Hasan Salihamidžić recounts escape to Germany during Yugoslav Wars

Former Bayern Munich and Juventus player Hasan Salihamidžić shared details of his difficult journey to Germany during the onset of the war in the former Yugoslavia. Speaking at the Simposar sports conference, Salihamidžić recounted how he traveled from Sarajevo to Belgrade for cadet national team preparations, only to find himself unable to return home due to the escalating conflict.

He described a pivotal moment when, at age 15, he was traveling by bus from Zadar toward Dortmund for a trial. During a border check between Croatia and Slovenia, armed soldiers demanded passports. As the only passenger without one, he was ordered off the bus. Salihamidžić noted that after offering a portion of the 800 German marks his father had given him, a soldier kindly told him to keep the money and allowed him to proceed. He credited this encounter with enabling his professional football career.