Today there are more then 650 registered sport clubs and associations in Montenegro with around 35,000 members, professional athletes and sport enthusiasts. As the country has a population of just about 650.000, the numbers show the keen interest that Montenegrins take in sport. Many Olympic medallists and successful athletes competing internationally have come from Montenegro (such as Žarko Paspalj, who won a silver medal with the Yugoslavian basketball Team in Seoul 1998, water polo players Milorad Krivokapić and Veljko Uskoković, as well as volleyball player Petar Kapisoda).  

But along with the global trend, one sport dominates the interest of many Montenegrins: football. On any of the many football fields in the capital city Podgorica,  you can see groups of boys doing what they enjoy best every day: playing football and day-dreaming. They dream, like many other boys world-wide, of becoming superstars and even playing in the UEFA Cup or the Champions’ League. Their dreams may actually come true to a certain extent, at least if they manage to join one of the teams in the Premier League of Montenegro. They know, however, that even with success in this league it would still not be good enough to achieve the European heights.

There are many reasons for this, including poor infrastructure of stadiums and the lack of investment in the next generation of footballers by national football clubs. But times are changing.

Although the current national champion “Budućnost FC" failed to qualify for the Champions League last year, they have every right to be optimistic this season – at least if you trust the numerous football aficionados in Montenegro.

In January last year in Turkey, the club won against Partizan FC (Belgrade), which is one of the major clubs in the region. This victory inspired new hope in the coach and fans alike. For the rest of the season, FC „Partizan” Belgrade had a particularly large following in Montenegro. It is currently in the lead in the Serbian national championship.

”This victory has proven that when each player gives his best we stand good chances no matter who we play against. 'Partizan' is truly a great competitor”, coach Miodrag Ješić said at the press conference after the match.

In the past, ”Budućnost” FC Podgorica has been able to produce a lot of excellent players, who were engaged by some of the best European football clubs. European football fans maybe familiar with names like Dejan Savićević, Predrag Mijatović, Ivica Kralj or Branko Brnović, who have already had great careers in European clubs such as AC Milan, Valencia and Florence.

The most famous Montenegrin football player in Europe today is Mirko Vučinić, who plays in the Italian league as a forward of AC Roma. Unlike most of his peers, he didn’t spend a lot of time in Montenegro – he pursued a career in Italy already as a teenager.

The junior team has a lot of young talents that could in the future attract famous European football managers scouting for new stars in the region.

The former "Budućnost FC" coach, and one of the great names of Montenegrin football Mr. Branislav Milačić believes that finding talent is not the problem, but that there is a gulf in working conditions for these new stars in Montenegro and their peers in the neighbouring countries:

"We simply need a different philosophy, we have to invest more in the future, that’s crucial. "FC Budućnost” is certainly a positive example and the high hopes are not without solid grounds. Of course, we have to make an effort to win a national championship and strengthen our chances in European cups.”

Providing opportunities to develop young players is of course vital. However, developing the infrastructure and professionalism of the national league to gain international recognition will be equally important to keep hold and attract new quality footballers. Football can be a tremendous growth market for a small country like Montenegro. This means that additional investors, who take interest in Montenegrin football, must be found. In the meantime, the players have to keep on giving hope to their fans and attracting larger audiences by playing attractive football.