Tijana Boskovic: Turkish volleyball’s near miss for another Melissa Vargas

Years ago, the Turkish volleyball team almost secured a significant talent in Tijana Boskovic, who could have followed in the footsteps of star player Melissa Vargas.

This revelation came to light as Boskovic, currently playing for Eczacibasi Dynavit and representing Serbia in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, shared her past interactions with Turkish volleyball officials.

Turkish volleyball clubs’ early interest in Boskovic

In interviews with the Serbian media, Boskovic and her father, Ljupko Boskovic, detailed Galatasaray’s efforts to recruit her when she was younger. Boskovic recalled, “Galatasaray offered my family and me a house, a car, a school, and Turkish citizenship. It was like a fairy tale, but I had Serbia on my mind and declined the offer.”

The recruitment discussions began when she was just 14 years old. Ataman Guneyligil, a coach for the Turkish national team, noticed Boskovic’s potential during the Balkan Championship where she played for the Bosnian national team. Guneyligil informed Galatasaray’s management about her talent, which led to their recruitment efforts.

Tijana’s near miss with Turkish national volleyball team

Orkun Darnel, a Galatasaray manager, detailed how Tijana was discovered during the Balkan Championship while playing for Bosnia’s national team. Galatasaray had brought her to Istanbul for training sessions and had nearly completed the paperwork for her to join the Turkish national team.

However, the Serbian Volleyball Federation acted swiftly, securing her commitment to Serbia before Galatasaray could finalize the arrangements. “We almost had her, but the Serbian federation moved quickly to secure her,” Darnel explained.

Tijana trained with Galatasaray in Istanbul

Ljupko Boskovic added that Tijana trained with Galatasaray in Türkiye. The family spent several days in Istanbul, where Turkish officials persistently tried to convince her to join the team.

However, the process required her to change her surname to a Turkish equivalent, “Boskoglu,” due to then-Turkish laws regarding citizenship. Despite Türkiye’s extensive efforts and offers, the Boskovic family remained committed to Serbia.

Orkun Darnel, Galatasaray’s manager, provided further insights into the missed opportunity. He explained, “We had arranged everything for Boskovic, including an agreement with a local school.

However, the Serbian Volleyball Federation acted swiftly and secured her commitment before we could finalize our plans. The week we were supposed to go to Bosnia to finalize things, the Serbians had already taken her to Belgrade and signed her.”

Tijana Boskovic’s Flourishing Career

Boskovic’s career continued to flourish in Serbia. She has achieved numerous accolades, including being named most valuable player (MVP) at two World Championships and winning several European and World titles.

Her successful career has made her one of the top volleyball players globally. Funnily enough, she now plays for a Turkish professional team, Eczacibasi Dynavit.

If Boskovic had accepted Türkiye’s offer, she could have been a significant addition to the Turkish team, much like the impact Melissa Vargas has had.

Melissa Vargas chose Turkish national volleyball team

Melissa Vargas, a Cuban-born volleyball player, has had a significant impact on the Turkish national team since joining. Vargas began her professional career at a young age in Cuba, moved to Türkiye, and played for Fenerbahce.

In 2021, she was granted Turkish citizenship, and her debut for the Turkish national team came after a two-year wait.

Vargas quickly made her mark, leading Türkiye to victory in the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) and the 2023 Women’s European Volleyball Championship, where she was named MVP in both tournaments.

Her addition has been a crucial factor in Türkiye’s recent success in international volleyball, helping the team rise to the top of the women’s world rankings under the guidance of coach Daniele Santarelli​.