Sporting the Image of Our Lady of Medjugorje on the T-shirt under the Football Jersey!

“I find it weird when athletes and people who claim to believe in God say that they don't have time for Holy Mass or for God”. In a recent interview on Radio Medjugorje, Zvonimir Boban said “We should always find time for Jesus and try to be as close to Him as possible in our way of living”. Boban is presently the best Croatian football player of all time

In Međugorje there is now a modern Sport and Recreation centre. Its top quality has been recognised by many sports organisations from Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, and many now go there to train.

But long before Međugorje became a facility for sports training, many athletes used to visit this shrine for their spiritual renewal both before and after major sporting events. The best Croatian football player ever, Zvonimir Boban who conducted the Croatian National Football Team all the way to third place in the World Championship in 1998, regularly visits the shrine of the Queen of Peace.

He also told us that while praying in Međugorje, he and his wife came to the decision to adopt a little girl. Out of gratitude to Our Lady, they baptised and gave the little girl the name Marija.

Rosaries for the National team

-“I find it weird when athletes and people who claim to believe in God say that they don't have time for Mass or for God. We should always find time for Jesus and try to be as close to Him as possible in our way of living, said Boban on the airwaves of Radio Mir Međugorje.

Boban pointed out that he visits Medjugorje regularly and charges his spiritual batteries under the protection of Our Lady.

Niko Kranjčar too, player with the English team Portsmouth and son of the ex-Croatian National team selector Zlatko Kranjčar, recently brought his girlfriend and his friends from Zagreb to Međugorje.

Although, the pair were not amused when a photo-reporter began following them, they remained fairly cool-headed about it. Hand in hand, they walked to Podbrdo, the place where 25 years ago Our Lady appeared to the visionaries. Afterwards, in the same manner, they walked throughout the whole of Međugorje.

- “Niko wasn't exaggerating – in Međugorje you really feel something sacred” said Simona, the girlfriend of Niko Kranjičar concerning her impressions of Medjugorje. Around her neck hung two Rosaries. They hadn't been bought in any of the local souvenir shops either. One had been blessed by Pope John Paul II; the other was a gift from her mother.

Another frequent guest in Medjugorje is Dario Šimić, who also has family roots in Hercegovina. Before the World Championship in Germany last year, he brought Rosaries for all the team players representing Croatia . He got them directly from the Medjugorje visionaries.

Another player who visited Medjugorje for training recently was Luka Modrić, the player from Dinamo, the leading Croatian team. When playing with some English footballers against Arsenal, his skill threw many of them into the shade.

On the occasion of his Medjugorje visit he said, “Training was carried out in the best possible way and I can say that I was delighted by the reception. I hope this is not going to be our last preparation course here; what I mean is - I hope we shall come here again!”

The full article can be found on pages 36-37 of Vol 2
2007 issue.