 | 11 September 2023 | Podgorica City Stadium, Podgorica, Montenegro | 70 | Bulgaria | 1-0 | 2-1 | UEFA Euro 2024 qualification |
6. Honours
Stefan Savić has achieved numerous team and individual honors throughout his career.
6.1. Club honours
- BSK Borča
- Serbian First League: 2008-09
- Partizan
- Serbian SuperLiga: 2010-11
- Serbian Cup: 2010-11
- Manchester City
- Premier League: 2011-12
- FA Community Shield: 2012
- Fiorentina
- Coppa Italia runner-up: 2013-14
- Atlético Madrid
- La Liga: 2020-21
- UEFA Europa League: 2017-18
- UEFA Super Cup: 2018
- UEFA Champions League runner-up: 2015-16
6.2. Individual honours
- Serbian SuperLiga Team of the Season: 2010-11
- Montenegrin Footballer of the Year: 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023