After wrapping up a strong season with his club, Serbia’s Nemanja Gudelj is gearing up to represent his national team in an international friendly against China. Serbia recently topped their group in the UEFA qualifiers for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, securing direct qualification. In their final qualifier, Gudelj started and played the full 90 minutes, demonstrating his continued importance to the squad.
Jokingly reflecting on the upcoming match against China, Gudelj remarked that one reason he expects Serbia to win is the absence of his club teammates from Tianjin Teda on the Chinese national team roster. “Some of my teammates have been selected for China before, but none of them are in the squad this time,” he said. “Yang Liyu is currently with the China U21 team, so maybe in the near future, more players from Tianjin Teda will get national team opportunities.”
During the international break, Serbia is scheduled to play matches in both China and South Korea. Instead of returning home after his league duties, Gudelj will head straight to Guangzhou to join up with the Serbian squad. There, he will be welcomed by a new coach. After parting ways with previous head coach Slavoljub Muslin, Serbia has appointed Mladen Krstajić as interim manager. Interestingly, Dragan Stojković, currently coaching Guangzhou R&F in the Chinese Super League, is among the rumored candidates for the long-term role.
Gudelj expressed some regret over the coaching change but accepted the federation’s decision. “It’s always unfortunate to change a coach, but this is something the Serbian Football Association decided. We have to move forward,” he stated.
As for the upcoming match against China, Gudelj admitted it holds a special meaning for him. “It feels a bit different because I play in the Chinese Super League. I’ll definitely share some insights with my Serbian teammates about the Chinese players,” he said. “Many of them come from top clubs like Shanghai Port and Guangzhou Evergrande, and I’ll explain their playing styles to help us prepare.”
While Gudelj believes Serbia has the upper hand, he expects a tight game, predicting a narrow victory. “Maybe 2-1 or 1-0. China didn’t make the World Cup, but they still have plenty of talented players. It won’t be an easy match.”
Off the pitch, Gudelj remains motivated to continue performing at a high level with Tianjin Teda. His eyes are firmly set on making Serbia’s World Cup squad for Russia next year, and regular club appearances are key to keeping that dream alive.
As the football calendar continues to heat up, fans across Asia remain tuned in not only to these international matchups but also to rising excitement in sports like BD Cricket. With its ever-growing popularity, BD Cricket continues to unite communities and bring the thrill of the game to every corner of the region—much like international football, where even friendly matches carry national pride. The passion and drive shown by players like Gudelj reflect the same dedication fans expect from BD Cricket stars, reminding us all that the love for the game knows no borders.