The Gudelj family is full of athletes. They include father Nebojsa, former Logroñés footballer; also his mother Olivera, a basketball player. And this also applies to his three sons: Nemanja, defender of Seville; Dragisa from Córdoba and Vanja, tennis player. A family that has fought against adversity and the illness that afflicts Dragisa, central defender of Córdoba, of the First Association, who suffered another complicated heart attack this Sunday during the clash against Melilla. In the 28th minute, with the score at zero, Gudelj fainted and fell onto Martínez Claro’s turf. Within a few seconds and given the general shock, the footballer stood up, somewhat dazed, but recovered. However, he was replaced by his teammate Carlos García. The 26-year-old defender was taken to the Melilla hospital where all possible tests were carried out before traveling to Córdoba with his teammates. “Dragi Gudelj is doing well and will continue to undergo medical tests. As we said yesterday, we will not go into the player’s medical details. If we have something to share, we will let you know. Thank you to everyone for your understanding and respect,” Córdoba announced this Monday. The duel ended with a victory for the Andalusian team (0-1), which finished third in the second group of the First Federation.
Gudelj’s life was saved by the ICD (implanted automatic defibrillator), which was inserted after he suffered a heart attack on March 25 during a collision between Córdoba and Racing de Ferrol. Gudelj suffered a cardiac arrest and had to undergo surgery to install the defibrillator after this sudden death. After several months of testing and training alone, the defender was extended until 2025 last July and returned to Córdoba, where he has played 15 games this season. “If we look closely at what is happening, the player falls and, thanks to the electric shock from the defibrillator, gets up in two seconds as if nothing had happened.” There are people for whom the download is instant, and sometimes it takes one or two Seconds, as was the case with Gudelj. The device saved his life and we take her to hospitals almost every day. It is like a pacemaker that detects arrhythmias and reacts to balance the heart,” Víctor López, associate professor and long-time clinical head of cardiology at the Virgen Macarena Hospital in Seville, tells this medium. “Gudelj’s body is healthy, his heart seems to be in good condition, but this type of ventricular fibrillation causes a storm of cardiac arrhythmias that can end an athlete’s life. The origin of the problem is usually congenital, but it is obvious that the defibrillator worked properly to save Gudelj’s life,” adds Víctor López.
The player who is doing well will initially follow a specific training plan, away from everyday life with his teammates. Córdoba’s technicians and their medical services will analyze what Gudelj’s sporting future will be. “The important thing is that he is fine. We have to consider many things together about their future,” the Andalusian club assures this medium. However, Víctor López is clear. “I think it would be reckless for this boy to continue competing at the elite level of football. His heart is subjected to maximum stress, equivalent to that of a professional footballer, and the tension that this body suffers can, in my opinion, cause cardiac arrhythmias to occur more frequently. I understand that he is a young athlete with a career ahead of him, but for me health comes before money,” explains López. Of course, the cardiologist admits that there are colleagues who are in favor of the athlete continuing his career once the defibrillator is installed in his heart. This is the case of Eriksen, who collapsed during the clash between Denmark and Finland at the last European Championships. The fine Danish playmaker was revived after 15 minutes of treatment on the pitch and was clinically dead for 10 minutes. He underwent surgery to have a defibrillator inserted and now plays for Manchester United without ever having a serious heart problem again.
Professional football players undergo medical tests every season. Their hearts are examined, but detecting problems such as ventricular arrhythmias requires more precise testing than normal, especially in categories such as the First Federation. Such complaints can be recognized, for example, by carrying out echocardiograms and stress tests. After learning of Gudelj’s problem, all members of his family, including Nemanja Gudelj, Sevilla’s international defender, underwent extensive tests to rule out heart diseases like Dragisa’s.
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