One of the most successful Croatian water polo players of the 21st century returns to the homeland.
Maro Jokovic, a left-handed scorer, signed a 3-year contract with Jug Dubrovnik.
Jokovic played for Brescia in the season 2020/21 and won the Italian League and the bronze medal in the Champions League.
For most of his career In most of his career, Jokovic (34) has played for Jug Dubrovnik (2004 – 2013, 2015 – 2019). He won two Champions Leagues with Jug (2006 and 2016), 13 trophies in the national league, four Croatian Cups… He has three trophies of the European champion for clubs in his treasury., because he won the Champions League with Pro Recco in the season 2014/15. Besides for Jug, Pro Recco (2013 – 2015), and Brescia, Jokovic played for Olympiacos (2019-2020).
He has won a total of 38 trophies in the competitions for the clubs, and 20 with the national team, including Olympic gold in 2012, and silver in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, two gold medals from the World Championships (2007 and 2017), the gold at the 2010 European Championships, etc.
He will become a 4-time Olympian in Tokyo, because he debuted at OG in Beijing in 2008.
Several weeks ago, Brescia confirmed that Jokovic had left the club. Since then, there have been a lot of rumors about his return to Jug. Today, the information has been confirmed, and Jokovic signed a contract with the Dubrovnik-based team.
“I’m glad to be back at my home club after two seasons. Jug enters each season with ambitions to achieve high goals. I think that with the team that will be created, with quality and dedicated work, we will have a chance to achieve what we set out to do. In any case, I am looking forward to new challenges, “Jokovic said after signing.
Before Jokovic, two players arrived at Jug – Greeks Konstantinos Kakaris and Stylianos Argyropoulos (both Olympiacos). But, several players left: Luka Loncar (Pro Recco), Daniil Merkulov (Ferencvaros), Paulo Obradovic (Enka Istanbul), while captain Xavi Garcia will retire after the Olympic Games.
Damir Buric retires
Another interesting piece of news has come from Croatia.
A 41-year-old Damir Buric, one of the best Croatian players in history, decided to retire. In the past few seasons, he played for Turkish Enka, but earlier, he was a member of some great European clubs. He won two Champions Leagues with Pro Recco (2010 and 2012), LEN Euro Cup with Radnicki (2013), the trophies in the Adriatic League and in national competitions with his first club Primorje, Mladost, Pro Recco, Mladost Zagreb. Playing for Enka he clinched three Turkish Championships and two national Cups.
Damir Buric Photo:wikipedia
Representing Croatia, Buric won 11 medals. Among them are two from the Olympic Games (gold in 2012 and silver in 2016), a title of the World Champion (2007), a gold medal at the European Champion (2010), title in the World League (2012), etc.
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