One of the most talented boys of the new gifted generation of Montenegrin football (born in 2009), Lazar Popović, has signed a professional contract with the Buducnost team.
The 2028-year-old defender signed a contract until XNUMX, wore the number six jersey, and in the company of his happy family, he did not hide his delight at becoming a professional for his hometown club.
"I have fulfilled one of my childhood dreams, I feel incredible, and signing the contract is just an additional motivation and a wind at my back to do my best in the future. I believe that with my attitude at every training session, I will earn the trust of the coaching staff and justify the opportunity given to me," Popović told the club's website after signing.
Popović is a new offshoot of the Youth School of the Future, which, under the command of Srđan Radonjić, creates players, and the coaching staff, led by Ivan Brnović, recognized that talent and quality during the winter preparations - Popović made his debut in a duel with Adria at the age of 15 years and 305 days, went through complete preparations in Antalya, Turkey, played international friendly matches...
"I am grateful to the club for giving me that trust, because it was incredibly meaningful for me to play games and train with the first team of the biggest club in Montenegro. My winter preparations were made as easy as possible by my teammates from the first team who were always there for me, and the captain Petar Grbić helped me the most," says Popović.
And how good he was in the preparations and friendly matches is shown by the fact that he impressed everyone - the coaching staff, agents, foreign clubs... Only the (too) strict rules of the FSCG (a player cannot be part of the team unless he is 16 years old) separated him from his debut participation in an official match, perhaps even his debut...
"I'm really satisfied with the preparations I've done with the first team, they were special for me. I felt the difference between youth and senior football and those preparations helped me speed up my game, as well as gain the desired experience."
Popović is a cadet (he started the season in the club's cadet selection), has been playing regularly for the youth team of Buducnost lately, and is knocking on the door of the first team - he could be one of the few to have played for three selections in the current season.
"My plans are to continue training hard and prove that the club can trust me. Of course, I hope that with hard work, I will make my debut in the first team," says Popović, who could thus celebrate titles with three teams (all of Buducnost's younger categories are convincingly first in their respective championships): cadets, youth and first team...
"First of all, I am honored to have been part of the first team during the preparations as a 15-year-old, and I would certainly be overjoyed if I got the chance, to be on the field and celebrate the title with everyone at the age of 16."
Lazar Popović has everything for a top defender – height, speed, strength, vision… And of course, he has his idols.
"My football idol is Sergio Ramos, and my life idols are my parents."
Bonus video:
