Dusan Tadic Ends Two-Year Retirement to Rejoin Serbia National Team

Dusan Tadic, former Southampton forward, has declared his return to the Serbia national team after stepping away for two years. The 37-year-old playmaker made the announcement following his recent move to NEC Nijmegen and their heavy 5-0 defeat against Juventus.

A Veteran Returns to Lead Serbia

Tadic, Serbia's record appearance holder with 111 caps, had retired from international football after Euro 2024. But now, he is ready to don the national jersey once more. His decision comes from a strong desire to represent his country again and the pride he feels when playing for Serbia.

"Now I want to help my country again. I feel the need to enjoy playing for the nation again. It always gives a sense of pride. You will soon see me playing in the match against the Netherlands," Tadic told Ziggo Sport.

What Led to His Return?

The Serbian Football Association kept in touch with Tadic throughout his retirement, urging him to come back. His previous spell in Saudi Arabia made travel and physical readiness difficult for a return. His transfer to NEC Nijmegen in the Eredivisie revitalized his form and ambitions, making a comeback possible.

"When I had stopped, the association called me several times to come back. At those times, I wasn’t physically ready for it yet. When I was playing there (Saudi Arabia), the distance was too great to travel back and forth constantly," he explained.

NEC Nijmegen’s Harsh Defeat to Juventus

Despite the bright news about Tadic’s return, NEC Nijmegen faced a tough night losing 5-0 to Juventus in Turin. Tadic reflected on the match, pointing out tactical mistakes and poor communication that left gaps for Juventus to exploit easily.

"We should have helped each other today to keep the spaces tight. In the end, we just conceded goals too easily today. It wasn’t necessary. Our communication wasn’t what it should have been. When these things go wrong against a team like Juventus, you have a tough evening. When we had the ball, we often didn’t make good choices," he said.

Serbia’s Upcoming Nations League Challenges

Tadic’s return couldn’t come at a more critical time as Serbia faces a demanding schedule in the UEFA Nations League. The team has four challenging fixtures lined up with little room for adjustment.

• September 24: Serbia vs Greece in Belgrade
• September 27: Serbia vs Netherlands
• October 1: Germany vs Serbia in Munich
• October 4: Netherlands vs Serbia in Eindhoven

This stretch of matches will test Serbia's resilience and leadership, qualities Tadic is expected to bring back to the squad.