The Ulcinj World Cup of Friendship will bring together football legends from the former Yugoslavia from November 25 to 28.
It is a continuation of the spectacle "Ivan's Ulcinj Game", which was held last year in the same month and in the same city. Both events were designed and initiated by a respected businessman from Ulcinj, former basketball player and sports worker Pavle Pajo Pepđonović, who does not hide his satisfaction that at the end of the month, just like last year, Ulcinj will be the sports center of the region.
"I am the initiator, but also only one of the organizers of the Friendship World Cup. Apart from me, both manifestations were supported on their own initiative by almost all citizens of Ulcinj, entire families, businessmen, hoteliers, restaurateurs, local government, the Tourist Organization and the community, private and public companies, religious communities, local sports clubs, fishermen, taxi drivers... That's an additional source of my enthusiasm and positive energy that inspires all of us in the front lines to persevere and be at the same level until the end", says Pepđonović in an interview with Vijesti.
Everyone who was in Ulcinj last year and was invited, is invited to come this year as well. But, unlike last year's event, Pepđonović decided to expand the list for the World Cup with new famous football names, but also with other athletes.
The list of all participants of the World Cup will be finalized on November 15.
"Football players Davor Jozić, Mili Hadžiabdić, Vujadin Stanojković, Dragi Setinov, Stjepan Deverić have confirmed their arrival... Croatian water polo national team selector Ivica Tucak, legendary water polo players Veselin Đuho and Deni Lušić, boxing icons Ante Josipović and Mirko Puzović should also come. Olympian and at one time the best athlete of the SFRY Šaban Trstena, handball player Jasmin Mrkonja. We are waiting for answers from the famous handball player Svetlana Ceca Kitić, basketball player Žarko Paspalj, football player Predrag Mijatović... All of them do not need to be introduced. "Unfortunately, like last year, we have layoffs this year for mostly health reasons," says Pepđonović.
A corner for a controversial moment
The most famous football referees from the seventies and eighties of the last century will attend the show.
"We will try to revive with them the show 'Kutak za sporni moment', which was broadcast on Mondays and was hosted by Marko Marković, even for a moment," says Pepđonović, who was a basketball player and played for the teams of Ulcinj, Ivo Borovica, Zeta and Bar's Tina Taim. .
He claims that the interest of athletes in the visit has tripled compared to last year, and the media has quadrupled. He believes that this is logical because last year's event had a strong impact in the countries where football legends and media came from.
"From Ulcinj, which is also the purpose of sport, we sent a strong message of togetherness, friendship, love, hospitality... The story was affirmed everywhere in the right way," says Pepđonović, who has been touring all the time since the end of the last event and met with new to people and old acquaintances in an attempt to present to them the significance of the new spectacle.
When it comes to the media, the arrival was announced by journalists from Večernji list and Jutarnji list, as well as Slobodna Dalamcija from Croatia, TV Makednija, Radio Skoplje, Rijeka TV, Arena sport, TV Hayat from Sarajevo, Dnevni avaz, TV from Priština, Vijesti and other local media ...
Promotion of the film and monograph, exhibition match
On the first day of the mundial, a presentation of the participants is planned, and later a festive dinner in one of the restaurants in Ulcinj. The second day was reserved for the promotion of the film by journalist and publicist Milutin Grgur about "Ivan's Ulcinj Game". On the third day, a showcase match of football legends is planned, lasting twice for 20 minutes.
Pepđonović says that a monograph about last year's event by sports publicist and journalist Zoran Poleksić should be published soon.
Both Grgur and Poleksić, says Pepđonović, decided to immortalize the event on their own initiative.
"Some well-known sports workers and officials told me that it was one of the most significant sports events in the recent history of Montenegro. I believe that this one will be even more successful", says Pepđonović.
Pristan and Old Town, as well as Liman, will be the meeting point of the three-day events. At those locations, accommodation is already provided for the athletes.
"The arrival was announced by people and families from Bar, Podgorica and Kolašin. They all want to see and get to know the legends and icons of Yugoslav sport. That's why Pristan and Old Town, with a lot of bars, are ideal places for that," says Pepđonović.
