Talking in October 2015 about Savićević's playing days, Vladimir Cvetković, Red Star Belgrade general secretary from the mid 1980s until 2001, said: "He really was a genius. When he felt like playing, that is. The problem is he frequently didn't feel like playing. But the things he did and the moves he pulled off, for example in Munich and Manchester, are a thing of beauty – truly unbelievable stuff. Kind of like what Messi is doing today, only with even more flair and style. Yes, Savićević had more flair and style than Messi does today".