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Commemorations held for football legend Ivan Gudelj

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2026-09-08 08:23 UTC → 2026-09-09 11:54 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Ivan Gudelj, a prominent footballer for Hajduk Split and the former Yugoslavia national team, has died at approximately 66 or 67 years of age following a long illness. Known as the ‘Beckenbauer of Zmijavci’, Gudelj was a standout player who won the Yugoslav championship in 1979 and served as the youngest captain for the national team. His playing career ended prematurely in 1986 after a hepatitis B diagnosis, which prevented a highly anticipated move to Real Madrid. Following his death, a commemoration was held at Poljud Stadium. Speakers, including Hajduk President Ivan Bilić and Croatian Football Federation President Marijan Kustić, praised Gudelj as a leader and a man of high moral character. To honor his legacy, the Croatian Football Federation ordered a minute of silence across all levels of the Croatian football league, and the documentary ‘Ivanova igra’ (Ivan’s Game) was featured in tributes. His funeral was attended by various generations of players, friends, relatives, and representatives from the Mundijal prijateljstva. During the memorial, Split Mayor Tomislav Šuta praised Gudelj’s contributions to Hajduk, the city of Split, and Croatian ~~football.~~ football, noting his name defined generations of supporters. Pavle Pepđonović also remarked on his impact within the Mundijal prijateljstva community, stating that Gudelj helped make people better through his “selfless love and ideas.” Gudelj’s daughter, Đana Jelčić, shared an emotional tribute on social media, describing him as a fighter and a role model. Throughout his post-playing career, Gudelj remained deeply involved in the sport through coaching for Hajduk and the national cadet team.

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