During his long-distance trip to China, Serbian President Vucic had a surprise encounter with Serbian-Chinese men's soccer head Jankovic on the evening of Oct. 17 at a hotel near the capital's bustling Wangfujing neighborhood. The camera captured images of the two men in smart suits and happy faces, apparently reunited in the far east, making the two Serbian heroes feel warm.
After a short but in-depth conversation, Jankovic generously presented Vucic with a national No. 10 jersey with Vucic's name on it, which was both a transfer of soccer and a mingling of emotions. Vucic received the gift with a big smile on his face, obviously grateful for this gift from a foreign country.
After the meeting, Vucic couldn't hide his joy on his personal social media platforms: "Thank you for this special gift! It is always a unique joy to meet with outstanding Serbian compatriots around the globe. As the Serbian 'Mourinho' of the Chinese men's soccer team, this honor is unparalleled!"
Born in 1972, Jankovic officially took over the coaching reins of the Chinese men's soccer team in February 2023. As of that year, he has led the team in eight warm-up matches, with a record of three wins, two draws and three losses, collecting 11 goals and conceding six. With the World Cup Asian qualifiers coming up on Nov. 16, Jankovic will lead the team to Thailand for the first round of the 36-team tournament on the road.
