The former president of Crvena Zvezda, Dobrivoje Tanasijević Den Tana, passed away at the age of 90, the Football Association of Serbia announced tonight.
Den Tana passed away after a battle with a serious illness. He was the acting president of Zvezda from September 2 to November 13, 2008, and was then appointed president of the “red and whites.” Den Tana was the president of Zvezda until April 23, 2009, when he resigned.
“Dobrivoje Tanasijević has passed away. A man of football, a man of business, a man with a big heart. It was enough to say Den Tana. Someone who conquered Hollywood with charisma and good food, was a great fan of his Serbia and Crvena Zvezda,” the official FSS website states.
Den Tana was born in Čibutkovica, and he played in the youth team of Crvena Zvezda.
“His path led him to Belgian Anderlecht, he also played for German Hanover, and he ended his football career in Canada. In the USA, he developed a business with restaurants, but he could not live without football, so in 1973 he bought English Brentford. He left the ‘bees’ in 2002, and in 2008 he became the president of Crvena Zvezda,” the Zvezda statement adds.
IN MEMORIAM:
— Fudbalski savez Srbije | FA of Serbia (@FSSrbije) August 16, 2025
Добривоје Танасијевић (1935 – 2025)
У 91. години живота преминуо је Добривоје Танасијевић. Човек фудбала, човек бизниса, човек великог срца. Довољно је било рећи Ден Тана. Неко ко је харизмом и врхунским угоститељством освојио Холивуд, био велики навијач своје… pic.twitter.com/CVZNgvJNWn
Football was his great love, but even as a young man he realized that he was also attracted to the world of film, the FSS stated.
“He enrolled in Jeff Corey’s acting school in Malibu, which was practically his entry into the film industry. He had several minor roles, but, so to speak, he gained fame for his restaurant with good service and food in Los Angeles, which was visited by the most famous Hollywood stars. He was a big fan of the greatest aces from this area, he admired the character and work of Dragan Stojković, he loved him as a player, and later as the coach of Serbia. He was almost a regular at the national team’s matches, at home and abroad, sincere support of a great patriot. The FSS expresses sincere condolences to the family of Dobrivoje Tanasijević, Den Tana,” the FSS statement concludes.
The football club Brentford also announced the death of Tanasijević. In 1973, he bought this club, later he sold it, but he remained on the board and was certainly not forgotten.
We are deeply saddened to learn of the death of our hugely influential and respected former chairman and director Dan Tana
— Brentford FC (@BrentfordFC) August 17, 2025
Better known to many as a Hollywood restaurant owner and friend to some of the world’s best known film stars, he was on our Board for almost three decades… pic.twitter.com/E2hS4N7AGO
-We are deeply saddened by the death of our extremely influential and respected former president and director Den Tana – states the Brentford announcement.
In addition, they added:
-Better known to many as the owner of a Hollywood restaurant and a friend of some of the world’s most famous movie stars, he was a member of our board of directors for almost three decades, and also served as president. Rest in peace, Den.
Along with the text is a great photo from the seventies, where Den Tana is with Brentford’s players at the time.
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Source: Danas; Photo: Printscreen Tanjug