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 Multiple European, World and Olympic champions walk the streets of Belgrade. It is a great thing when a small country can say that it is a sporting superpower! The main exports of this region are top-class footballers, basketball, volleyball, water polo and handball players.
Two of the top tennis players, Ana Ivanović i Novak Đoković, were born in Belgrade, where they both began to play tennis at the age of 4 or 5.
The first basketball match in Belgrade was played in 1923, and today everyone knows that the best basketball in the world, outside of North America, is played in Belgrade. There is not a single basketball gold medal that we have not won several times. It was from Belgrade that Vlade Divac, Saša Đorđević, Predrag Danilović and most of the other golden boys of domestic basketball set out to conquer the world.
We have always been better at basketball than football, but that is probably why we prefer football and devote more effort to it. The first match between Red Star (Crvena zvezda) and Partizan was played on 5th January 1947 and since then it has been termed "the Perpetual Derby" ('večiti derbi'). This has become the Holy Grail of Yugoslav football and the trademark of Serbian sport throughout Europe and the world. The Derby is also a contest between the supporters of the two clubs: the 'Delije' ('Heroes') of Red Star and the 'Grobari' ('Gravediggers') of Partizan.
Belgrade has hosted many World, European and Balkan championships in numerous sports. We dream of one day hosting the Olympic Games. All the technical facilities are there: large stadiums, indoor sports halls, and facilities for all types of sports.
 There is not a single sport that is not played in Belgrade! At Ada Ciganlija, besides the excellent facilities for all types of water sports, there are sports fields and facilities for extreme sports: free climbing and bungee jumping. One of the mass sporting events that takes place every year in Belgrade is the Belgrade Marathon and the Children's Marathon, and we are also part of the international Challenge Day event. There is also the Hipodrom at Careva ćuprija. "Belgrade Arena" can accommodate 20,000 visitors and the European Basketball Championships, the Diamond Ball basketball tournament and the European Volleyball Championships have been held there. The pool of the Tašmajdan Sports Centre was the venue for the World FINA cup in water polo and the European Water polo Championships. In the last few years European championships in ice-skating, Greco-Roman wrestling, and jet-skiing, as well as World League volleyball, European Table Tennis Super League, the European Archery Championships and the Youth Olympic Festival have all been held in Belgrade, while in 2009 the Universiade will be held in Belgrade.
Here you will find, on almost every street corner, youngsters who can beat you at street basketball, football or beach volleyball. They will all give you a return match too, or at least a points' advantage. The people of Belgrade love a challenge. After all where do you think we get all these champions from?
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