He could soar into the air and head the ball that "sky jumper" is perhaps too mild a description. Down on the ground, with the ball at his feet, he was called "Titograd's Beckenbauer" - and not just because they played for the same club, the New York Cosmos.
In 1979, he signed for Red Star Belgrade, but never played for the team that played in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup final that year: he returned to Buducnost, as he himself says, for family reasons that he would not like to discuss.
He was close to making his debut for the national team of the great Yugoslavia - he was prevented by an injury in the second leg of the Balkan Cup semi-final, against Panathinaikos in Titograd. The "Blues" lost to Spain at the Marakana, and Juanito got a bottle in the head.
His career took him from Titograd west - to America, to the New York Cosmos, where he scored a goal on his debut in the MLS league at the famous "Giant Stadium" in New York. Through the north of Europe, Sweden (Malmo), to the far west (Melbourne, Australia) where he took him Dragoslav Šekularac personally, all the way to Čelik from Zenica where, as he himself admits, at the age of 35 he played his best half-season.
It's a colorful career. Vojislav Vukčević, another authentic legend of Buducnost and the then Titograd. Just as his appearance is vivid, off the field - and to this day...
A book could be written about a decade in the Buducnost jersey, the ups, downs, anecdotes. Fortunately - it was written, written by him. "Rhapsody in Blue and White" will soon, finally, be published.
That's why in this interview, only "short" sequences - from Buducnost, but also America, Australia.
Speaking about his career in the second division (1971-1975), and then the great, first division Budućnost (1975-1982), Vukčević singles out two "highlights", two big chapters - the final of the Marshal Tito Cup in 1977 and winning the Rapan Cup, the forerunner of the Intertoto Cup, in 1981.
- I made my debut for Buducnost as a 17-year-old, in 1971, in the Second League. We were in the Second League until 1975, when we finally entered the First League - the sudden rise of the club, the rise of the players, and even my own - recalls Vukčević.
Not a first-league team, the great Buducnost, waited a long time for great successes - the spring and summer of 1977, to be sure. The Marshal Tito Cup final had a prelude from the Titograd club, which was preparing for the big match with Hajduk through the Balkan Cup matches.
- We reached the semi-finals, where we were defeated by Panathinaikos - almost the same squad that lost the European Champions Cup final to Ajax at Wembley a few seasons earlier, and further strengthened by the robust Argentine Alvaresom and brilliant Boris DjordjevicI say this so that younger readers will understand these scales of quality.
In the unforgettable, and never regretted, final of the Yugoslav Cup in May 1977, Vukčević was the best rated player for Buducnost, along with Ivica Šurjak from Hajduk were the best rated in the match.
- I don't know if I was lucky, or if it was inspiration - we went out in the crowd, in front of 70 thousand fans at Marakana, such a number has never been repeated in the Cup final, which was soon moved to the smaller JNA stadium. However, we were not lucky in the end. We were beaten by an extremely strong Hajduk, players who crushed everyone in Yugoslavia with their pressing, who beat Partizan in Belgrade 6:1 in the title match. Not only were we equal, but we had 2-3 good chances, and it was only in extra time that they demonstrated the physical superiority for which they were known - recalls Vojo Vukčević.
Second sequence - Rapan Cup. Buducnost doesn't have a big trophy in the former Yugoslavia, but it does have one - the European one.
- Who says that Budućnost has not won anything - asks Vukčević.
The Rapan Cup was founded in 1961, later the name was changed to the Intertoto Cup, it had several winners every summer - Budućnost won one of the four groups in 1981. And got the cup...
- For younger readers, I will just introduce our opponents: Wacker Tirol from Innsbruck, multiple Austrian champions, Danish Odense - one of the three most trophy-winning Danish clubs of all time, then Swedish Esters, then Café Opera: that summer before the match with us, they were first in Sweden with 14 wins in 14 games. We managed to win first place in the group, to win the European trophy.
Two years earlier, in 1979, Vojo Vukčević's career was at its peak - he signed for Red Star.
- It was a period when I really played my best, in the rankings of the press, which was widely followed and read at the time, I was among the best rated center-halfs. Red Star didn't miss that, but for family reasons I returned to Titograd and continued to play until I was 28.
He qualified for a trip abroad, and immediately - an intercontinental transfer.
- The MLS league was in its infancy, and they played for the Cosmos a few years earlier Skin and Beckenbauer. I scored goals, one of them on my debut - I remember the 'Giant Stadium' and the ball that went right into my jaw after I headed it. I was unlucky enough to break my arm while playing for Kosmos in a friendly match against Lazio. In fact, I thought it would be a friendly match, but it was anything but! Their attack was led by Bruno Ordano i Michael Laudrup, that's how strong they were.
