By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Euroleague Basketball president Dejan Bodiroga and Real Madrid chief Florentino Perez shared a prominent reunion in Budapest during the 2026 UEFA Champions League Final on Saturday.
The pregame encounter, captured on video by MARCA, saw the 79-year-old club president of Los Blancos greeted by crowds of passionate fans. Bodiroga promptly joined the mix, arriving just on the heels of their recent meeting at the 2026 EuroLeague Final Four Athens, presented by Etihad.
Invited as a special guest by UEFA, Perez’s presence in Hungary highlighted his massive influence in global sports administration. As the billionaire chairman of Grupo ACS, he has overseen a dominant dual-sport era, guiding Madrid’s basketball division to 29 official trophies, including three EuroLeague titles. Additionally, he is widely credited with overseeing the scouting and early development of generational talents like NBA superstar Luka Doncic.
For 53-year-old Bodiroga, who is under contract to lead Europe’s premier basketball organization through 2028, the meeting carried a deep personal connection. The Serbian legend previously starred for the team based in the Spanish capital between 1996 and 1998, earning a Most Valuable Player award in the ACB during Perez’s first term as president. Recognized as one of the greatest international players in history, he has also been linked to Perez through ongoing talks regarding the future of European basketball. These discussions focus on strategic expansion and the potential introduction of a new top-tier league, widely referred to as NBA Europe, as Bodiroga transitions to an executive role focused on global growth.
In a dramatic football showpiece at the Puskas Arena, Paris Saint-Germain defeated Arsenal in a penalty shootout to be crowned champions.
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