Đevad Prekazi died on Sunday in his apartment in Belgrade at the age of 70. The cause of his death is not known, but it is known that he had health problems in recent years, including two strokes. The first, in 2023, was successfully managed, while the second last year left consequences for his condition.
Prekazi is remembered as a legendary footballer who wore the shirts of several major clubs during his career. At Partizan, he was a midfielder and won the league title in 1978. His arrival in Split during the winter transfer window of the 1983/84 season was significant as he came as a star of the Belgrade club. He played for Hajduk from 1983 to 1985, during which period he won the Cup in 1984 in the final against Crvena zvezda. Although he did not win the league with Hajduk, he was particularly valued by manager Biće Mladinić and stood out as the man of the match in the encounter against Tottenham at White Hart Lane.
After Hajduk, Prekazi briefly played in the United States for Baltimore Blast in futsal, before signing for Turkish club Galatasaray. He played a total of 185 matches for Galatasaray and scored 40 goals, winning two consecutive Turkish league titles with the club in 1987 and 1988. He became a club icon at Galatasaray thanks to his dribbling, speed and lethal shot, earning the nickname the "magician" of football.
Đevad Prekazi remains remembered as one of the most important players of his generation, with an impressive career in three different countries and a major contribution to every club he played for. His footballing style and successes remain part of the football history of the region and beyond.
