He came to Crvena zvezda as a fifteen-year-old, after a masterfully played junior tournament in Valjevo, where he was noticed by the "talent hunters" of the biggest clubs. After moving to Belgrade, it took Džajić only six months to earn a call to the senior team, and the fact that the then coach Miša Pavić gave the "grandmaster" a chance on June 8, 1963 in a match with Podgorica Budućnost will remain as an important historical fact.
Slender, with a long stride, elegant in every movement, incomprehensibly fast with filigree technique of dribbling and kicking, Džajić, although distinctly brilliant left foot, was a complete player of the world's greatest talent. He masterfully knew how to swing in front of the opponent in a full race, to catch him helpless on the "wrong leg" and rush towards the goal. In those moments, a goal or an assist was almost inevitable.
He won his first title in the red and white jersey in the following season in 1964, and he will be remembered as the leader of the generation that was the first in history to score a hat-trick in the league of the former Yugoslavia (1968, 1969, 1970). He won his fifth championship title in 1973, and in addition, he also lifted the cup intended for the winner of the national cup four times. After leaving the most trophy-winning Serbian club, the once best left winger in the world added two years of foreign career to his biography. So he spent 1975 and the following season in the French first league club Bastia, for which he played 80 matches. This was followed by a return to the red and white team, for which he played until the farewell match on May 28, 1978 in Mostar. Statistics say that he recorded a record 590 matches in Zvezda's jersey and scored 287 goals. He set a number of club records, which will be difficult to surpass.
He wore the national jersey of Yugoslavia 85 times, scoring 23 goals. From October 11, 1972, he held the record for the number of games for the "blue ones" until October 2004. He made his debut on June 17, 1964 against Romania, and said goodbye to the national team on September 16, 1979 in a match against Argentina. He played at the European Championships in 1968 in Italy, where he was most deserving of winning the vice-championship title, as well as in Yugoslavia in 1976. He was a participant in the 1974 World Cup in Germany. He played four times for the European team (Lisbon 1970, Moscow 1972, Hamburg and Basel 1973) and twice for the world team (Rio 1968 and Paris 1969).
Amancio, Overat, Beckenbauer, Marsolini and I played very well, but we still owed the Brazilians something. The only one, however, who completely conquered the Brazilians was the Yugoslav Dragan Džajić. We were all kind of extras and in his shadow
Džaja was one of the most respected footballers of the 20th century, he played many spectacular matches, scored 300 phenomenal and decisive goals, many from free kicks. He was deservedly chosen as the best player of Serbia and Yugoslavia in the last century. UEFA chose the ideal team of the 20th century for the celebration of its 50th anniversary, and Džaja was among the 50 footballers.
After a more than successful playing career, in 1979, at the suggestion of the Crvena zvezda management, Džaja sat in the technical director's chair. Twelve years later, by winning the title of champion of Europe and the world in 1991, together with his colleagues, Dragan Džajić wrote the most beautiful page in the history of our club and Serbian club football. In addition to the position of technical director, the grandmaster of dribbling has been the president of the club for two terms (1998-2004, 2012-2014) since 1998. As director and president of Crvena zvezda, he won 11 championships, eight cups, the Champions Cup and the Intercontinental Cup.
Since December 2014, by decision of the Crvena zvezda Assembly, Džajić was elected as the honorary president of Crvena zvezda. His knowledge, experience, calmness and lucidity helped the club's management to return the club not only to the pedestal in Serbia, but also to the European map, where the group stages of the Europa League and the Champions League were played consecutively for the last seven years. In his honor, the number 11 jersey was retired.
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