Serbia's stars of the future

The Football Association of Serbia (FSS) recently organised another of its regular winter camps, bringing together 120 of the most talented boys in order to hone the skills of future stars of the Serbian national team. That latest camp, which took place in Stara Pazova from 10 to 21 January, was a great success, with the team of instructors, led by coordinator Borislav Cvetković, following a new work programme under the watchful eye of project manager Dalibor Zorko.

The work programme formed part of a new project aimed at producing talented footballers and healthy, rounded individuals. In addition to targeted training, the programme also involved educational sessions and obligatory elements of the school curriculum, including mandatory reading. In line with the approach adopted in the most successful European countries, instructors stressed the importance of education – both during a player’s career and after their retirement.

The star guest at the camp was Serbian international Antonio Rukavina, who was spending his off-season working at the FSS’s sports centre. The boys were thrilled to meet him and hear his valuable words of advice.

FSS sports director Darko Kovačević and youth team coordinator Goran Vasilijević kept a close eye on the implementation of the new programme, which is part of a long-term strategy aimed at establishing a true Serbian football school. On the basis of what they saw in Stara Pazova, Serbian football has a bright future ahead of it.

This article originally appeared in UEFA Direct 183