Serbia welcomes UEFA President
Monday, June 27, 2022
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UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin has visited Serbia for talks which have reinforced the mutually warm relationship between the European football body and the Football Association of Serbia (FSS).
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Mr Čeferin was welcomed to the FSS national sports centre in Stara Pazova by a delegation from the association including deputy President Nenad Bjeković, General Secretary Jovan Šurbatović, Honorary President Tomislav Karadžić, and senior men’s national team director Stevan Stojanović and head coach Dragan Stojković.
The UEFA President’s most recent official visit to Serbia was in 2019, when he attended celebrations to mark the FSS’s 100th anniversary.
‘Ideal cooperation’
“I can openly and truly say that the cooperation with the [Serbian association] is ideal,” Mr Čeferin said. “It could not be better. I feel at home here.”
The Stara Pazova national centre, which is used by all of Serbia’s men’s and women’s national teams, opened in 2011 with the help of funding from UEFA’s HatTrick development programme, which has also financed the construction of mini-pitches and full-sized playing surfaces across the country to facilitate grassroots development.
“As for the training centre, it is fascinating,” the UEFA President reflected. “Believe me, I have seen almost all training centres in Europe, but even the largest countries do not have this.”
UEFA President ‘a man of football’
Nenad Bjeković described Mr Čeferin as “a man of football” and pledged the FSS’s continued support to UEFA and its President. “I would like to thank Mr Čeferin for his visit,” he said, “and for giving us an opportunity to spend these two days together, exchange experiences and talk about cooperation.”
“Mr Čeferin is more than satisfied with our cooperation, as we are with UEFA’s attitude towards our association. We are grateful to him for everything, and I believe our cooperation will continue and be even stronger in the future.”
The UEFA President congratulated Serbia on the national team’s qualification for this year’s FIFA World Cup finals in Qatar. “When you are praised by the head of European football,” said coach Dragan Stojković in response, “it really impresses you, and it motivates you to be even better.”