Dejan Savić


Dejan Savić is a Serbian professional water polo coach and former player.
During his playing career, he was part of two Olympic bronze medal squads, one for [Yugoslavia at the 2000 Summer Olympics|FR Serbia and Montenegro|Yugoslavia at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney], the other for Serbia at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, and one Olympic silver medal squad for Serbia and Montenegro at the 2004 Olympics in Athens.
Savić started training with the Partizan water polo club at the age of five and he debuted for the first team at the age of thirteen, while still a pupil in elementary school. His last club was VK Crvena zvezda where he was team captain. He retired from active playing at the end of the 2010/11 season. At international level, Savić represented FR Yugoslavia, Serbia and Montenegro and Serbia, in 444 matches and scored 405 goals. He is the most capped player in Serbian water polo.
He began coaching VK Crvena zvezda in 2011 and stayed there until 2015. He also became head coach of the Serbia men's national water polo team in autumn 2012 and stayed until 2023.

Club career as coach

Crvena zvezda

In 2011, after finishing his long playing career, Savić remained with his club Crvena zvezda in the position of head coach. In 2015, Savić left the position in Crvena zvezda. In February 2022, he returned to Crvena zvezda as head coach.

National career

Savić is one of a few sportspeople who won Olympic medals in water polo as players and head coaches.

As player

Savić made his debut for the national team in 1994, during a time of sanctions for Yugoslavia, following All-Star selections in a tournament in Italy. He became the standard no. five player for the team almost without a break over the whole of his national career. Holding the record for the highest number of matches played, and also being a highly successful scorer, he is considered to be among the true legends of Serbian sports. During his career, he developed into the strongest pillar of Serbia's defense in front of the goal. With his power and imagination, he was a prominent member of the team. From 1997, Savić was part of the Yugoslav/Serbian water polo team in every competition in which they won a medal. In a duel with Montenegro at the 2008 Olympic Games, he was one of the players most responsible for Serbia's triumph when they won the bronze medal that year. Savić played his last match with the national team in China in 2011.

As coach

Savić was named as head coach of the Serbia national team after Dejan Udovičić left the position in 2012. Under Savić's leadership, the national team won the [Water polo at the Water polo at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament|2020 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament|2020] and [Water polo at the 2016 Men's European Water Polo Championship|2016 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament|2016 Olympic Games], the 2015 World Championship, three European Championships, and six World League titles. In little over twelve months, between August 2015 and August 2016, the Serbian national team won consecutively all four of the biggest titles in Water Polo – the 2015 World Championship, the 2016 European Championship, the 2016 World League, and the 2016 and 2020 Olympic Games – an unprecedented achievement.

Honours

As coach

Crvena zvezda

As player

Partizan

  • Yugoslavian Championship: 1994–95
  • Yugoslavia Cup: 1989–90, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95
  • LEN Cup: 1997–98
  • LEN Super Cup: 1991
  • LEN Cup Winners' Cup: 1990
  • Mediterranean Championship: 1989

CN Barcelona

  • Copa del Rey: 1998–9

CN Atlètic-Barceloneta

Rari Nantes Florentia

Pro Recco

Sintez Kazan

  • Russian Championship: 2006–07
  • Russian Cup: 2004–05, 2009–10
  • LEN Euro Cup: 2006–07

Individual honours

It was announced on 1 June 2010 that Dejan Savić won the national sports award, which includes lifetime monthly fees. Savić was honored for winning a silver medal at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.