Neven Subotic once chose Serbia over Germany and delighted our public. But this story is not about his football life.
Namely, what Subotic did after hanging up his boots places him among the rare individuals who have used their fame for the general good.
For years, he was an impassable pillar of the Borussia Dortmund defense, forming one of the best defensive pairings in Bundesliga history with Mats Hummels. However, the brilliance of the football pitch was replaced by the dusty roads of Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania.
In a sincere confession to the German “Bild,” Subotic revealed that today he lives completely differently from the stereotype that follows professional footballers.
– I donated about four million euros and now I work on a voluntary basis. I have my own foundation, and I cover all administrative and travel costs out of my own pocket – Neven admits.
Although he played at the top level for 14 years, he points out that million-dollar contracts were reserved only for one period in Dortmund. Today, his financial resources are limited, but he views that as the price of freedom.
Subotic does not run from his past. He admits that he himself was part of a system that promotes materialism.
– As a player, I had everything – fast cars, a luxury villa with a jacuzzi… I lived extremely and without much thought. The turning point happened in 2010. I wanted to regain control over my life, and two years later I founded the foundation that became my true calling – he explains.
His foundation is focused on a basic human right – access to drinking water. To date, they have managed to provide clean water for an incredible 450,000 people. Although he is a football nomad who fled Yugoslavia, was deported from Germany, and sought happiness in the USA before returning to Mainz, Dortmund remained his base. Nevertheless, the price of commitment to humanitarian work was high on a private level.
– When my girlfriend and I parted ways, the foundation became the center of my world. My relationships often broke down due to constant moving – says Subotic, adding that football today hardly interests him at all.
Despite everything he has achieved, one human wish remains – a conversation with the man who marked his career.
– I would like to have a beer with Jurgen Klopp. He had an incredible influence on my life, but we never had that quiet, shared moment to sit down and summarize everything we went through. Honestly, I don’t follow football, but connections with people like him are what remain – Subotic concludes.
This story is not just about football; it is a story about a man who realized that true wealth is not measured by figures in a bank account, but by the number of people whose lives you have changed.
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Source: Novosti, Photo: Printscreen Instagram