“I miss Bern – I’m hungry for football”

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Miralem Sulejmani is in joyous anticipation – and in two ways. On the one hand, his wife is heavily pregnant, on the other hand, an exciting offer may flutter in at the end of his career. “I still have a lot of football in me, but right now I’m really enjoying being there for my family,” says Sulejmani. A few months ago he found a new home outside Belgrade.

After the birth of his third child, Sulejmani hopes to finally find a new club. The 34-year-old winger, who last attacked for Young Boys, is not yet finished with his career. «After I left, I first enjoyed all the free time I had. But now I have discovered that I want to keep playing football.”

Despite his successes, he is aware that he was born in 1988 and is almost a football dinosaur and will probably not be able to find a top club again. With humor he takes the picture in Jurassic Park in front of the old city walls of Belgrade. “I’m still as hungry as these dinosaurs,” Sulejmani jokes as he strolls past the tyrannosaurus. “The T-Rex is my favorite dinosaur. He attacks a lot.”

Sulejmani laughs as he makes the metaphor, but the comparison is entirely justified. During the interview in front of the camera, a bee dances on his nose. With a quick swipe, he puts YB’s animal reincarnation to flight and says, “We’ll do that again.” The annoying bee is gone, yellow-black and YB remains the key word. “I still carry YB in my heart.” And that has several reasons.

The most successful YB player in history

He collected five of his 14 trophies alone with the Young Boys. He was one of only six players to play in the golden era between 2018 and 2021. His statistics make him the most successful player in club history. For Bern, he scored 47 goals and distinguished himself with 55 assists – a club record. He says he is “particularly proud” of the quota as a precise compass. “I had a key role in this team and played a lot of games.”

In the end it was 219 competitive games for the Young Boys. After seven glorious years with four championship titles and a cup win, the agile winger was allowed to lead his team onto the field as captain. That was almost a year ago when he stood in front of the yellow and black Berner block at the last home game of the season with a standing ovation and loud chants and wiped the tears from his eyes. “It was very emotional, but I also had a really good time with YB.”

He experienced his biggest goosebumps moment in the spring of 2018 against FC Luzern, when he provided the template for Jean-Pierre Nsame’s 2-1 winning goal and YB became champion again after 32 years. “The feeling after the final whistle was incredible. The stadium and people panicked and celebrated us as heroes,” says Sulejmani, “these memories will last a lifetime.”

Sulejmani ended FC Basel’s era with YB

The former Serbia international will become a symbol of victory in Bern. The seemingly eternal desire for success finds rest in Sulejmani’s character. He always becomes the protagonist of the famous YB quarter – the dominant final phase in which the decisive goals are scored. That was the case in his first game in 2017 against FC Basel, when he made the decision in the 80th minute with a sensitive free kick.

This goal was the beginning of the end of FCB’s reign in past history, with eight championship titles in a row. From then on, YB dominated the Super League. And the Baslers also had to lose out in the cup when the final was lost to the Berner in 2020 and YB managed to achieve the double after 62 years.

The total triumph, closely linked to this brilliant left foot, who came from Benfica Lisbon in 2015 for a reported 3.5 million francs and caused astonished faces in training for his magnetic ball handling.

Striker Guillaume Hoarau was someone who, as a buyer, benefited from his crosses and assists. He once said, “Sulejmani was the most creative football player I ever played with.” His ingenious technique quickly earned him respect – even if he wasn’t a screamer. Compared to the “Berner Zeitung”, the former YB captain described the magic foot as a silent leader. “Sulejmani let his performance speak for itself. When he got the ball, something came out of him.”

“My family is still a fan of YB”

The fact that the transfer of the king, with his modest and friendly manner, hardly said a word on and off the field, was also due to the language used in the beginning. He mastered perfect English, Portuguese also a little. But he still had to learn French, let alone German.

Shortly after his arrival in Bern, his son not only goes to school, but the management around sports director Fredy Bickel also sends him to lessons. “He told me to go to German school until the journalists understood me.”

He still benefits from that today – and is happy about it. “I’m still in touch with YB and I miss Bern.” He still watches the YB games from a distance – even with his wife and child. “My family really enjoyed their time in Bern. You’re still a fan of YB. That says a lot,’ says Sulejmani and dries his wet eyes.

There are no tears, only drops of sweat from the scorching midday sun that shines on his face. “Vitamin D – that’s good for your health!” So his good-natured comment to the camera; and means the bright light that ensures a strong immune system. For his well-being, he would also need a large portion of vitamin B in the future – applied to football, of course. A relationship that leads to him finding a new club next season.

As a teenager alone with the bus to Belgrade

It is his biggest thought to be back on the field. And he keeps himself in shape every day – with his own training program. “I try everything to keep fit and look at all options in the summer.” He is supported by his father, who used to be a football player with GSP Polet in Belgrade and who encouraged him as a small child.

Raised in Batajnica, 20 kilometers from the capital, with a sister two years older, the modest apartment soon becomes too small and the dream of becoming a professional as a teenager continues to grow. “My father quickly noticed that I had talent,” says Sulejmani, describing how he later went to Belgrade alone four times a week as a teenager to get out of puberty and start working at FK Partizan.

For 20 million francs to Ajax

At the age of 16 he played his first game in the first team and a year later he received his first offers from abroad. He moves him to the Netherlands to SC Heerenveen. “The first time without mom and dad – it wasn’t easy for me.” Homesickness gives way to focus on success. “I knew what I wanted.” The little football artist plays big in the Erendivisie.

A season, 14 goals and 10 assists later, he moves to Ajax Amsterdam for the equivalent of CHF 20 million. “A world club with high expectations,” said Sulejmani, who was named football talent of the year in the Netherlands in 2008. “In the beginning it was not easy for me. The pressure was enormous. The fans are impatient because the club has not won a championship for a long time,” said Sulejmani.

Used as a false nine at Heerenveen, he becomes a winger at Ajax and scores in almost every third game. Ajax ended a seven-year losing streak with the number 30 title in club history. “The third star on the jersey was something very special.” A good moment for Sulejmani as well. Media reports of offers from England – especially Arsenal and Liverpool.

Shoulder injury as fate

Problems with the non-EU citizen’s work permit prevent him from reaching the Premier League. A disappointment. And it gets even worse: a meniscus injury puts the wonderboy sidelined for a long time after the operation. The contract is about to expire and Sulejmani is looking for a new challenge. He found what he was looking for with Benfica Lisbon, where he signed for five years and took the double in his first season. “Everything went smoothly again,” recalls Sulejmani.

It was almost enough for a triple. Benfica reached the final of the Europa League. A devastating final for the then 26-year-old Serbian. After just 20 minutes he injured his shoulder ligament and was replaced by a pained face. Again surgery is needed. “The doctors had to cut my shirt open so that I could even get out of the shirt,” Sulejmani describes the blow of fate. He’s been gone for five months.

Tattoos all over the body

He misses the preparation for the new season and the connection in the team. Again he has to look carefully and finds a small address with great interest in YB. With Loris Benito he has a Swiss at Benfica who is well acquainted with the country and the competition. He looks at Bern and the Wankdorf and is enthusiastic about this sheltered housing. “I really liked the city and the club from the very beginning,” says Sulejmani. “Quality of life was also important to my family.”

Even today, more than ever before, he put the family at the forefront when it comes to organizing thoughts for the future. But it won’t stop him from taking another unusual step in football. Although Switzerland is the obvious choice, an Arabian excursion or an adventure in Asia will also appeal to him. This is evidenced by the many Japanese tattoos all over the body. However, there would still be room for an original motif from the Orient.

Source : Blick