Edin Sprečo Explained

Edin Sprečo
Fullname:Edin Sprečo
Birth Date:19 April 1947
Birth Place:Sarajevo, FPR Yugoslavia
Position:Striker
Youthyears1:1959–1964
Youthclubs1:Željezničar
Years1:1964–1975
Clubs1:Željezničar
Caps1:199
Goals1:61
Years2:1975–1976
Clubs2:NAC Breda
Caps2:25
Goals2:7
Years3:1976–1977
Clubs3:Željezničar
Caps3:4
Goals3:0
Years4:1977–1979
Clubs4:Rennes
Caps4:35
Goals4:18
Years5:1979–1981
Clubs5:Iskra Bugojno
Caps5:38
Goals5:9
Totalcaps:301
Totalgoals:95
Nationalyears1:1967–1969
Nationalteam1:Yugoslavia
Nationalcaps1:3
Nationalgoals1:2

Edin Sprečo (19 April 1947 – 12 May 2020) was a Bosnian professional footballer who played as a winger.

Club career

Born in Sarajevo, SFR Yugoslavia, present day Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sprečo started playing football for the youth team of hometown club Željezničar when he was 12. At the age of 17, he made his debut for the first team. Sprečo scored two goals in his first game and it was clear that he would become a great player.[1]

He played 199 league games and scored 61 goals for Željezničar. In total, Sprečo played in 234 games and managed to score 75 goals. He was a member of the Željezničar team that won the Yugoslav First League title in the 1971–72 season. In 1975, Sprečo turned 28 and he was allowed to go abroad, as it was prohibited for under-28 players to leave the domestic clubs at the time. He went to Dutch Eredivisie club NAC Breda.[1] He played in Holland alongside compatriots Miroslav Vardić and Nikola Budišić, finishing in 11th place in the Eredivisie.[2]

He also played for, at the time, French Ligue 2 club Rennes making his debut against AS Brestoise on 8 January 1978.[3] Sprečo finished his career at the age of 34 in 1981, while playing for Iskra Bugojno.[1]

International career

Sprečo earned 3 caps for the Yugoslavia national team and also scored two goals while playing for the national team from 1967 to 1969.[1] He scored his first goal for Yugoslavia on 12 November 1967, in a 4–0 win against Albania in a UEFA Euro 1968 qualifying match.[4] His final international was a June 1969 World Cup qualification match away against Finland.[5]

Career statistics

Club

Source:[6]

+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueCupContinentalTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Željezničar1964–65Yugoslav First League2020
1965–66Yugoslav First League2020
1966–67Yugoslav First League197197
1967–68Yugoslav First League26132613
1968–69Yugoslav First League24122412
1969–70Yugoslav First League6060
1970–71Yugoslav First League337337
1971–72Yugoslav First League32584409
1972–73Yugoslav First League3110213311
1973–74Yugoslav First League157157
1974–75Yugoslav First League7070
1975–76Yugoslav First League2020
Total1996110520966
NAC Breda1975–76Eredivisie25710267
Željezničar1976–77Yugoslav First League400040
Rennes1977–78Ligue 29494
1978–79Ligue 226142614
Total35183518
Iskra Bugojno1979–80Yugoslav Second League236236
1980–81Yugoslav Second League153153
Total389389
Career total3019510105312100

International

Source:[6]

National teamYearAppsGoals
Yugoslavia
196721
196800
196911
Total32

International goals

Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 12 November 1967 1–0 4–0
2. 4 June 1969 4–1 5–1 1970 FIFA World Cup qualification
Source:

Death

Sprečo died at the age of 73 in his hometown of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina on 12 May 2020.[7]

Honours

Player

Željezničar

1971–72

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Edin Sprečo. 1 August 2019. Bosnian. Nedim Kreštalica. 1921.ba.
  2. https://www.bndestem.nl/nac/edin-spreco-een-kanjer-van-een-spits~ad24c5fa/ Edin Sprečo: een kanjer van een spits
  3. https://www.stade-rennais-online.com/Edin-Spreco.html Profile
  4. Web site: Yugoslavia 4–0 Albania. 12 November 1967. 20 April 2020. English. uefa.com.
  5. Web site: Player Database. eu-football.info. 2021-05-22.
  6. Web site: Edin Sprečo. 20 April 2020. English. National-Football-Teams.com.
  7. Web site: Preminuo Edin Sprečo, legendarni nogometaš Željezničara. 12 May 2020. 12 May 2020. Bosnian. N.K.. Klix.ba.