Although he is only 22 years old, Ognjen Gašević has achieved the biggest football dream - he made his debut for the Montenegrin national team, but not only that. He was an assistant in one of the "falcons"'s biggest victories, in the B League of Nations against Turkey - 3:1. And like the dream of every kid from the streets of Podgorica, he managed to fight his way through and win a trophy - the Montenegrin Cup in the "blue and white" jersey, and he is close to another one, the championship title.
The left-back of Buducnost took a side road to the jersey of the most trophy-winning Montenegrin football club - OFK Titograd, then Rudar, only to receive the desired invitation to be part of Buducnost in the summer of 2023.
- I am overjoyed with how my football journey is going, but there are also good signs of what is to come. We are on the verge of winning the Montenegrin championship, we have a big advantage and a convincing game. Europe is here, and a big step forward in the UEFA competition is the next club goal, but also my personal goal. The situation at the club is phenomenal, I got a winter contract and a new contract until the summer of 2027, but with incomparably better conditions. The first one was for two years, and I arrived at the club shaken by a bad result in Europe and an unconvincing start in the championship. Now everything is different, Buducnost is finally dominating in accordance with the club's history and reputation - the first team player of the "blue and whites" tells "Vijesti".
Although he plays as a left back, Gašević has impressive statistics, with two goals and seven assists to his name in the championship. He concluded the last match, a home match against Otranto (5:1), with the fifth goal, before which he “shared” two assists. In the first, for his team’s second goal, he assisted the scorer Danilo Vukanić "tore apart" the defense of the guests from Ulcinj from their own half.
- My debut in the Buducnost jersey was in our biggest derby, at the end of Bistrica against Sutjeska, for a 1:0 win. Although I play as a defender, I prefer to come forward to threaten the opponent's goal. After all, my football idol, Jordi Alba was very offensive and that's the style I've always tried to copy. That's how he plays now Theo Hernandez from Milan. I have been training and following since I was seven, especially the games of Barcelona and Buducnost, and I have tried to learn as much as possible from each of my coaches. Sports have always been the center of my interests and I graduated from the sports department in high school - says Gašević.
Buducnost has been a target of scouts from numerous big clubs in the last few years, and the club has made some big transfers. Are you interested in following in the footsteps of your former teammates?
- Well Andrija Bulatović After a great contract with Lens, he stayed there on loan until the end of the season and it means a lot to us. Buducnost has launched and affirmed numerous talents and that is a good sign. Personally, I am focused only on the first next game, I want the title and to achieve a good result in Europe. And then, we will see...
Buducnost said goodbye to defending the Montenegrin Cup trophy with the first match of this half-season.
- We failed against Iskra, a bad day or whatever. Maybe our legs were "heavy" after the preparations. We then showed with five consecutive wins that it was just a bad day. It happens, although the unexpected elimination was hard on us - concluded Gašević.
December gave me the "wind at my back"
Risto Radunović suspended, Andrija Vukčević injured and Robert Prosinečki in the stands of the stadium near Bistrica. The only goal, the first in his club's jersey, was scored by left back Ognjen Gašević.
- The goal to win over Sutjeska is definitely the most important in my career so far, the derby decided it and with a good game I think it influenced me to make my dream come true. The national team accepted me as if I had been playing with them every day for years. Phenomenal! And that nervousness, because the world football ace Prosinecki is in front of me, immediately disappeared with his great attitude and the trust he showed in me. He relaxed me and gave me the "wind at my back", and I think that I thanked him for the trust in the best way with my game. We beat Turkey, without a number of important players, and showed that we have the quality to attack the placement in a major competition. We definitely have, maybe we will succeed already in this cycle of qualifications for the World Cup. I follow the games of our national team abroad, it is encouraging that almost everyone is in excellent form at the moment - said Gašević
Unlike the club, Gašević had a "direct path" to the national team jersey.
- I went through all the younger categories of our national teams, I learned. I'm still learning and trust helps there. I have maximum support from Buducnost coach Ivan Brnović and his staff, and that, I believe, is the most important thing for a young player - emphasized Gašević.
Bonus video:
