Ivan Gudelj, Hajduk Split and Yugoslavia football legend, dies

Ivan Gudelj Hajduk Split football legend hepatitis B Yugoslavia national team

Ivan Gudelj, a legendary footballer for Hajduk Split and the former Yugoslavia national team, has passed away at the age of 66 or 67 following a long and difficult illness.

Gudelj was a standout talent who played 362 matches for Hajduk, scoring 93 goals and winning the Yugoslav championship in 1979. He was a key figure for the national team, serving as its youngest captain and earning a place in the ideal lineup of the 1982 FIFA World Cup. His professional career was abruptly cut short in 1986 at the age of 25 or 26 after he was diagnosed with hepatitis B during a match against Red Star Belgrade.

Despite the end of his playing days, Gudelj remained dedicated to football, transitioning into coaching. He managed various clubs and served as a coach for Croatia’s national youth teams, including the U-17 and U-19 squads. He also became a prominent ambassador in the fight against hepatitis B. The football community across the region has expressed deep sorrow over the loss of the man often referred to as the ‘Beckenbauer of Zmijavci’.

Entities

Croatia · Hajduk Split · Ivan Gudelj · Real Madrid · Slaven Bilić · Yugoslavia · Yugoslavia national football team

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 2 SOURCES] He was selected for the ideal team of the 1982 World Cup in Spain. abcportal.info · www.klix.ba
[○ 1 SOURCE] He became the first Croatian ambassador for the fight against hepatitis. www.klix.ba
[○ 1 SOURCE] He served as a coach for several clubs, including Hajduk Split's first team. www.klix.ba
[● 3 SOURCES] He played 362 matches and scored 93 goals for Hajduk Split. abcportal.info · www.klix.ba
[● 3 SOURCES] His football career was cut short at age 26 due to hepatitis B. abcportal.info · www.klix.ba
[○ 1 SOURCE] He was the youngest captain in the history of the Yugoslav national team. www.klix.ba
[● 3 SOURCES] Ivan Gudelj has passed away at the age of 66 or 67 following a serious illness. abcportal.info · www.klix.ba
[● 2 SOURCES] He was named Europe's best young player in 1979. abcportal.info