✍️ My story for The Guardian about FC Copenhagen's Champions League rise. Their successes intrigued me, so I went to 🇩🇰 to investigate about: • their remarkable academy • shades of Ajax 2018-19 strategy • a young coach inspired by Pep & De Zerbi 👇👇 theguardian.com/football/202…

📝 Dejan Joveljić has already conquered MLS 🇺🇸 But the 🇷🇸 striker is not only among the top 0.1% of footballers in the world. He's in the top 0.1% of chess players, too. Some call him 'the best chess-playing athlete in the world.' 🆕for The Belgrader. thebelgrader.substack.com/p/…

The Belgrader is back with a new story after a short pause. These days football transfers often take over the discourse for months. But nearly 60 years ago, one unexpected move became a national scandal. He was Yugoslavia's most expensive footballer 👇 thebelgrader.substack.com/p/…

Premier League starts tomorrow! Here's Part 2 of a different kind of season preview. Read about 🇷🇸 players who (used to) play for Hull, Ipswich, Leeds, Liverpool, Man City, Man United, Newcastle, Forest, Sunderland & Spurs. There are surprising choice👇 thebelgrader.substack.com/p/…

Premier League starts this weekend. So, naturally, what you should do is read my 'preview' – stories of 🇷🇸 players who played in England: • Near-abduction • Scoring at 14 vs future world champs • Son of a POW • Big Brother winner Check out Part 1 👇 thebelgrader.substack.com/p/…

Did you know? On 12 March 1947, a drawing of lots in Trieste decided which league was to be played in the city that weekend. Amatori Ponziana won the draw & hosted Crvena Zvezda in Yugoslav First League on 16 March. Triestina had to postpone their Serie A match vs Bologna. 🤷‍♂️

He played for Yugoslavia at the Parc des Princes vs 🇫🇷 He played for some of the best Yugoslav clubs. He got a law degree, then went to pilot school. He also escaped while on a football tour & went to fight in the 🇪🇸 Civil War. Meet Boško Petrović 👇 thebelgrader.substack.com/p/…

On this day in 2006, first-ever Serbian Superliga match was played. That's why here's a (non-exhaustive) collection of 7 stories, about 7 matches that left an impact on the competition's history. Check it out in The Belgrader 👇 open.substack.com/pub/thebel…

That's a proper hydration break.

✍️ If you're not familiar with Serbian football, this is for you. New Superliga season started, so find yourself a team to follow: • Provincial Uruguay • The Old Lady honouring Slavia Prague • Tractor Drivers • Workers' club with Maradona homage 👇 open.substack.com/pub/thebel…

This is among my favourite stories I wrote this year. With the big tournament just behind us, it's time to go on one final World Cup journey. This was an adventure from a specific era, one that marked the last generation of a country. Enjoy the ride 👇 thebelgrader.substack.com/p/…

Yes, it's true, Jude liked my tweet before it was cool.

Some people don't like moaning football isn't what it used to be and that it's so much better these days. Maybe. But do we have a modern Aleksandr Mostovoi entering a sham marriage with a Portuguese woman, organised by his club Benfica, so he could count as a domestic player?

In an alternate universe, this is the winning bid for EURO 2008 😍

Yugoslavia did this back in 1990. Still influencing the world of football, 35 years after its demise 🤷‍♂️

Now that we know all 32 teams in the 2nd phase, here's how they compare to the 32 teams from the 2022 World Cup, per confederation: UEFA: 13 teams in round of 32 (13 teams total in 2022) CAF: 9 (5 in 2022) CONMEBOL: 5 (4) AFC: 2 (6) CONCACAF: 3 (4) What a tournament for Africa.