Via Sweden and IFK Malmo, where he was recovering from a broken arm while playing football in Scandinavia, Vukčević reached Australia.
- Šekularac brought the goalkeeper Zoran Nikitović, Vlado Stošić and me. We brought a team that was fighting for survival to the semi-finals of the playoffs. Another short but unforgettable experience - emphasizes Vukčević, who also had one fruitful year in the jersey of Sutjeska, with whom he entered the First League.
And then, already as a veteran, a 35-year-old with international experience, he played a great half-season in Čelik Zenica.
- There is no computer or calculation that could have saved us! And we beat Red Star, Dinamo, Sarajevo 2:0, which was the champion. And we managed to survive - Vukčević puts an end to his career, and this interview.
His book "Rhapsody in Blue and White" will bring many other unforgettable stories.
Podgorica's "fakin" and the giant from Lovćen
The two best Buducnost teams assembled by Vojo Vukčević - mostly his teammates, contemporaries, from the best era of Buducnost - are authentic, just like the descriptions of the qualities of those football players.
- Goalkeeper Momčilo Vujačić. He is getting old, but he gave his best - begins the selection of the best team.
- Right back Dragoljub Brnović. He played both on the left side, in several positions. He was versatile, suffice it to say that he put Maradona in his pocket at the World Cup. Left back Zoja Vorotović - unwavering, with modern characteristics.
Vukčević's center-back pairing is also "modern" - made up of players who could play, and did play, in midfield.
- Mićo Bakrač - an uncompromising fighter, often a scorer. His sliding starts "with two feet" are still remembered and recounted today. Along with him, Janko Miročević - an atypical, slender center-half who was a great football expert.
Vukčević chose a 4-4-2 formation and chose four players in midfield: Željko Petrović on the right, Dejan Savićević, Ante Miročević and Dragan Vujović on the left.
- Željo was a 170-centimeter 'fakin' from Podgorica who knew how to drive Zagreb, Belgrade, and Europe crazy. Much has been said and written about Tonko, I could only be wrong, but I have never seen such a connoisseur. And what can I say about Geni? We were lucky to have him, that he made the name of Montenegro famous in the world. Guzo was an unsurpassed dribbler, an entertainer of the masses - describes Vukčević.
He puts Predrag Mijatović and Ante Drobnjak in the attack.
- Pedja was Juventus' terminator in the Champions League final, giving Real Madrid back the European crown after 32 years. Drobnjak started with success here, continued in Red Star Belgrade, and left his mark as a top scorer in the first division at Bastia and Lens.
“Chilean” Dragoje Leković is in goal for Vukčević's second ideal team, Buducnost.
- He was a representative of the new, modern wave of European goalkeepers. Right back Slavko Vlahović: a reliable Vojvodina native with a wide smile and too much kindness for a defender. That's why he was the captain, that's why everyone loved that captain. Left back Rajko Folić: another one of the captains, extremely intelligent, with a phenomenal cross shot.
Vukčević chooses a "newer" pair of center backs - Miodrag Božović Grof and Niša Saveljić.
- A pair of modern-style center-halfs from whom Niša would make corrections while Božo would use his strength and body to break up the opposing attack.
The midfield four: Branko Brnović, Petar Caco Ljumović, Rade Šaković and Viktor Trenevski.
- Branko was a phenomenal defensive midfielder, a member of the famous Chileans, and Caco was a charming midfielder who could play in several positions in the midfield. Rade Šaković was for me Platini before Platini and the 'spiritus movens' of my Buducnost when I entered the first team. And Viktor was the captain of Buducnost for eight years, from the youth team to the first team, the captain of Partizan, and played brilliantly in Mexico.
When choosing a pair of attackers, Vojo had a dilemma:
- Milan Ćalasan was a serious European striker who played exceptionally well in Olimpija and Dinamo, then in Belgium and France. I still choose Žarko Vukčević, who, along with Radonjić and Vujović, scored the most goals during that period.
Second dilemma: Mojaš Radonjić or Željko Pipi Božović. Vojo Vukčević decides for Radonjić:
- A giant from Lovćen who held our attack, and many times also our defense, playing center-half alongside me.
The two best teams of Vojislav Vukčević's Buducnost
First team: Momcilo Vujacic - Dragoljub Brnovic, Janko Mirocevic, Momir Bakrac, Zoran Vorotovic - Zeljko Petrovic, Ante Mirocevic, Dejan Savicevic, Dragan Vujovic - Predrag Mijatovic, Anto Drobnjak.
Second team: Dragoje Leković - Slavko Vlahović, Miodrag-Grof Božović, Nisa Saveljić, Rajko Folic - Petar-Caco Ljumović, Branko Brnović, Rade Šaković, Viktor Trenevski - Zaljko Vukčević, Mojaš Radonjić.
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