Lazar Popović

Lazar Popović
Personal information
Date of birth	10 January 1983 (age 42)
Place of birth	Belgrade, SFR Yugoslavia
Height	1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position(s)	Striker
Youth career
1995–2000	Čukarički
Senior career*
Years	Team
2002–2005	Čukarički
2005	Brest
2006–2009	Čukarički
2009	Daegu FC
2009–2011	Željezničar
2012	Perak
2012–2013	Kukësi
2014	Kastrioti
2015	Kavala
2017–2018	Lokomotiva Beograd
International career
2004–2005	Serbia and Montenegro U21
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 11 August 2012

Lazar Popović (Serbian Cyrillic: Лазар Поповић; born 10 January 1983) is a Serbian retired footballer who played as a striker.

Popović was a member of the Serbia and Montenegro youth teams.

Club career

Popović started his professional career in FK Čukarički and played for the club between 2000 and 2009, he also made a small appearance in Ligue 2 with Stade Brestois 29 in the 2005–06 season.

In March 2009 he made a move to South Korea and Daegu FC. However, he was released in June 2009 from the club after failing to score goals. In August the same year Popović signed a contract with the Bosnian side FK Željezničar Sarajevo. In May 2010 he won the Premijer Liga with Željezničar and was also a runner-up in the Cup of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In December 2011, he signed with Malaysia Super League side Perak FA. Earlier reports from Malaysian media quoted Perak management have released Popović from his contract on 1 April 2012,^[1] however later reports stated that Perak management have retained his services until 16 April, the last day for registration window for import players.^[2] On 14 April 2012 he managed to score his only goal for Perak in his final game with the team, in a 3–1 win against Sabah FA.^[3]^[4] He ended his stint with Perak with only one goal in 16 appearances in all competitions (14 league matches and 2 cup matches).

After his release from Perak, he returned to Europe to join Albanian Superliga team FK Kukësi for the 2012–13 season.^[5] At Kukësi, Popović enjoyed some renaissance to his career, becoming his club top scorer in 2012–13 with 20 goals, including 16 goals in the league to make him second top scorer in the league and helping his club to 2nd position overall that season.

Later in his career, he played for KS Kastrioti and Kavala. He initially retired in 2015,^[6] but later played for Lokomotiva Beograd.

International career

Popović appeared for the Serbia and Montenegro U21 team during 2004–2005. In 2023, Dejan Savićević accused Serbian football executives that they put Popović in the U21 national team in order to help his transfer to Brest.^[7]

References

^ "Kontrak Popovic berakhir 1 April" [Popovic's contract ends on 1 April]. Utusan Malaysia (in Malay). 26 March 2012. Retrieved 4 April 2012.
^ Azizan Hashim. "Popovic kekal di Perak hingga tengah bulan ini" [Popovic stays at Perak until middle of this month] (in Malay). Harian Metro. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
^ "Perak harap terima ITC penyerang Cameroon esok" [Perak hopes to receive Cameroon's striker ITC tomorrow] (in Malay). Sinar Harian. 15 April 2012. Archived from the original on 16 April 2012. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
^ "PKNS shock LionsXII". New Straits Times. 15 April 2012. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
^ http://infoalbania.org/sport-home/sport-futboll/39187-kukesi-blindohet-me-malazezin-markovic-per-sulmin-vjen-serbi-popovic.html^{[permanent dead link]}
^ "Lazar Popović: Eh, dao bih sve da ponovo zaigram za Želju!".
^ "Piksi, ili ovaj ide, ili sve puca!" Dejo Savićević rekao sve o razdoru SCG i čoveku kog je precrtao: Ja se svađam sa ljudima u Srbiji, a ti na dve stolice!

External links

[1] "Kontrak Popovic berakhir 1 April" [Popovic's contract ends on 1 April]. Utusan Malaysia (in Malay). 26 March 2012. Retrieved 4 April 2012.

[2] Azizan Hashim. "Popovic kekal di Perak hingga tengah bulan ini" [Popovic stays at Perak until middle of this month] (in Malay). Harian Metro. Retrieved 6 April 2012.

[3] "Perak harap terima ITC penyerang Cameroon esok" [Perak hopes to receive Cameroon's striker ITC tomorrow] (in Malay). Sinar Harian. 15 April 2012. Archived from the original on 16 April 2012. Retrieved 16 April 2012.

[4] "PKNS shock LionsXII". New Straits Times. 15 April 2012. Retrieved 16 April 2012.

[5] ttp://infoalbania.org/sport-home/sport-futboll/39187-kukesi-blindohet-me-malazezin-markovic-per-sulmin-vjen-serbi-popovic.html^{[permanent dead link]}

[6] "Lazar Popović: Eh, dao bih sve da ponovo zaigram za Želju!".

[7] "Piksi, ili ovaj ide, ili sve puca!" Dejo Savićević rekao sve o razdoru SCG i čoveku kog je precrtao: Ja se svađam sa ljudima u Srbiji, a ti na dve stolice!

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