Gudelj for Vijesti: "The Ulcinj Friendship World Cup" is more than a game and more than life

The Ulcinj Friendship World Cup ended last night, and gathered more than a hundred football and other sports stars from the former Yugoslavia. For three days, Ulcinj was the sports center of the region and there is almost no significant regional media company that did not have its representatives to accompany and inform the public about the spectacular event.

The football icon of Hajduk and the former Yugoslav national team, Ivan Gudelj, said that the "Ulcin World Cup of Friendship" is more than a game and more than life.

"The concentration of so much special energy, so many people, athletes, legends of different national and religious affiliations, it's something incredible. So, this energy should be sent to those people who simply think that the most beautiful thing is to send love and that the heart is full of love and purity. I feel as if the time I spent here was in some distant universe or somewhere isolated in some space... It's such a wonderful feeling," Gudelj told Vijesta.

The World Cup was opened on Sunday, and for that occasion, the world's largest coffee pot arrived in Ulcinj from Sarajevo, which can hold about 600 liters of coffee, which is about 8.8 regular cups.

The main initiator and one of the organizers of the event was Pavle Pajo Pepđonović, a prominent businessman from Ulcinj, former basketball player and sports worker. He was also the creator of last year's "Ivan's Ulcinj Game", which was dedicated to the promotion of Ivan Gudelj's book and film. The gathering of football giants, which the whole region was buzzing about for days and months afterwards, continued this year, only with an expanded list. Judging by everything, the sports icons of the former Yugoslavia scheduled a new meeting at the same place for the following year.

"The whole city united on the issue of this organization. The final preparations are going on with great energy, there is no citizen who did not come forward and support the event on their own initiative," Pepđonović told Vijest before the new gathering of legends.

"Again, from the most beautiful city on the Adriatic, we are sending a message of friendship, respect, love, togetherness and peace. Athletes are ambassadors of the world. Thank you all for your support, there is no first in this story, we are all one team," said Pepđonović. Apart from him, both events were supported on their own initiative by almost all citizens of Ulcinj, entire families, businessmen, hoteliers, restaurateurs, local administration, Tourist Organization and community, private and public companies, religious communities, local sports clubs, fishermen, taxi drivers...

And the list of participants who were presented on Sunday at the Pier was more than impressive: Dejan Savićević, Ivan Gudelj, Ljubomir Radanović, Faruk Hadžibegić, Davor Jozić, Ivan Klasnić, Mehmed Baždarević, Miodrag Kustudić, Nikica Cukrov, Haris Škoro, Radmilo Mihajlović . Župić, Damir Čakar, Sead Halilagić, Salem Prolić. Slobodan Halilović...

There was also the legendary basketball player of Partizan and Crvena zvezda and the national team of Yugoslavia, Zoran Moka Slavnić...

On the first day of the World Cup, the participants attended the promotion of a documentary about the legendary Miroslav Ćir Blažević at Dom kutre. Monday, among other things, was reserved for the promotion of the film by journalist and publicist Milutin Grgur about "Ivan's Ulcinj Game". The participants visited the Old Town, Ada Bojana, and learned about the tradition and history of the city, which is more than two and a half millennia old.

"So what can I say after everything - first of all I would like to greet these dear citizens of Ulcinj, the president of the municipality, the former prime minister... What can I say about Pavlo? He is an amazing person. We met last year. I replied to the message he sent, we met, here it is, and it started. "I would say that it is from a simple agreement to promote a book and a film, and what has been born here is incredible," said Gudelj.

He added that he carries Ulcinj in his heart.

"I carry these people in my heart. Ulcinj is my house, I can say. You know, when I came here for the second time this year, a lot of people came to greet me with the words "Ivan, welcome to the house". That's how I feel, it's something beautiful. Simply, my heart is so full and I will continue to talk about this event, about Ulcinj", said Gudelj.

He expects that the gathering will take place next year as well.

"If God wills that we are alive and healthy. I think this should be called a sports knight's game, so the Olympic Games are the same as knighthood in all sports. This is an event, more than a game, more than life. I started one game and everyone joined me last year. Thank you very much", said Gudelj.

Director of the Tourist Organization of Ulcinj Ćazim Hodžić said that this was a manifestation that the whole region and Europe were talking about.

"The generosity of the people of Ulcinj was at work again and we again showed that we are good hosts. This is the promotion of the city and the country at the right time because we want to be a year-round tourist destination," said Hodžić.