After 23 years of caring for the health of the biggest football stars and more than 15,000 surgeries, the esteemed orthopedist proves by his own example that it's never too late to fulfill your dreams.
The life story of Dr. Boris Nemec, longtime chief physician of the Croatian national football team, is gaining a completely new, musical chapter. This Friday, August 7, 2026, the renowned orthopedist will perform for the first time at the Melodies of the Croatian South festival in Opuzen, confirming that hidden talents and youthful dreams can be realized even in later years.
Behind Dr. Nemec is an impressive medical career during which he has operated on more than 15,000 patients. He was the first in this part of Europe to perform significant procedures that represented a huge leap forward in medicine. For a full 23 years, he looked after the health and fitness of Croatia's biggest football stars as the chief physician of the "Vatreni" (Fiery Ones), with whom he remains on friendly terms to this day.
However, alongside his demanding medical career, Dr. Nemec has always harbored a love for music. Only recently, in his eighth decade of life, did he decide to fulfill a long-held dream and began playing the guitar.
Through disciplined practice, he managed to master the instrument, first showcasing his skills among friends who regularly gather at a tavern in Matulji. It was in this cheerful company, which includes renowned opera singer Voljen Grbac, that the idea for his first musical collaboration was born. Together, they recorded the fan anthem "Balun je više od života" (Football Is More Than Life), which won the audience award at the Marko Polo festival in Korčula.
Encouraged by the positive reactions, Dr. Nemec released several more songs, including "Da zavoliš me" (If You'd Love Me), "Živi život, stari moj" (Live Life, My Old Friend), and "Ti si vrilo mog života" (You Are the Spring of My Life).
Now, with his latest original song "Cvit što samo za me cvita" (A Flower That Blooms Only for Me), he arrives at one of the most significant domestic music stages. At the festival in Opuzen, he will share the stage with true giants of the Croatian music scene, including Ibrica Jusić, Nenad Vetma, Trio Gušt, and Hrvoje Hegedušić. The song is written by Lara and Robert Pilepić, with arrangement by Robert Grubišić, while the music video, shot in Rovinj and Novigrad, was directed by Sergio Cinghialle.
The story of Dr. Boris Nemec is a powerful message about the power of music and the joy of living that knows no age limits. His journey from the operating room to the festival stage shows that motivation and perseverance can overcome all obstacles, and his example is sure to inspire many to answer the call of their own hidden talents.
