Those were the best years of Montenegrin club football.
The start of the league, the creation of rivalries, fan tensions, the fight for prestige and a place in the history of the most popular sport in the youngest European country at the time.
And good football. Atomic - compared to today.
In the first season, the races of the biggest Montenegrin club Budućnosti, which wanted to confirm such a reputation from the start of the new football reality, and Zeta, which in recent years in the FR Yugoslavia, from a small, suburban club, became an important factor on that, bigger stage as well.
Zeta, with the quality it had, the talent of the players and coaches, as well as the strength of the club (or one man - Raj Božović), won its first title in 2007.
The future had to fight back, pride was well shaken.
That's what happened. Podgorica's "blues" won their first title in the second season, which, it turns out, they won in January 2008, after the management, successfully led by Kemal Đečević, did a great job in the winter transfer window.
Then Fatos Bećiraj, now a legend of Montenegrin football, arrived in the club from Kosovo, and Gustavo Lopes from Argentina.
Bećiraj turned into a goal machine, and Lopes into a conductor in the middle of the field, who refined the game and with whom the other guys, like Raičević, Petar Vukčević, Đurišić, Delic... were even better.
A great technician, a mangup with the ball, not as fast and aggressive as the real "gauchos", but with a style that was more reminiscent of Riquelme's...
Memories of Lopes came back recently when he found himself in the ideal team of Budućnost in the first decade of the 21st century, in the fans' choice, as the only foreigner in the best XI.
"It's extraordinary for me that the fans remember those days and my contribution, because I also remember Budućnosti and Podgorica with the most beautiful emotions," now 36-year-old Gustavo tells Vijesti.
In January 2008, Gustavo came from Indonesia, from the club Persela, after spending three years in the first division club Lanus.
"The year 2008 was specific for me in many ways, because it was the year in which I performed in Europe for the first time. I honestly didn't know what to expect. It turned out to be a year in which I had a lot of success, as a team and personally, because I managed to upgrade myself as a football player. It was a wonderful experience to play in the best club in Montenegro. I knew I was coming to a big club and I liked the challenge that was put in front of me", says Gustavo from Buenos Aires, his hometown.
The fight for the title was a special challenge for him, and the celebration after the victory over Dečić in the last round, he says, will never fade.
"I won the title for the first time in my career and it is memorable. Later I won trophies in Puerto Rico and Indonesia, but I can't forget the first one. It was a phenomenal group of great people and friends, who made me feel like I was in my own country. Regardless of the language difference, I really felt satisfied and comfortable. Also, the team was enriched by very good people in the club. I really enjoyed it".
Memories of the success of that team do not fade because of the possibility to be in contact with former teammates.
"I remember everyone, so today with technology and social networks I can have contact with them. We hear each other, often some photos remind us of the year when we won the title. I believe that for the rest of our lives we will have something that unites us forever. Of course, I miss my teammates from that period and I hope we will meet again. I hope that one day I will return to Podgorica and Montenegro to revive all those memories".
He stayed in Budućnost for a year and a half, the second season was not as successful as the first...
"I didn't stay longer because I think that, after we won the title, the club made some changes, both for me and for the players from Montenegro. I think that then the changes came from the management and were felt, so it was not the same. My intention then was to stay for a while longer, because I felt comfortable, I had a lot of friends and I really enjoyed that moment. At one time there was even talk about my naturalization, so that I could play for the national team of Montenegro. I was very motivated to take such a step, but it was not possible and life took me to the other side".
After the end of his football career, he returned to Buenos Aires and through acquaintance with the legend of Argentine football, Javier Zanetti, got a great opportunity to improve as a coach. He works as a coordinator in the academy of Inter, a club where Argentines have always had a special status (Zanetti, Cambiasso, Milito, Simeone, Samuel, Crespo, Icardi, Lautaro...)...
Through this work, he also sees the possibility of cooperation with the Podgorica club.
"I hope that one day there will be a need to be part of the club again in some form, because I would like Buducnost to be an even bigger club, because it deserves it." First of all, because it is an institution, because of the fans and the stadium, because of the history, but also because it is one of the biggest clubs from that part of Europe. I hope that I will come to Montenegro again, for a visit for sure, but why not as a part of the Future", said Lopes.
"Barbarians" - always with us
He comes from a country where people don't support their clubs, they literally live for them...
He felt part of it in the attitude that the "barbarians" had towards the team he played for.
"They were always with us, they always followed the team. She felt and saw the difference between them and the fans of other clubs. The difference was reflected in the number of fans who supported the team. I remember that they always cheered on the team for 90 minutes and motivated us to play even better," says Lopes, who, he says, enjoyed life in Podgorica and in Montenegro.
"I really have the most beautiful memories - Montenegro is one of the most beautiful countries I have visited during my career".
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