What exactly is material fatigue?

For Žarko Korać, it’s a term he isn’t familiar with, and for good reason—despite approaching 38, the resilient center forward of Jedinstvo France is once again the leading scorer in the first league caravan for the second consecutive season.

In the 2024/2025 season, Korać successfully defended his top scorer title in the 1st CFL, netting 16 goals. In the final match against Sutjeska (3:3), he contributed by scoring the second goal.

– Defending this award is more challenging; perhaps that’s why I managed to score two extra goals last season. Age isn’t a factor—I certainly don’t feel like I’m turning 38 in June. The only reminders come during negotiations, where I encounter certain biases regarding clauses and conditions I’m unwilling to accept. This has led me to decline several intriguing offers from abroad during the winter transfer window. I, Žarko Korać, will never “let down” my team, and there’s no condition that could change my commitment to give my all on the pitch—Korać asserts.

He was also the top scorer in the inaugural season of the Montenegrin top league, where he celebrated winning the title as the first champion of Montenegro while playing for Zeta.

– At that time, I shared the top scorer title with Damir Čakar. I’ve now secured the title four times total; however, I was the sole winner in the last two seasons. I take pride in that, just as I do in the fact that I’ve never finished a season in Montenegrin football at any level with fewer than 15 goals. After five seasons in Israel—four in Haifa and one in Jerusalem—I returned to Bijelo Polje to assist Jedinstvo when they needed it most. Interestingly, I didn’t start my career at Jedinstvo; I began in Bijelo Polje (now Omladinac) at the age of 10 or 11 and joined Zeta when I was just 14. I’ve always been focused on the attack and pay close attention to the striker’s movements. Didier Drogba is, for me, the unrivaled talent, alongside the current Harry Kane, because of his prowess in heading and skill when positioned with his back to the goal—Korać shared with “Vijesti”.

Back in October 2023, Korać reached a milestone of 112 goals in the domestic top league, surpassing Admir Adrović’s previous record of 110. As of now, he boasts a total of 137 goals to his name.

– I intend to keep playing, but I’m unsure where yet. I need to sit down and finalize an agreement. My passion for football remains as strong as it was when I began; I feel fantastic, and my athletic career has shielded me from injuries. I’ve never felt a sense of saturation, and I’ll know it’s time to stop when that happens. For now, I take pleasure in football and also have two championship titles—one with Sherif from Moldova, who inexplicably lost the title, creating an easier path for Budućnost in Europe, and one with Zeta in the first season—Korać explained.

What does the future hold for Jedinstvo?

– The future is bright; work has begun on a modern training center with all the necessary facilities for player development. Let me remind you that we don’t even have a secondary field. The youth facility is progressing positively given the circumstances, and there’s no shortage of enthusiasm and desire among the children to play football in Bijelo Polje. By next summer, all prerequisites for a football boom in Bijelo Polje will be established at Lješnica, thanks in part to the Football Association of Montenegro.

What contributed to Jedinstvo’s success in avoiding relegation and achieving direct survival?

– Trust! Coach Sead Babača devises a strategy; club president Nermin Bećirović works diligently to implement it, and we players train hard and execute our assignments on the field. There have been no conflicts within the club over these four years. After Vuk Bogavac’s departure, the team was placed in the capable hands of his assistant, Babača, so everyone understands that there’s no sudden abandonment of our responsibilities. We’ve witnessed how such an attitude can negatively affect other clubs—Korać concluded.

I will not give up my quest for the jersey I cherish.

The Moldovan championship title and the initial title in Montenegro are among Žarko Korać’s accolades. Though frequently among the top scorers, Korać has yet to experience the thrill of representing Montenegro’s most prestigious team.

– I refuse to give up; I played for the youth team, and I don’t believe I’ve said my final word yet—Korać remarked, adding:

– Competing in the senior national team and winning the Montenegrin Cup are my two unfulfilled aspirations. Nonetheless, I take pride in having contributed to Jedinstvo experiencing its greatest period in history, considering our club has been promoted and then relegated three times. Now we have successfully met our objective—achieving direct survival, and we will compete for the fourth consecutive season alongside the best—Korać stated proudly.

News