Regardless of whether he donned the jersey of Lovcen, Metaloplastika, Barcelona, or Yugoslavia, handball with Veselin Vujović had a unique flair, a gameplay that was notably ahead of its time. He is celebrated as one of the greatest to ever play the sport, and one of the many to have cultivated a love for handball in Cetinje.

The iconic Vuja appeared on the show (Failure) of the champion, which in its second season is also hosted by another well-known handball figure, Mirza Djomba.

During the show, the legendary Montenegrin reminisced about various topics from his remarkable career, starting from his early days in Cetinje and how it all began…

Initially, his first passion was karate, but he later gave basketball a shot alongside his older brother…

“After a training session where new basketball players were being selected, they asked my brother to stay, but me – they said goodbye. I was quite let down—unable to pursue the sport I loved while my brother excelled,” Vujović explained with a grin.

What a game of handball

His love for handball sparked rather unexpectedly when friends encouraged him to participate in the school championship.

“What kind of handball is that? I told them I didn’t even know how to play… It was never on my mind,” he mentioned.

However…

“That day, I found myself without any better plans, so I rode my bike to the championship. We won that match, then the next one as well… That’s when Miodrag-Miško Popović, the best coach in Montenegrin sports history, approached me and didn’t ask if I wanted to play—he just said, ‘Kid, you’re coming to training on Monday.’ Saying no to Miško was simply not an option,” Vujović recounted.

From Metaloplastika to “stojadin”

Meanwhile, he also dabbled in basketball, and at around 16-17 years old, he had to decide on the path he wanted to pursue. With some persuasion from Veselin Vuković, he opted for Šabac and Metaloplastika.

“Metaloplastika provided Lovcen with five million dinars for my transfer along with an additional five million in equipment. I was the first player to have a transfer fee paid for me. My only stipulation was that they purchase me a 101 flag—when I got my own car, I would feel unbeatable at that moment,” Vujović laughed.

Joining Šabac was a pivotal decision, and the two Champions League titles are a testament to that. The impact of Metaloplastika in the 1980s is further underscored by Vujović being named the best athlete in Yugoslavia.

“That selection was special, as the previous winners chose the top contenders, and in close competition was the iconic Dražen Petrović and myself…”

Among the voters was the legendary Montenegrin boxer Miodrag Perunović.

“He fought with so much heart and determination… Watching him fight made me want to jump on the TV to assist him, I was filled with emotion,” he shared.

During the voting process, each person announced publicly who they thought should be the athlete of the year.

“I thought to myself—if he doesn’t vote for me, I won’t even accept the award. He owes me his vote,” the legendary handball player joked, reminiscing about the moment Perunović cast his vote for him.

“I took a deep breath and felt everything very deeply.”

“War” by Jesus Hill and Jose Luis Nunes

At the peak of his career, Vujović faced a jolt—a severe Achilles tendon injury, which at that time often symbolized the end of a sports career. Yet, from that setback, a new lifelong relationship began.

“While I was recovering in the hospital, I received a telegram from Barcelona addressed to me as ‘our player,’ even though I had no formal agreement with them. There was also Valero Rivera in the delegation, and we practically reached an understanding that I would join them in Catalonia.”

The familiar call from earlier in his career also came again—from Veselin Vuković, who played for Atlético Madrid.

At that moment, as Vujović recalls, both the influential and controversial president of “colchoneros” (which includes the football club) Jesus Hill and Jose Luis Nunes, the head of Barcelona, expressed their desire for him.

“Both parties insisted—whatever offer you have, we’ll top it. I hesitated for a while, but in the end, my wife advised me to go with Barcelona because they remembered me during my injury when no one else believed I’d recover.”

Salary negotiations followed…

“They mentioned that even some footballers wouldn’t have my conditions, and then Jose Luis Nunez’s wife intervened. Hill often insulted Nunez, even naming a pony after him, so she made sure I wouldn’t be taken away and covered all necessary expenses herself.”

Soon after, Vuja brought the Champions League trophy to Barcelona…

The Olympics—The Pinnacle

Beyond club achievements, Vujović made history on the international stage with the Yugoslav national team, highlighted by winning an Olympic gold medal at the 1984 Los Angeles Games.

“The Games are special—I spent some hours next to Michael Jordan during the grand opening, shared breakfast with Theophilus Stevenson, the greatest Cuban boxer of all time, and mingled with Dragan Kićanović and Zoran Slavnić… Upon winning the Olympics, I felt an immense void because I had reached the pinnacle; I questioned what more could I possibly achieve after that.”

But soon, motivation emerged.

“Once I realized that everyone wanted to defeat us even more, that drove me on… For 12 consecutive years, I never finished second.”

Throughout his illustrious career, he always carried Cetinje within him—the mentality of the city nestled below Lovcen…

“The people of Cetinje think quickly and are intelligent… The history of Cetinje is etched in stone, teaching you which direction to take and the importance of striving to be the best,” Vujović highlighted.

Montenegro and Serbia sought my services; I chose Skopje

Vujović also found considerable success as a coach—winning the EHF Cup Winners’ Cup with Ciudad Real, managing Yugoslavia, Vardar, and Zagreb effectively, and clinching a bronze medal at the World Championship with the Slovenian national team.

He reminisced about the moment Montenegro regained its independence.

“I was the selector for Serbia and Montenegro at various levels. We were ranked the best selection by the IHF, but there was a division. Serbia wanted me to stay as their selector, while Montenegro sought my service as well. I knew whichever way I chose, I would face challenges, and ultimately, I opted for Vardar,” stated Vujović.

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