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In a stunning late move during the transfer window, just days after Serbian national water polo team captain Nikola Jaksic signed with Radnicki, another major acquisition has shaken the water polo world. One of the greatest centers of all time and a member of Serbia's golden generation, Dusko Pijetlovic (39), has come out of retirement to join the Kragujevac-based club.
Pijetlovic’s illustrious career is hard to summarize. He has won four Olympic medals—two gold (2016, 2020) and two bronze (2008, 2012)—as well as four World Championship medals, including two golds (2009, 2015), a silver (2011), and a bronze (2017). He has also claimed five European Championship titles with Serbia (2006, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018), in addition to a silver (2008) and a bronze (2010). His achievements in the World League are unparalleled, with 11 titles and a bronze in 2009, alongside three World Cup titles and a bronze in 2018.
Pijetlovic has been equally successful at the club level, having played for Vojvodina, Partizan, Pro Recco, Crvena Zvezda, Sintez Kazan, Dynamo Moscow, Hungarian club Szolnok, and Novi Beograd. He has won the Champions League four times with three different clubs—twice with Pro Recco (2012, 2015), and once each with Partizan (2011) and Crvena Zvezda (2013). He also claimed the Euro Cup with Szolnok in 2021 and added a European Super Cup with Pro Recco in 2015 to his impressive collection of trophies. Pijetlovic has been a champion in every country he’s played in, with eight titles in Serbia, four in Italy, two in Russia, and one in Hungary, along with three Adriatic League titles.
This transfer was somewhat unexpected, as Pijetlovic had announced his retirement about 15 days ago, but the call from Radnicki was too tempting to resist, prompting him to reverse his decision and come out of retirement.
"I received an offer I couldn’t refuse, simple and honest," Pijetlovic said. "I had conversations with Uros Stevanovic, who recently became an Olympic champion, and it's hard to say no to a coach who has achieved such great success. Our ambitions align—we want to win every match, in every competition, and if that wasn’t the case, I wouldn’t have joined."
The reliable center spent the last three seasons with Radnicki’s biggest domestic rival, Novi Beograd, giving him a deep understanding of the Kragujevac team's dynamics.
"I'm well aware of what’s been happening at Radnicki, primarily as a rival over the past few seasons. Their continuity of work and consistent improvement is something no one can deny. Radnicki is a great club, especially for the development of younger players, and I hope we older ones will blend in well and that with a mix of youth and experience, we'll achieve the desired results," Pijetlovic added.
Radnicki has assembled a formidable team, undoubtedly set to challenge for all four domestic trophies. Their first test comes in just ten days when they host the Champions League qualification tournament in Kragujevac.
"The ambitions are high, but you can’t do everything at once. There needs to be some time for new players to adjust to the environment and for the existing players to adapt to the new ones. I hope we’ll gel quickly and be ready for this crucial Champions League qualification tournament, and as the season progresses, we'll only get better and more prepared for the biggest challenges at the end of the season," Pijetlovic concluded.
This summer, Radnicki had already strengthened their squad with five gold medalists from the Paris Olympics: Nikola Jaksic, Strahinja Rasovic, Radomir Drasovic, Radoslav Filipovic, and Petar Jaksic, as well as Montenegrin center Nikola Murisic and Serbian player Dusan Vasic, who represents Georgia. With Pijetlovic’s arrival, Radnicki has cemented itself as a top contender for the upcoming season.
