| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 4 March 1962 | ||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Sarajevo, SFR Yugoslavia | ||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Defender | ||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||
| FK Sarajevo | |||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | ||||||||||||
| 1979–1988 | FK Željezničar | 187 | (20) | ||||||||||||
| 1988–1992 | FC Sion | 126 | (41) | ||||||||||||
| 1992–1993 | FC Zürich | 31 | (8) | ||||||||||||
| 1994 | FC Luzern | ||||||||||||||
| National team | |||||||||||||||
| 1984–1990 | Yugoslavia | 29 | (3) | ||||||||||||
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Honours
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| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals). |
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Mirsad "Žvaka" Baljić (born 4 March 1962 in Sarajevo) is a former Yugoslav and Bosnian football player who played as an offensive full-back
He got his nickname Žvaka (chewing gum) for his constant use of chewing gum during the game.
He made his first football steps in FK Sarajevo youth team before temporarily leaving football because of medical problems. When he returned he went to FK Željezničar, and as one of their more talented youngsters, he got the opportunity to play in first team. His league debut came in 1980 when he was aged 18. His biggest success at the club was reaching the UEFA Cup semifinals in 1984-1985 season under the guidance of Ivica Osim. He played in junior, Under-21 and olympic team of Yugoslavia. Later good form for FK Željezničar secured him a place in Yugoslav national football team for which he played 29 games and scored 3 goals. He was part of a 1990 FIFA World Cup Yugoslav squad.
His famous trademark was move called Biciklo (bicycle). It is move in which player first move one leg around the ball, then other leg the same and if needed (read:anticipated) first leg again and in the end move the ball to the side other than moved leg (left or right...it depends). If correctly made this move is 100% sure to trick the opponent player. Even if he knows what to expect. Best defence against this is not to react and just to follow the ball.
In 1988 he moved to Swiss side FC Sion and stayed there until 1992, before leaving to join FC Zürich. After two seasons there he left to FC Luzern.
He lives and works in Switzerland. His son Omar Baljić is also a footballer, and has played for Swiss national youth teams.[1]
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