Ivan Osim, best known as Ivica Osim, was a Bosnian professional footballer and football manager.
32 Facts About Ivica Osim
2.
Ivica Osim is widely regarded as one of the greatest Bosnian football managers of all time and as one of the most influential football managers in the former Yugoslavia.
3.
Ivica Osim represented Yugoslavia at UEFA Euro 1968, where he won a silver medal and was voted into the Team of the Tournament.
4.
Ivica Osim was head coach of the Japan national team, before suffering a stroke in November 2007 and subsequently leaving the post.
5.
Ivica Osim died in May 2022, after years of health issues following his stroke.
6.
Ivica Osim was born during World War II in Sarajevo, precisely one month after the Nazi German invasion of Yugoslavia, to Slovene-German father Mihail "Puba" Ivica Osim, who worked as a machinist at the railways, and Polish-Czech mother Karolina.
7.
Ivica Osim was married to Asima and they had three children, two sons, Selmir and Amar, and daughter Irma.
8.
Since 1994, Ivica Osim had lived with his wife mostly in Graz, Austria.
9.
Ivica Osim began his professional career with hometown club Zeljeznicar in 1959.
10.
Ivica Osim is considered one of the best Bosnians to step on a football pitch and was known as a ruthless dribbler.
11.
Ivica Osim stayed in Yugoslavia until the end of 1968, as transfers abroad were prohibited for players under 28 at the time.
12.
In 1970, Ivica Osim signed with Strasbourg and played the rest of his career in France, playing for Valenciennes, Sedan and again at Strasbourg.
13.
Ivica Osim made his debut for Yugoslavia in an October 1964 Olympic Games match against Morocco, and has earned a total of 16 caps, scoring eight goals.
14.
Ivica Osim played at UEFA Euro 1968 where Yugoslavia reached the final, losing to Italy.
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Ivica Osim's final international game was an April 1969 World Cup qualification match away against Spain.
16.
When his playing career ended in 1978, Ivica Osim took the managing job at the club where he began playing, Zeljeznicar.
17.
Ivica Osim managed the club until 1986, and finished third in the Yugoslav championship once, reached the Yugoslav Cup final once and the UEFA Cup semi-finals once.
18.
Ivica Osim assisted Ivan Toplak, head coach of the Yugoslav Olympic team, at the 1984 Summer Olympics where Yugoslavia won the bronze medal.
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Ivica Osim's Yugoslavia rebounded in the 1990 FIFA World Cup qualification, finishing ahead of France and Scotland.
20.
Yugoslavia qualified for UEFA Euro 1992, but Ivica Osim resigned on 23 May 1992; as his family in Sarajevo faced bombardment during the Bosnian War.
21.
Ivica Osim became the new manager of Partizan in the summer of 1991, in parallel with coaching the Yugoslavia national team.
22.
In 1994, Heinz Schilcher, whom Ivica Osim had played with in Strasbourg, convinced him to manage Austrian club Sturm Graz.
23.
Ivica Osim led the Blackies to win the Austrian Bundesliga in 1998 and 1999, the Austrian Cup in 1996,1997 and 1999 and the Austrian Supercup in 1996,1998 and 1999.
24.
From 2003 to 2006, Ivica Osim was manager of JEF United Chiba of the J1 League and built a contender despite the club's modest means.
25.
On 21 July 2006, Ivica Osim was appointed head coach of the Japan national team, replacing Brazilian manager and former player Zico, who had resigned after the end of the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
26.
Ivica Osim served as head of the committee until 13 December 2012.
27.
On 16 November 2007, Ivica Osim suffered a stroke at his residence in Chiba, Japan while watching a friendly match between Austria and England on television.
28.
Ivica Osim was in a coma for almost three weeks during which time he was visited by notable people of world football like Michel Platini and Sepp Blatter among others.
29.
On 1 May 2022, Ivica Osim died at his home in Graz, Austria, five days short of his 81st birthday, after years of health issues following his stroke.
30.
Ivica Osim was buried in Sarajevo at the Bare Cemetery on 14 May 2022.
31.
Ivica Osim was survived by his wife Asima, their daughter Irma and their two sons, Selmir and Amar.
32.
Ivica Osim received the Sixth of April Sarajevo Award in 1990.