Ivica Osim, former international and last coach of the Yugoslavian football team, who also played in France in the 1970s, died on Sunday at the age of 80, local media announced.
Born in Sarajevo, Osim, who would have turned 81 on May 6, died in Graz, Austria, according to Bosnian national television BHRT.
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Osim will be remembered as the legendary Strauss of Grbavica (named after the village where he grew up, editor's note), a high-level player and coach, but also as a great man and a patriot, endowed with charisma and unique moral qualities
,” wrote Sefik Dzaferovic, President of the Collegiate Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in a letter of condolence.
Midfielder, Osim began his professional career in 1959 at the Zeljeznicar Sarajevo club where he remained until 1968. In 1970 he left to play in France, Strasbourg (1970-72), Sedan (1972-75), Valenciennes (1975-76) then a final year in Strasbourg.
He has 16 selections (and 8 goals) for the Yugoslavian team, between 1964 and 1969.
Quarter-final at the World Cup 90
He then turned to a career as a coach, starting as when he was a player at Zeljeznicar Sarajevo, before being appointed coach of the national team of Yugoslavia (1986-92) which he led to the World Cup 90 in Italy, eliminated on penalties by Diego Maradona's Argentina in the quarter-finals.
He will be the last coach of Yugoslavia before the war which led to the break-up of the country.
Osim then coached Partizan Belgrade, Panathinaikos in Greece, Sturm Graz in Austria and JEF United in Japan, where he became coach (2006-07) before retiring due to health issues.