A break in the Meridianbet Championship of the First Montenegrin Football League, a non-working New Year's holiday - ideal for a summary of events, but also plenty of time for long and relaxing conversations. Even when the interlocutor, Nikola Vuković, despite the fact that he has just turned 21, has an enviable resume as a player in numerous important matches and appearances in great teams.
Under the name of the right-back Petrovac and the young national football team on the famous Transfermarkt is the title of national champion of Montenegro.
- It was a truly extraordinary 2023/24 season, in which I won the Montenegrin championship title in the Buducnost jersey, as well as victory in the Second Football League and promotion to the Meridianbet 1. CFL, with the Mladost DG team. Of course, my contribution was incomparably greater in the second league, in which I played as a standard player on loan from Buducnost, but even the then coach of the “blue and whites” did not let me down. Miodrag Džudović "He didn't give up. Even though I was a teenager, he even gave me a chance in a very important match in the fight for the title. I think that the award for the best coach was completely justified, because he is an incredible professional, but also an expert who respects and has maximum trust in his players and the team," recalls the Petrovac defender.
His team is far from their stated goals this season, although they have a point ahead of current champions Buducnost at the end of the autumn term. However, 26 points from 19 games is only enough for fifth place.
- We cannot be satisfied, because the team has a large number of quality players, a wide roster, and it was especially painful to be eliminated from the Montenegrin Cup by the second division team Otranto, even though my team was leading 2:0. We allowed them to come back and eliminate us on penalties. I did not play in that game, the competition in our team is strong at all positions. This, along with the fact that the fields are generally not well prepared, slows down us - the young players, from getting into a competitive rhythm. However, we need to work and fight for chances and opportunities. That's how it is in sports - adds Vuković, who has scored one goal in 15 appearances so far this season.
Vuković started out at FK Podgorica, played for Mladost DG, Budućnost and Mornar, from which he ended up at the "Mitar Mićo Goliš" stadium before the start of the 2025/2026 season.
- That period of Mornar's first appearance in Europe, and five out of six matches in those qualifiers that I played, are the most beautiful part of my club career. And that team, we breathed as one and it was truly beautiful. However, there were changes in the playing staff and I was unable to agree on personal terms. Petrovac's offer, as a stable first league team, is, you will agree, always an excellent option. We will start preparations on January 12th, and if the plan does not change in the meantime, we will also work in Antalya. We hope for more successful games and better results in the rest of the season, the team has the quality to be at the very top - Vuković is certain.
He is contracted to Petrovac until the end of the season.
- I want to be ready for the start of the preparations, I stayed in Podgorica to avoid catching a cold in some winter, but colder holiday centres. I should stay in Petrovac, although it all depends on the club and offers. There are some from the region, especially after my games in the youth team, and the victory over my peers from Sweden also brought me interest from teams from Turkey. But I'm not thinking about that now, it's important for the club to "move" towards the top of the table, and for me to continue playing well in the national team. That's the only way to pave the way towards football goals and dreams - believes Vuković.
We live for the chance to play in our favorite jersey.
Nikola Vuković has played for all the youth teams of the Montenegrin national team. Out of the last six, he has played five matches for the youth team.
- I have a clear goal, or rather, I am living the dream of all my teammates from the junior national teams. That is the A selection jersey and playing on the biggest stage and at the highest level in the national jersey. I don't think that dream is not achievable for me and I know that I need to continue to work hard and learn. From my age group, I think only Viktor Đukanović and Vladimir Perišić have achieved their dream of playing in the senior selection, but now more and more attention is being paid by the coaching staff to us younger players. We are waiting for our chance - said Vuković.
He recorded two assists in this European Championship qualifying cycle for Goran Perišić's team.
- I like the way the coach looks at football. He insists that we play football. I have more freedom to maneuver in both directions, hence those assists. The full-back position is exactly what I enjoy, especially when the pitch is fantastically prepared and you have your peers as your rivals. You know you are equal - says Vuković.
With two different sports on offer, Vuković opted for football at the age of 15.
- I had an offer to join the karate national team, but I decided to play football. My father Boris was a member of the national karate team and he wouldn't let me leave that sport until I passed my black belt. Time has shown that he was right, because those trainings and knowledge of that excellent basic sport are probably the reason why I've never had any problems with injuries - concluded Vuković.
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