Tomislav Ivković, the man who traded Zagreb for Belgrade and shed a tear, marks his 66th birthday. We look back at his turbulent career, legendary clashes with Diego Maradona, and his sharp criticism of the Serbian national team.
On this day, August 11, 1960, Tomislav Ivković was born-a former goalkeeper for Zagreb's Dinamo and Belgrade's Red Star, and later a respected football pundit. To mark his 66th birthday, the portal Dnevno.hr published an extensive article recalling his remarkable career, the painful transfer from Zagreb to Belgrade, and unforgettable moments on the pitch.
Ivković's transfer from Dinamo to Red Star was no ordinary move between clubs. It was an event that, as he himself admits, changed his life. His relationship with then-coach Miroslav Ćiro Blažević had soured. After a loan spell at Dinamo Vinkovci, Ivković returned to Maksimir, but instead of a fresh start, he found an ending. In the spring of 1983, at Zagreb's Hotel Esplanade, he sat down with a Red Star delegation consisting of president Miladin Šakić, the legendary Dragan Džajić, and Vladimir Cvetković.
Although an exit was offered, the message from Dinamo-where Ćiro controlled every decision-was clear: if he wanted to stay, he would have to come and beg. Ivković, known for his strong character, refused. He went to Maksimir alone to collect his papers. "That was the hardest day of my life", Ivković recalled in an interview with Dnevno.hr. In a single day, he lost his family, friends, girlfriend, city, and beloved club. "Had it not been for Rajko Janjanin, another Dinamo man who had already walked that path, I might have turned back the very same day", he added.
Shortly after arriving in Belgrade, he realized he had entered a completely different world. Strict rules prevailed at Marakana. When, out of old habit, he once came for coffee in the club's offices, Džajić greeted him with a clear message: "Watch out-the office is a place you enter only when invited. Your place is the pitch. And the dressing room".
Irony struck at the Split tournament "Trofej Marjan." While Ivković was making his debut for Red Star, news arrived that Ćiro Blažević was no longer Dinamo's coach. The devastated goalkeeper then said: "I wanted to kill myself, but only after killing Ćiro". His departure from Dinamo, driven by a clash with the coach, suddenly seemed pointless.
Ivković earned 38 caps for the national team, but his place in football history was secured by his duels with Diego Armando Maradona. He first saved a penalty from him in 1989, in a match between Portugal's Sporting and Italy's Napoli. Before the kick, Ivković was so confident that he proposed a bet to Maradona-a symbolic hundred dollars or a jersey. Maradona accepted but lost.
Just a year later, at the 1990 World Cup in Italy, fate brought them together again. Before the match, Ivković confidently predicted he would save Maradona's penalty once more. When the crucial moment arrived, he tried to unsettle the Argentine psychologically, shouting: "Diego, I know where the ball will go-I'm waiting for you!". Maradona didn't even look at him. Ivković was successful again, becoming the only goalkeeper to save two penalties from the legendary Argentine. This fact was not overlooked even in Maradona's autobiography.
Ivković, who continued his career as a pundit on HRT during this year's World Cup, is also remembered for his outspoken criticism of the Serbian national team. Commenting on their failures despite a wealth of talented players, he delivered a painful truth.
"It sounds incredible to me that Serbia has for years failed to harness the immense talent of its players and field a respectable team. I think it's a reflection of poor management of the national team and a lack of vision," Ivković told Dnevno.hr.
With this statement, the former goalkeeper of both biggest clubs from the former country delivered a clear verdict on the state of football in the neighboring nation.
