Ivan "Ivica" Šurjak (born 23 March 1953) is a Croatian retired football midfielder. He was the driving force behind the success of Hajduk Split as it became a force in the Yugoslav First League in the 1970s. Club career He started his career as a left back, but with time learned total football, according to which all players can, during the ebb and flow of the match, slot into every position as needed. He continued his career at Paris Saint-Germain and Udinese, but turned down offers by the New York Cosmos and Real Madrid. He concluded his playing career in Spain at Real Zaragoza. International career Šurjak made his debut for Yugoslavia in an October 1973 World Cup qualification against Spain, coming on as a 61st-minute substitute for Petar Krivokuća, and earned a total of 54 caps, scoring 10 goals. His final international was a June 1982 FIFA World Cup match against Honduras. Post-playing career He served as a sports director at Hajduk Split of the Croatian First Football League from 1999 to 2003. Speedboat incident In July 1999, Šurjak killed a swimmer while driving a speedboat near the coast of Trogir (Croatia). The swimmer, Miroslav Didak, died a few days after the accident, while in a coma in the intensive care unit of the Firule hospital. Šurjak was subsequently cleared of any wrongdoing. Accomplishments Champion of Yugoslavia – 1974, 1975 and 1979 Co-champion of Yugoslavia – 1976 and 1981 Cup winner of Yugoslavia – 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976 and 1977 Coupe de France – 1982 54 caps for Yugoslavia, 10 goals scored between 1973 and 1982 Yugoslav Footballer of the Year – 1976 References External links 1953 births Living people Footballers from Split, Croatia Association football midfielders Yugoslav footballers Yugoslavia international footballers 1974 FIFA World Cup players UEFA Euro 1976 players 1982 FIFA World Cup players HNK Hajduk Split players Paris Saint-Germain F.C. players Udinese Calcio players Real Zaragoza players Yugoslav First League players Ligue 1 players Serie A players La Liga players Yugoslav expatriate footballers Expatriate footballers in France Yugoslav expatriate sportspeople in France Expatriate footballers in Italy Yugoslav expatriate sportspeople in Italy Expatriate footballers in Spain Yugoslav expatriate sportspeople in Spain