Budimir Vujačić

Budimir Vujačić
Personal information
Date of birth (1964-01-04) 4 January 1964 (age 60)
Place of birth Titograd, SFR Yugoslavia
Height 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position(s) Defender
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1982–1983 Petrovac
1983–1985 Obilić
1985–1987 SC Freiburg 76 (4)
1988–1989 Vojvodina 41 (8)
1989–1993 Partizan 115 (10)
1993–1997 Sporting CP 62 (7)
1997–1998 Vissel Kobe 14 (0)
International career
1989–1996 FR Yugoslavia[note 1] 12 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Budimir Vujačić (born 4 January 1964) is a Montenegrin former professional footballer.[2] Mainly a left-back, he could also operate as a centre-back.

Club career

Born in Titograd, Montenegro, Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Vujačić grew up in Petrovac na Moru, and began his football career with local outfit OFK Petrovac. In 1985, aged 21, he moved abroad, playing three solid seasons for SC Freiburg in the 2. Bundesliga.

In January 1988, Vujačić returned home and signed with FK Vojvodina. He was a member of the team that won the Yugoslav First League in 1989. In June 1989. he joined FK Partizan. At the Belgrade outfit, he was an everpresent defensive figure (also contributing with ten league goals during his spell), as the team won one cup and the first edition of the championship after the creation of Serbia and Montenegro, with Partizan leading second-placed neighbours Red Star by 14 points, whilst only conceding 20 goals in 36 matches.

Vujačić then joined Sporting CP, winning the Portuguese Cup in the only season in which he was a regular starter (29 matches, two goals). He retired from football in 1998 at the age of 34, after a short spell in Japan with Vissel Kobe.

International career

Vujačić made his senior national team debut for SFR Yugoslavia on 27 May 1989, in a friendly match against Belgium (1–0 loss in Brussels) – he played the entire second half. He was later included to UEFA Euro 1992,[3] but the nation would be suspended due to the Yugoslav Wars. In total, he gained a total of 12 caps (eight plus four for the newly created FR Yugoslavia), but did not attend any major international tournament. His final international was a December 1996 friendly match away against Argentina.[4]

Post-playing career

Following his retirement, Vujačić served as scout for Manchester United,[5] and was responsible for bringing Nemanja Vidić, Zoran Tošić and Adem Ljajić to the club's attention.[6][7]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League
Division Apps Goals
SC Freiburg 1985–86 2. Bundesliga 33 1
1986–87 24 1
1987–88 19 2
Total 76 4
Vojvodina 1987–88 Yugoslav First League 10 1
1988–89 31 7
Total 41 8
Partizan 1989–90 Yugoslav First League 27 2
1990–91 33 3
1991–92 29 1
1992–93 Serbian SuperLiga 26 4
Total 115 10
Sporting CP 1993–94 Primeira Liga 16 2
1994–95 28 2
1995–96 17 3
1996–97 1 0
Total 62 7
Vissel Kobe 1997 J1 League 14 0
1998 0 0
Total 14 0
Career total 308 29

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
SFR Yugoslavia 1989 4 0
1990 0 0
1991 3 0
1992 1 0
FR Yugoslavia 1993 0 0
1994 0 0
1995 2 0
1996 2 0
Total 12 0

Honours

Sporting CP

Notes

  1. ^ Including 8 caps for SFR Yugoslavia.[1]

References

  1. ^ Budimir Vujačić at Reprezentacija.rs (in Serbian)
  2. ^ Vujacic: «Para haver tantos sportinguistas, tem de ser amor» maisfutebol.iol.pt
  3. ^ "Pancev también renuncia a la Eurocopa". Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 25 May 1992. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  4. ^ "Player Database". eu-football.info. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  5. ^ Kay, Oliver (13 January 2009). "United on trail of more Serbian talent". The Times. London: Times Newspapers. Retrieved 9 March 2009.[dead link‍]
  6. ^ Vidic Exclusive: How I Signed For Man Utd | Partnership With Rio | Winning The Champions League, retrieved 25 April 2023
  7. ^ Wilson, Jonathan (April 2009). "They came from Serbia". Inside United (201). Teddington: Haymarket Network: 41. ISSN 1749-6497.
  8. ^ "«Táctica do pirilau» hipoteca aspirações insulares". record.pt. 10 June 2001. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
  9. ^ "Histórico da Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira" [Supercup Cândido de Oliveira all-time record] (PDF) (in Portuguese). Portuguese Football Federation. 11 August 2012. p. 10. Retrieved 16 April 2024.