After winning numerous league titles and domestic cups, two EHF Champions League trophies, one Champions League silver medal and a World Championship silver medal, Dragana Cvijic will bring her nearly 20-year playing career to an end on Sunday evening against Szombathely. The world-class line player spent the final four seasons of her career at Ferencváros and, as she puts it, found a second home in Népliget.

Have you had time to reflect on a career that is coming to an end this Sunday after nearly two decades?

Not really. I still don't know what to think about it — it's crazy, Dragana Cvijic began. It only became real when I announced it a few days ago. Before that, I hadn't fully processed it; I had simply accepted the situation. Then the phone calls started, the messages kept coming, and that's when you realise how much you've meant to other people and how important it was for them to see you on the court. I've received so many beautiful messages. A lot of people told me they appreciated that I was always myself on the court. That's something I always tried to do throughout my career, and I think I succeeded.

Were those sad moments or happy ones, realising both that it was ending and how many people care about you?

It was a mix of emotions. It's difficult because I have to accept that I won't be 25 again and that I can't play for another ten years. I don't think anyone is ever truly ready to retire, and I'm certainly not. I love sport, it's been my whole life, and it's hard to imagine that I won't be competing anymore. This mentality, this desire to win, will always stay with me.

Was it a difficult decision?

I thought about it a lot from the beginning of the season. I'm 36 now, and I was basically deciding whether to play one more year or stop now. In the end, I felt that one extra season wouldn't really change anything. I'd rather start working as a coach and focus on learning and developing in that role. If I could play for another ten years, I definitely wouldn't retire, but that's not the reality. Knowing what I want to do next and knowing that I'll remain part of handball helps me feel more than just sadness. It's difficult to talk about — I could easily start crying.

Do you already have a clear vision of where you'd like to be in a few years?

I dream a lot, but I always did that as a player too. I'm happy because I've gained so much experience. I've worked with both Balkan and Scandinavian coaches and learned a lot from all of them. I took notes on every coach I've had. I have a notebook where I wrote down training sessions, my feelings, what I liked and what I would do differently. I'm sure that will be useful now. I believe that if I work hard enough, I can become successful. I want to keep an open mind and not limit myself to just one system, whether it's Scandinavian or Balkan handball.

When did you start taking notes?

At Buducnost. One day Bojana Popovic suggested that whenever I felt frustrated or after a bad match, I should immediately write down my feelings. That's how it started. Later she told me to write down difficult experiences against certain opponents and read them before playing them again because it would motivate me. It became very important to me, and eventually I started taking notes on training sessions too.

What kind of notes do you have about FTC?

Oh, only the best ones. After Buducnost, I always hoped to find a club where I could feel something similar, and here I found everything I was looking for. I can honestly say this is where I've been happiest in my entire career. Because of the fans, the club, the people who work here. Everyone is professional, but also genuinely human, and everybody truly loves Fradi. I remember our first pre-season match — from that moment I felt I belonged here.

Over the years I never cared about what people said from the outside, whether we were good enough or not. I believed that whenever we stepped onto the court, the Fradi mentality would take over. And that's who I am. I can say that this club reflects who I am, because we think the same way: step onto the court, fight, give everything for success, no matter who the players are or whether we're considered the best team in the world. One thing is always certain — we will give absolutely everything. That's the most important thing for me.

Have you ever thought about what might have happened if you had found Ferencváros earlier in your career?

Maybe we would have won a Champions League title together. I genuinely hope Fradi wins it in the future. I think the club has everything it needs to do so. For me, this is the best club in Europe. I don't say that because of trophies or titles, but because of the way the club is run and the people who work here. I've never experienced anything like it anywhere else. Starting next season, I'll be the team's biggest supporter. I hope they first reach the Final4 and then go on to win the Champions League, because they deserve it.

What emotions do you feel ahead of Sunday? Are you looking forward to it or are you a little afraid of it?

I honestly don't know. It's a very strange feeling knowing it's my last match. I think it will be incredibly emotional, and maybe that's what worries me the most. Or perhaps 'worry' isn't the right word. I'm just trying to tell myself everything will be okay, but it's not easy. Every day I look forward to coming here and spending a little more time with the team. I'm really enjoying the final chapter of this journey.

You once said you wanted to retire quietly, without a big farewell, even though your career would deserve one. Why?

Throughout my career I've always seen myself as someone who simply plays sport because she loves it. Just like other people go to work because they love what they do. And when someone retires from their job, it usually isn't a huge event. I simply tried to get the very best out of myself. If I managed to help someone away from the court, that's wonderful. If somebody found motivation in the way I fought, if they could forget their problems for an hour because our team brought them joy, or if a child started playing handball because of me, that might mean even more to me than winning the Champions League.

I don't think you fully realise how much people love you.

I have a funny story about that. When we were discussing my transfer to the club, I had a video call with Gábor Elek and asked him: 'Are you crazy? Your fans hate me. They always want to kill me when I play here.' And he replied: 'Trust me, if you come here, by the end they'll love you more than anyone.'

It's a beautiful story. I never imagined I would fall so deeply in love with this club, but that's exactly what happened, and I'm incredibly proud to have been part of it.

What will you take with you from Fradi?

So many memories. So many great matches and special moments. Sometimes I watch old videos and photos from the past few years, and that's when I realise just how strong we were. I'll take with me the belief that you must never give up and that you have to fight until the very end. I always had that mentality, but coming here reinforced that it was the right way. I'm certain this will always remain my second home. Perhaps the most important thing is knowing that I can come back here anytime and feel happy again, even if only for a few hours, experiencing the same emotions I felt when I played here.

Even if it's from the stands with a pretzel in your hand...

Exactly! That has always been my dream: sitting in the stands with a pretzel, watching the match. And very soon, I'll finally be able to do it.