For the first time since their unforgettable triumph in 2013, Radnički Kragujevac are back in the LEN Euro Cup final.
Twelve years may have passed, but the memory of that remarkable victory remains etched into Serbian water polo history—a crowning moment for a club that was, at the time, barely a year old.
Back then, Radnički’s ascent to European glory was nothing short of extraordinary. Under the guidance of Dejan Udovičić—who had only months earlier stepped down as head coach of the Serbian national team—the Kragujevac-based club stunned the continent with a run that culminated in lifting the LEN Euro Cup.
The final in 2013 was played over two legs against Italy’s Florentia. Radnički laid the foundation with a commanding 8–4 win in Florence before returning home to clinch the title with a tense 7–6 victory, sealing a 15–10 aggregate triumph. It was the club’s first major trophy and a monumental achievement for Serbian water polo, marking the country’s second ever LEN Euro Cup success following Partizan’s win in 1998.
That Radnički side was stacked with star power. Filip Filipović led the scoring in the second leg with a hat-trick, while captain Vanja Udovičić—then at the peak of his playing career—found the net alongside Slavko Gak, Boris Zloković, and Đorđe Filipović. Between the posts, Zdravko Radić delivered a performance worthy of the occasion, making crucial saves to keep the Italian side at bay.
After the final whistle, Udovičić hailed the win as an “unprecedented success,” noting the club’s rapid development:
“We only started building the club a year ago. That’s why this kind of success is remarkable. The players trusted me as much as I trusted them—it was a true symbiosis.”
Vanja Udovičić, who would go on to serve as Serbia’s Minister of Youth and Sports, called the title a personal milestone:
“It’s one of the few trophies I was missing at club level. I’m happy for Kragujevac, for Šumadija—this city deserves it.”
Just a month later, coach Udovičić took on a new challenge as head coach of the USA Men’s National Team, a role he continues to hold today. His departure marked the end of an era—but also the beginning of Radnički’s reputation as a serious force in European water polo.
Now, as they prepare for another shot at the Euro Cup title, the echoes of 2013 offer both inspiration and a reminder: Radnički have done it before—and they have the legacy, and perhaps the belief, to do it again.
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