1. Overview
Stefan Savić (born January 9, 1994) is an Austrian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Bosnian club Borac Banja Luka. Throughout his career, he has played for numerous clubs across Europe, including Austrian giants Red Bull Salzburg, Croatian side Slaven Belupo, Slovenian champions Olimpija Ljubljana, Polish club Wisła Kraków, and Turkish team Tuzlaspor. Savić has achieved domestic success, winning the Austrian Football Bundesliga, Austrian Cup, Austrian Regionalliga, Slovenian PrvaLiga, and Slovenian Football Cup.
2. Early life and youth career
Savić's formative years in football began in his native Austria, where he quickly progressed through local and national youth systems.
2.1. Birth and personal background
Stefan Savić was born on January 9, 1994, in Salzburg, Austria. He stands at a height of 67 in (169 cm).
2.2. Youth career
Savić started his football journey at his local club, Lieferinger SV, playing there from 2001 to 2004. In 2005, he joined the esteemed youth academy of Red Bull Salzburg, a prominent club in Austrian football, where he continued his development until 2010.
3. Club career
Savić's professional club career has spanned several countries, beginning in Austria before moving to leagues in Croatia, Slovenia, Poland, Turkey, and Bosnia. This section details his journey through various clubs and his significant contributions.
3.1. Early professional career
From 2004 to 2005, Savić made 5 appearances for Lieferinger SV without scoring any goals. In 2010, he began playing for Red Bull Salzburg Juniors, the second team of Red Bull Salzburg, where he participated in 36 matches and scored 9 goals until 2012. In 2011, he made one appearance for Red Bull Salzburg's first squad, being substituted at halftime. On August 27, 2012, he signed with FC Liefering. During the 2012-2013 season, while on loan at FC Liefering, he played in 22 matches and netted 6 goals. He continued with FC Liefering in 2014, adding 35 appearances and 5 goals to his record. In 2015, he joined LASK Linz, playing 14 matches, and also had a brief loan spell at FC Juniors OÖ / LASK Juniors, where he made one appearance.
3.2. Career in Croatia and Slovenia
In 2015, Savić moved to Croatia, signing with Slaven Belupo. He spent two years with the Croatian team, from 2015 to 2017, making 55 appearances and scoring 5 goals. In 2017, he briefly joined Dutch club Roda JC Kerkrade, though he did not make any official appearances. Later in 2017, he transferred to Slovenian club Olimpija Ljubljana. During his tenure from 2017 to 2020, Savić became a key player for Olimpija, appearing in 104 matches and scoring 17 goals across all competitions.
3.3. Career in Poland and Turkey
On August 6, 2020, Savić signed a two-year contract with Polish Ekstraklasa club Wisła Kraków. He played for Wisła Kraków from 2020 to 2022, accumulating 52 appearances and scoring 5 goals. Following his time in Poland, he moved to Turkey, joining Tuzlaspor in 2022. He played 7 matches for Tuzlaspor during the 2022-2023 season.
3.4. Recent career
After his spell in Turkey, Savić returned to Poland to play for Warta Poznań in 2023. More recently, as of July 2024, Stefan Savić currently plays for Bosnian club Borac Banja Luka.
3.5. Club statistics
| Club | Season | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lieferinger SV | 2004-2005 | 5 | 0 |
| Red Bull Salzburg Juniors | 2010-2012 | 36 | 9 |
| Red Bull Salzburg | 2010-2013 | 2 | 0 |
| FC Liefering | 2012-2013 (loan) | 22 | 6 |
| FC Liefering | 2014 | 35 | 5 |
| LASK Linz | 2015 | 14 | 0 |
| FC Juniors OÖ / LASK Juniors | 2015 (loan) | 1 | 0 |
| Slaven Belupo | 2015-2017 | 55 | 5 |
| Roda JC Kerkrade | 2017 | 0 | 0 |
| Olimpija Ljubljana | 2017-2020 | 104 | 17 |
| Wisła Kraków | 2020-2022 | 52 | 5 |
| Tuzlaspor | 2022-2023 | 7 | 0 |
| Warta Poznań | 2023- | - | - |
| Borac Banja Luka | 2024- | - | - |
4. International youth career
Savić has represented Austria at several youth national team levels, demonstrating his talent from a young age.
- Austria U-16: 2009-2010, 4 appearances, 1 goal.
- Austria U-17: 2010-2011, 7 appearances, 1 goal.
- Austria U-18: 2011, 2 appearances, 0 goals.
- Austria U-19: 2012, 5 appearances, 1 goal.
5. Honours
Savić has collected several team honors throughout his club career:
- Red Bull Salzburg
- Austrian Bundesliga: 2011-12
- Austrian Cup: 2011-12
- FC Liefering
- Austrian Regionalliga West: 2012-13
- Olimpija Ljubljana
- Slovenian PrvaLiga: 2017-18
- Slovenian Football Cup: 2017-18, 2018-19
6. Playing style
Stefan Savić primarily plays as a central midfielder. His versatility on the field also allows him to effectively operate as an attacking midfielder or a winger, contributing to both offensive and defensive plays.
