Sergej Barbarez

On 5 January 2010, Barbarez received his UEFA Pro Licence in Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina's educational facility in Jablanica, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Barbarez announced on 14 December 2009 that he wanted to coach the Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team to the UEFA Euro 2012. However, the Football Association of Republika Srpska blocked his entry and later on, Safet Sušić was selected as new coach of the Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team.

On 17 May 2006, he signed a two-year deal with Bayer Leverkusen.

On 12 October 2006, Barbarez officially stepped down from playing for the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team and retired permanently from professional football in June 2008.

Before he retired from international football on 13 October 2005, Barbarez was the captain and leader of the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team.

On 2 December 2005, he announced his comeback to the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team and played in the EURO 2008 qualifiers. He became captain of the team once again.

In the 2000–01 Bundesliga season while playing for Hamburger SV, Barbarez was joint top scorer with 22 goals with Ebbe Sand of FC Schalke 04 at the end of the season.

During the first season with Hamburger SV, Barbarez became the top scorer for his club with 22 goals and joint top scorer of the Bundesliga with Ebbe Sand. Though Barbarez could not help Hamburg's elimination from the 2000–01 Champions League at the group stages despite his two goals, when the club qualified for that competition for the first time, after a third place in the previous domestic Bundesliga season.

From 1998, Barbarez played for Borussia Dortmund where he stayed until signing with Hamburger SV in July 2000.

On 14 May 1998, Barbarez made his debut for the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team against Argentina in a friendly match.

Barbarez is married to his high-school sweetheart Ana, who is from Mostar. They have two sons together, Filip-André (born 1994) and Sergio-Luis (1999).

In April 1992, the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina escalated in the city of Mostar. A month prior of the actual war, the father and sister of Barbarez fled with his high school sweetheart Ana to the city of Hannover in Germany. Barbarez's mother Zlata stayed in Mostar throughout the whole War in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Some six years later, Barbarez signed with the first team of FK Velež at the age of 19. However, briefly after, Barbarez served in the Yugoslav People's Army in Zagreb in 1991 before returning to Mostar to continue his career. In 1991, Sergej Barbarez returned to FK Velež and soon after everyone realized that Barbarez was a true talent.

Barbarez played for Hannover 96 during the second half of the 1991–92 and the whole 1992–93 season. Between 1993 and 1996, Barbarez played for 1. FC Union Berlin at the third level before signing with Hansa Rostock. Barbarez played here between 1996 and 1998.

In 1984, Barbarez took a step further and started playing football for the youth team of FK Velež in his native city of Mostar.

Sergej Barbarez (born 17 September 1971) is a Bosnian former professional footballer who played for several clubs in the German Bundesliga and the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team. He is considered as one of the all-time great players of Hamburger SV where he scored 65 goals in 174 Bundesliga games. Mainly used as a second striker, he also played as an attacking midfielder or left winger.