They bring gold each year and they cost as an average football player! What is the secret of success of Serbian water polo players?

For a long time, it has been a rule in Serbia that water polo is the most profitable sport to invest in. Of course, not the most profitable regarding financial gain, but regarding results. Water polo players won a gold medal at the European championship this weekend, which is a fourth consecutive time that they are in the throne of Europe, and no one has ever managed to do that in history, and it is interesting that our entire team costs as much as an average European football player.

THE ETERNAL CHAMPIONS: Water polo players of Serbia are the Champions of Europe! Spain defeated after the penalties! (PHOTO)

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Yes, you've heard it right, as an average Serbian football player playing in some good European team. 

However, our water polo players will receive certain rewards for winning the gold medal, but that can't be compared with football and other sports.

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Former goalkeeper Slobodan Soro said:

- You can finance the entire water polo league in Serbia with a one-year long contract of Red Star or Partizan basketball players - Soro said in a talk show on RTS.

Foto: Marko Jovanović

That is related to Serbia. However, our national team players are playing abroad, so we need more money, as we said, like one average football players.

For example. The year's worth salary of Serbian water polo players is around 150 - 200.000 euros, including the elite ones (Filip Filipovic, Andrija Prlainovic, Dusko Pjetlovic), those who play at the best clubs in Europe and who fight for titles.

The rest are playing for less money (from 5.000 to 100.000 a year), depending on the club quality. 

Foto: MN Press

All in all, when salaries of all players come together, it is about a million euros per year...

On the other hand, Serger Milinkovic - Savic is making around 1.5 million in Lacio, but alright, he was a national team player. There are many others who are playing in smaller clubs and make around 500.000 up to million euros per season.

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At one time, the best player of the World Championship in Kazan, Andrija Prlainovic said:

- When I saw how much did Fetel treat his housekeepers, I want to quit water polo and go to become a cleaning lady - Prlainovic said.

However, we should be realistic. Water polo is not a popular sport and it is normal that the players are not making as much as football or basketball players. It is not even a commercial sport, because it can't attract sponsors and investments. That is why the state should take care of this sport.

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The problem is that we don't have any clubs that function, we have no pools that have conditions to have training, and a competition. The only thing we have is will, work ethics and love for this sport. 

The president of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic promised that the "Golden Dolphins" will get everything they are entitled to by law and that they will finally make a national water polo center in Vrnjacka Banja.

VIDEO: Dejan Savic explained the secret of success of our water polo players

(Telegraf.co.uk / D.S.)