However, briefly after, Barbarez served in the Yugoslav People's Army in Zagreb in 1991 before returning to Mostar to continue his career.
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Some six years later, Barbarez signed with the first team of FK Velež at the age of 19.
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Then, in 1984, Barbarez took a step further and started playing football for the youth team of FK Velež in his native city of Mostar.
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Barbarez is married to his high-school sweetheart Ana, who is from Mostar.
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Barbarez was born to father Ljubo and mother Zlata, in the city of Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina (then part of Yugoslavia).