Ivan Mršić (born August 1, 1949), also known as John Mrsic and Big J, is a Yugoslav retired

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

er. Born in

Teslić Teslić ( sr-cyrl, Теслић) is a town in Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is situated in the central part of Republika Srpska, on the banks of the Usora (river), Usora River. As of 2013, the town has a population of 7,518 inhabita ...

SR Bosnia and Herzegovina The Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Socijalistička Republika Bosna i Hercegovina, Социјалистичка Pепублика Босна и Херцеговина), commonly referred to as Socia ...

Yugoslavia , common_name = Yugoslavia , life_span = 1918–19921941–1945: World War II in Yugoslavia#Axis invasion and dismemberment of Yugoslavia, Axis occupation , p1 = Kingdom of SerbiaSerbia , flag_p ...

, he began his career in 1963, with local club

FK Proleter Teslić Fudbalski klub Proleter Teslić (Serbian Cyrillic: Фудбалски клуб Пpoлeтep Tecлић) is a football club from Teslić, in Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. They play in the second division of the Republika Srpska championshi ...

. He was picked up by bigger club

FK Borac Banja Luka Fudbalski klub Borac Banja Luka (Serbian Cyrillic alphabet, Serbian Cyrillic: Фудбалски клуб Бopaц Бања Лука, ) is a Bosnian Serb professional association football, football club, based in the city of Banja Luka, Republika ...

the next season. He turned down an offer from Croatian Giants

HNK Hajduk Split Hrvatski Nogometni klub Hajduk Split, commonly referred to as Hajduk Split (), is a Croatian professional Association football, football Football team, club based in Split, Croatia, Split, that competes in the Croatian First Football League, Cro ...

and went on to play with many Yugoslav clubs including three first division clubs

NK Olimpija Ljubljana Nogometni klub Olimpija Ljubljana (; ), commonly referred to as Olimpija Ljubljana or simply Olimpija, is a Slovenian professional football club based in Ljubljana that competes in the Slovenian PrvaLiga, the top division of the Slovenian foot ...

FK Radnički Kragujevac FK or fk may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Flyer Killer, fictional automated robots in the ''Terminator'' film franchise * Fox Kids, a former American children's television programming block * Funky Kong, a video game character Place * F ...

, and Yugoslav powerhouse

FK Partizan Fudbalski klub Partizan ( sr-Cyrl, Фудбалски клуб Партизан, ; ), often referred to in English as Partizan Belgrade, is a Serbian professional Football club (association football), football club based in Belgrade. It forms ...

although only playing two matches, both friendly. He finished his European career playing with

FK Spartak Subotica Fudbalski klub Spartak Ždrepčeva Krv () is a professional football club from Subotica, Serbia, that plays in the Serbian SuperLiga. The club was founded in 1945 and was named after Jovan Mikić Spartak, the leader of the Partisans in Subotic ...

and

FK Pelister FK Pelister () is a professional football club based in the city of Bitola, North Macedonia. They are currently competing in the Macedonian First League. History FK Pelister was originally formed in 1945. In 1946, they won the Bitola regional ...

in the

Yugoslav Second League Yugoslav Second League ( Bosnian: ''Druga savezna liga,'' Croatian: ''Druga savezna liga'', Serbian: ''Друга савезна лига'', Slovenian: ''Druga zvezna liga'', Macedonian: ''Втора сојузна лига'', ''Vtora sojuzna l ...

before coming and playing professional in the United States for

Fort Lauderdale Strikers Fort Lauderdale Strikers may refer to: *Fort Lauderdale Strikers (1977–1983), member of North American Soccer League from 1977 to 1983 *Fort Lauderdale Strikers (1988–1994) The Fort Lauderdale Strikers were an American soccer team establishe ...

in 1978. After a season he went on to play for ASL's Columbus Magic He also played in the

National Soccer League The National Soccer League (NSL) was the top-level soccer league in Australia, run by Soccer Australia and later the Australian Soccer Association. The NSL, the A-League's predecessor, spanned 28 seasons from its inception in 1977 until its ...

in the summer of 1976 with the

Serbian White Eagles Serbian White Eagles Football Club (/''Fudbalski klub Srpski beli orlovi'') is a Canadian semi-professional Association football, soccer team. The team is a member of the Canadian Soccer League, a Non-FIFA international football, non-FIFA sanct ...

and Windsor Stars. In 1981, Mršić signed with the Cleveland Force of the Major Indoor Soccer League. He then moved to Canada where he finished his career with

Toronto Croatia C.N.S.C. Toronto Croatia (Croatian National Sports Club Toronto Croatia) is a Canadian soccer team based in Toronto, Ontario, that plays in the Supergroup Open Division in the Canadian Academy of Football. The team's colours are red, white and b ...

. His son, Simon Mrsic, born 1991, is also a footballer, and has played with

San Jose Earthquakes The San Jose Earthquakes are an American professional association football, soccer club based in San Jose, California. The Earthquakes compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference (MLS), Western Conference. Origin ...

reserve team and of

NK Osijek Nogometni klub Osijek (), commonly referred to as NK Osijek (), is a Croatian professional association football, football sports club, club from Osijek. Founded in 1947, it was the club from Slavonia with the most seasons in the Yugoslav First Le ...

FK Rudar Prijedor Fudbalski klub Rudar Prijedor (Serbian Cyrillic: Фудбалски клуб Pудаp Пpиjeдop) is a professional football club from the city of Prijedor that is situated in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Rudar plays in the Premier League of Bosnia ...

and

OFK Bačka OFK Bačka (Serbian Cyrillic: ОФК Бачка) is a football club based in Bačka Palanka, Serbia, that competes in the Serbian League Vojvodina. In 2016, the club achieved promotion to the Serbian SuperLiga. It is known as one of the most su ...

.Simon Mršić: Mi smo momci iz Palanke, ostaćemo u eliti
at vesti.meridianbet.rs, 2-5-2017, retrieved 4-5-2017

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Mrsic, Ivan 1949 births Living people People from Teslić Footballers from Banja Luka Region Men's association football forwards Yugoslav men's footballers FK Proleter Teslić players FK Borac Banja Luka players JŠK Slavija Osijek players NK Olimpija Ljubljana (1945–2005) players FK Partizan players FK Radnički 1923 players FK Sloga Meridian players NK Jedinstvo Bihać players FK Spartak Subotica players FK Pelister players Serbian White Eagles FC players Fort Lauderdale Strikers (1977–1983) players Columbus Magic players Cleveland Force (original MISL) players Toronto Croatia players Yugoslav First League players Yugoslav Second League players American Soccer League (1933–1983) players Major Indoor Soccer League (1978–1992) players North American Soccer League (1968–1984) players Canadian National Soccer League players Yugoslav expatriate men's footballers Expatriate men's soccer players in Canada Yugoslav expatriate sportspeople in Canada Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States Yugoslav expatriate sportspeople in the United States