On this day, a half a century ago, former Yugoslavia’s national basketball team won gold at the world championship.

Yugoslavia’s team, which consisted of players from all former Yugoslav republics, now independent states, won the match against the United States (70:63) on May 23 in Ljubljana, which was described in a recent documentary “We Will Be the World Champions.” This was the moment when Yugoslavia’s national team secured gold at the competition, and losing the final match against the Soviet Union a day later, on May 24, could not change that anymore.

The team’s coach at the time was Ranko Zeravica, while the players were Kresimir Cosic, Dragutin Cermak, Nikola Plecas, Vinko Jelovac, Damir Solman, Aljosa Zorga, Ivo Daneu, Ljubodrag Simonovic, Ratomir Tvrdic, Dragan Kapicic, Petar Skansi and Trajko Rajkovic.

When the team met with late former Yugoslav President Josip Broz Tito the next day, May 25, they presented him with the best birthday gift possible – the gold medal.