On Wednesday, August 12, a charity futsal tournament will be held at the NK Dalmatinac field in Split. Four teams will compete to help families from Mertojak, with the opening kick taken by Mayor Tomislav Šuta.
The football pitch at Kaštelanska 3 in Split will become the stage for a major charity celebration on Wednesday. At the initiative of Robert Bošnjak and Ivan Brkić-Buca from NK Dalmatinac, a five-a-side football tournament will take place on August 12, 2026, bringing together four teams, with all proceeds going to families affected by illness in the Mertojak city district.
The tournament kicks off at 6:30 PM, with free entry. The organizers have lined up a rich program, with the pitch featuring Hajduk veterans, a team from the 4th Guards Brigade, hosts NK Dalmatinac, and the association "Humane zvijezde Splita" (Humane Stars of Split), popularly known as Split Stars. The event is held under the patronage and in cooperation with parish priest Don Vjenceslav Kujundžić from the Parish of St. Joseph in Mertojak.
Branko Bosanac, secretary of Split Stars, revealed that their team will feature numerous familiar faces from the worlds of sport and music. The roster includes Hari Rončević, Dražen Zečić, Deni Lušić, Tiho Orlić, Bomba, Leo Škaro, the Piteša brothers, and Neven Lučev. They will be led from the bench by the coaching duo of Leo Kazinoti and Ivan Komić.
Also on the Split Stars bench will be Želimir Dundić-Dundo, frontman of the band Trio Gušt and president of the association, two former Hajduk greats Ivan Gudelj and Ivica Šurjak, and popular singer Ivana Kovač. The organizers emphasize that the result will take a back seat this time, as the goal is to bring the community together and offer support to those affected by illness, with the message that sport can be a powerful way to connect and help.
Hajduk veterans Drago Ćelić and Nikica Cukrov have announced their standard lineup: Balić, Vejić, Strinić, Ljubičić, Računica, and Putnik. On their bench will be a national-team-caliber coaching staff consisting of Vulić, Katalinić, and Buljan Štimac. According to announcements, the staff will include Zoran Vulić, Ivan Katalinić, and Igor Štimac.
The tournament is a charity sports event organized in collaboration with parish priest Don Vjenceslav Kujundžić from the Parish of St. Joseph in Mertojak. All participants and visitors will be able to make a contribution for the affected families from Mertojak.
The initiative has also received support from the Mertojak City District Council, which serves as the patron of the "Humane zvijezde Splita" team. The Council later added the tournament to the sports segment of its Cultural Summer in Mertojak, which already included a high school tournament in memory of Andrija Bartulić. This charity event thus becomes the centerpiece of the fourth edition of the Cultural Summer in Mertojak.
The ceremonial kick-off is expected to be taken by the Mayor of Split, Tomislav Šuta, accompanied by leading figures from the realms of sport, culture, and education in the City of Split and Split-Dalmatia County.
The schedule features two semi-final matches: Hajduk versus the 4th Guards Brigade, and Split Stars Team versus NK Dalmatinac. The winners will then face off in the final. The organizers invite citizens to come with their families and friends to support this evening of sport and charity, filled with football, camaraderie, and sporting spirit.
This tournament is part of the broader Cultural Summer in Mertojak program. In early September 2026, a bowling tournament will be held to mark the 20th anniversary of the Mertojak Bowling Club, while in mid-October, the Croatian Hall will host the educational program "The Path to the Top and the Secrets of Success in Sport," featuring Ratko Rudić, Ivica Tucko, Neven Kovačević, and Milivoj Bebić.