Remembering last year's spectacle
He reminded that last year's gathering of football legends was held on the occasion of the promotion of the book "Ivan Gudelj - The Hajdučka story", authored by Blaž Duplančić, and the documentary film "Ivan's Game" directed by Tomislav Žaja.
He stated that everything was spontaneous and that he found out through the media that Ivan Gudelj was promoting a book and a documentary film in some places of the former Yugoslavia.
"Through a business partner from Subotica, where Gudelj held a promotion, I found out his number and waited a moment to call him. I was afraid because who am I - some unknown Pavle Pepđonović, to call such legends", said Pepđonović at the time.
He decided when his friend from Ulcinj, Ruždo Kashodž, arrived, with whom he went to Split for the Hajduk - Villarreal game.
"It was spontaneous because my friend Rudi Kashodža and I called Gudelj for lunch after the game between Hajduk and Villarreal in Poljuda. He came, we knew he was working on the promotion of the book and the film. We asked him why not come to Ulcinj, and he agreed. Then we told him to bring another of his teammates and he gave us their phone numbers, and they gave us the numbers of some other players from that time. That's how it started, everything else was by inertia", remembers Pepđonović.
Miloš Bursać, Ivica Šurjak, Faruk Hadžibegić, Miloš Šestić, Vladimir Petrović Pižon, Dževad Prekazi, Vančo Balevski, Dževad Šećerbegović, Predrag Pašić, Milan Krlja Radović, Ivo Jerolimov, Nikica Cukrov, Zoran Simović, Dragan Kanatlarovski, as well as local icons - Dejan Savićević, Ante Miročević, the Bakrač brothers, Dragan Guzo Vujović, Brajan Nenezić, then sports journalists Milojko Pantić and Sinan Sinanović...
Some canceled due to family and health problems, most of them came, and some said they had commitments they had previously undertaken, such as Srećko Katanec, Refik Šabanadžović, Bora Cvetković, Stjepan Deverić...
Gudelj ended his playing career in Hajduk too early - at the age of 26, due to heart problems. He played 362 games for "Bile" and scored 93 goals...
"And half of these that I was confirmed to come, will be a magnificent event, I think a great promotion of Ulcinj and Montenegro because for those three days we will be the football center of Europe. So many legends in one place, few have seen it," Pepđonović told "Vijesti" at the time.
Pepđonović has lived in Rijeka for years, where, as he points out, he made a large number of friends and former NK Rijeka footballers, such as Nenad Gračan and Mauro Ravnić, the football manager of Predrag Ped Rački...
Ideas about the World Cup of Friendship and Ivan's games are his magical stories that write the history of Ulcinj and Montenegro...
The municipality allocated 40 thousand euros
Pepđonović says that this year's event will also last three days and that this will increase costs.
"People travel 700 or 800 kilometers to get to Ulcinj. They need a mini-vacation, that's why we decided that the World Cup will also last three days, even though the costs will be higher," says Pepđonović.
This year, the municipality will allocate 40 for the needs of the event.
"We didn't ask either this year or last year. Like everyone else, they remembered themselves and I thank them," says Pepđonović.
He reminds that last year they got half a ton of top quality fish from the fishermen, that parking lots were free, that taxi drivers didn't charge...
"We have no problems with accommodation and payment, and no one questions that. I'm just saying that it takes a lot of investment to reopen a facility, which is closed in September or October, in three days. But my Ulcinians are ready for that too".
The Rolling Stones play for two or three hours, and Ulcinj is talked about for months
Pepđonović says that he is sure that he and everyone else are doing good things for their city and its promotion.
"We can bring anyone for money, there were also the Rolling Stones in Budva, for some other groups and singers, large sums of money are also allocated. All this takes two or three hours. In relation to them, we allocate symbolic funds for a three-day association with the sports legends of the former state. And that doesn't last three days, the story of Ulcinj, its people and hospitality lasts and is passed on for months. Until some reunion. It is a real promotion of the city and its beauty, history and tradition".
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