Marko Perovic Interview

Interview with Marko Perović - Serbian Star and Global Traveller

Interview by Christopher KL Lau

The midfielder, Marko Perović, who played for South China in Hong Kong this past season, is truly a global traveller with years of playing experience around the world.

Perović became a household name in his native Serbia for winning the Serbian Superliga three times with Red Star Belgrade and his stock rose as other teams sought his services.

After leaving his native Serbia, he went onto to play for Basel in Switzerland. His time in Switzerland proved to be fruitful as he won both the domestic league and the Swiss cup. The league win enabled him to play in the European Champions League where he had the chance to face Barcelona twice.

Perović's journeys have taken him to both the United States where he played for the New England Revolution and also Iran where he spent time with domestic giants, Persepolis Football Club.

His wanderlust has continued and he has spent the majority of the season with South China in Hong Kong where his unrelenting style and work rate has won him many fans and admirers. Marko Perović, shared some of his stories of his travels around the world and he began with his roots in Serbia.

"I played in Serbia for a lot of years in a big club. One of the biggest clubs in Serbia and Europe; Red Star Belgrade. I started in my youth then I made it to the first team. So after Red Star, I went to Basel in Switzerland; Basel was like Bayern Munich in terms of organization, level of play, professionalism and the standard of players in a team. It was so professional and you only have to worry about yourself and preparing yourself for the ninety minutes and for the training. It was easy in that sense so as a professional football player, you did not have to worry about many things."

After his time in Europe, Perović then embarked on his remarkable journey around the world.

"After Basel, I played in the United States (for the New England Revolution from 2010-2011) and the professionalism was the same. It was like the club was the king of 'Marketing' and it was so professional.

I had a great coach and great team mates and it was great for me. I had two wonderful years and after that I had some injury problems and I had some surgeries and I went back to Serbia.

After that I went to Persepolis in Iran and this club was great and the Iranian league was so hard as Iranian football players are so talented and professional. I felt that in the Iranian league, there was no real need for foreigners because their domestic players were so good and each year, foreigners were released from their clubs.

I think for next season there will be only one foreigner per team but I think this is ok as I think there are some very talented youth players and some very good senior players. After this I went to Thailand then Malaysia and now I am in Hong Kong."

Perović is a family man and his family have followed him all around the world, which in turn has provided them with a global perspective and an 'education' beyond the classrooms.

"My family always go with me. I think we have been everywhere except Australia. Haha! I hope to find a club from which I can build some stability and have a stable contract."

Perović reflected on the high number of top level athletes that have come from Serbia and where this mentality comes from.

"If you look at our country's history then every twenty to thirty years then there has been some war. It is like these people in the Balkans are 'happy' as we are not rich people, but if you come to Serbia then you will always see people with a smile and then you are thinking 'these people' have everything' but believe me, we don't have everything, but we do have this fight in us and we never give up.

If I want something then I will give everything and this is good. This area of the Balkans like Croatia, Serbia and Bosnia have many talented sportsmen and women and I think every year, there is a new talent who will leave the region for a bigger club in Europe."

He finally reflected on his two games for Basel against Barcelona where he played against Lionel Messi twice.

"It was really hard to play against Messi so it was so hard to stop him; there was just no chance to stop him. Players like Messi and Ronaldo are born on another level and they born with this talent and born for football.

With a great club and with team mates helping out, it is easy for players like Messi to play. I did not get Messi's shirt but I got Rafael Márquez's shirt. That year we played against Sporting Lisbon, Barcelona and Shakhtar Donetsk. In Basel, we lost 5-0 against Barcelona but in Camp Nou, we drew 1-1. Against Sporting, we drew and lost and against Shakhtar, we also lost as they were really strong; they had Willian and Fernandinho and they killed us. After that, we played in the Europa League where we played Roma. It was a good time."

Thank You!