President Milanović Receives Croatian University Futsal Team and Coach after Gold Medal Win at World University Championships
Today, the President of the Republic of Croatia, Zoran Milanović, met with the players and coach of the Croatian university futsal team to congratulate them on winning the gold medal at the FISU World University Championships, which took place from June 10 to 16, 2024, in Shanghai, China. The Croatian university futsal team was made up of students from the University of Zagreb and the Edward Bernays University of Applied Sciences.
Teams from 15 countries participated in the FISU World University Championships, where Croatian students secured the gold medal by defeating some of the strongest futsal teams in the world – Portugal, Ukraine, and Brazil, whom they faced in the final. During the meeting, it was noted that this is Croatia’s first gold medal in team sports and the fifth gold overall won by Croatian students at the FISU World University Championships since 1998. Previously, Croatian students had earned gold in gymnastics (2005), equestrian (2006), and sailing (2005 and 2011).
Given that futsal is the most popular academic sport and the Croatian university futsal team has only participated in the World Championships for the second time, the leaders of the Croatian Academic Sports Federation regard the gold medal from Shanghai as their most valuable achievement. Haris Pavletić, President of the Croatian Academic Sports Federation, highlighted that futsal is the fastest-growing sport in the world and announced that Croatia will host the European University Championships in 2025, with preparations already underway. The federation is a member of both the European University Sports Association (EUSA) and the International University Sports Federation (FISU) and has organized more than 15 European and world championships since 1998, including the European Universities Games held in Zagreb and Rijeka in 2016.
The Croatian Academic Sports Federation plays a crucial role in promoting student sports in Croatia by helping students balance sports with their academic commitments and participate in top-level competitions, as was noted during the meeting. Jasenka Ostojić, Vice-Rector for Art, Culture, and Inter-University Cooperation at the University of Zagreb, highlighted that Croatian students are among the most active in sports. She also proudly mentioned that the University of Zagreb has been recognized as the best university in Europe in the field of academic sports.
Apart from the players of the Croatian University Futsal Team, which included Bruno Kovačić, Jure Jakovljević, Mateo Mužar, Lovro Cigler, Lukas Mlinarić, Ivan Penava, Matija Tolić, Branko Artić, and Filip Novak, the meeting with President Milanović also included member of the coaching staff Alen Jukić, representatives of the Croatian Academic Sports Federation President Haris Pavletić, Secretary General Nikola Vincetić, expert associates Marija Panijan and Helena Herc, as well as Dražen Maleš and Dea Barić Krišto, President of the Zagreb Academic Sports Federation Davor Pavlović, Secretary General of the Zagreb Academic Sports Federation Mate Vukšić, and from the University of Zagreb, Vice-Rector for Art, Culture, and Inter-University Cooperation Professor Jasenka Ostojić.
President Milanović was accompanied by Jadranka Žarković, Adviser to the President of the Republic for Education, and Tomislav Paškvalin, Commissioner of the President of the Republic for Sports.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Marko Beljan