Alexandar Popovic
{{Short description|Australian footballer (born 2002)}}
{{distinguish|text=the Austrian football player, Alexander Popovic}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Alexandar Popović
| full_name = Alexandar John Popović
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2002|9|7|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| height = 1.84 m
| position = Centre-back
| currentclub = Sydney FC
| clubnumber = 41
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 = Adelaide Comets
| youthyears2 =
| youthclubs2 = SA NTC
| youthyears3 = 2018–2022
| youthclubs3 = Adelaide United
| years1 = 2020–2022
| clubs1 = Adelaide United NPL
| caps1 = 15
| goals1 = 1
| years2 = 2022–2024
| clubs2 = Adelaide United
| caps2 = 40
| goals2 = 2
| years3 = 2024–2025
| clubs3 = Gwangju FC
| caps3 = 10
| goals3 = 0
| years4 = 2024–2025
| clubs4 = → Sydney FC (loan)
| caps4 = 11
| goals4 = 0
| years5 = 2025–
| clubs5 = Sydney FC
| caps5 = 0
| goals5 = 0
| nationalyears1 = 2024–
| nationalteam1 = Australia U23
| nationalcaps1 = 4
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| club-update = 4 February 2025
| nationalteam-update = 2 March 2025
| medaltemplates = {{MedalSport|Men's football}}
{{MedalCountry|{{fb|AUS}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|WAFF U-23 Championship}}
{{Medal|RU|2024 Saudi Arabia|}}
}}
Alexandar Popović (born 7 September 2002) is an Australian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for A-League Men club Sydney FC.
Club career
=Adelaide United=
Popović began his professional career at Adelaide United. He signed a scholarship contract prior to the 2021–22 season.{{cite web|url=https://adelaideunited.com.au/news/adelaide-united-scholarship-update|title=Adelaide United scholarship update|date=28 June 2021|website=Adelaide United}} Popović's highlights at the club mostly come against Western Sydney; his A-League Men debut on 16 March 2022, his first start only four days later on the 20th, and his first professional goal on 18 February 2023.{{citation needed|date=April 2025}} Popović was selected in an A-League All Stars squad which would face FC Barcelona in an exhibition match in 2022.{{cite web|title=Reds trio feature against Barcelona|url=https://adelaideunited.com.au/news/reds-trio-feature-against-barcelona|website=Adelaide United|date=26 May 2022}} He was substituted on for Rhyan Grant in the 85th minute of play, and he did not concede alongside Adelaide United teammates Isaías and Nestory Irankunda.
=Gwangju FC=
During the January transfer window of 2024, Adelaide United announced the sale of Popović to K League 1 club Gwangju.{{cite web|title=Popović bound for Korea after agreement reached|url=https://adelaideunited.com.au/news/popovic-bound-for-korea-after-agreement-reached|first=James|last=Dodd|date=31 January 2024|website=Adelaide United}}
=Sydney FC=
In September 2024, Popovic joined Sydney FC ahead of the 2024–25 A-League season on a loan deal until January.{{cite web|title=Sydney FC Sign Defender Alexandar Popovic|url=https://sydneyfc.com/news/sydney-fc-sign-defender-alexandar-popovic/|website=Sydney FC|date=18 September 2024}} After impressing during his loan spell, he joined Sydney FC on a permanent basis, signing a three-and-a-half-year contract, after Sydney agreed a fee with Gwangju.{{cite web|title=Sydney FC Complete Popovic Signing|url=https://sydneyfc.com/news/sydney-fc-complete-popovic-signing/?lid=xbm15rbyhagf|website=Sydney FC|date=4 February 2025}}
International career
Popović was named in Tony Vidmar's Olyroos squad for a pair of friendly matches against Qatar and Saudi Arabia in November 2023. The squad included goalkeeper teammate Steven Hall.{{cite web|title=Hall and Popović named in Olyroos Squad|url=https://adelaideunited.com.au/news/hall-and-popovic-named-in-olyroos-squad|website=Adelaide United|date=6 November 2023}}
Honours
Australia U23
- WAFF U-23 Championship: runner-up 2024{{ cite web|url = https://www.socceroos.com.au/news/subway-olyroos-squad-waff-u-23-championship-confirmed|title =Subway Olyroos’ Head Coach, Tony Vidmar has named an extended 26-man squad for the fifth edition of the West Asian Football Federation (WAFF) U-23 Championship – Saudi Arabia 2024.|publisher=Football Federation Australia|access-date=6 April 2025}}
Individual
- A-Leagues All Stars Game: 2022{{Cite web |last=Thomas |first=Joshua |date=25 May 2022 |title=A-Leagues All Stars: Every player picked for Barcelona match, past squads, coach and previous results |url=https://www.sportingnews.com/au/soccer/news/aleagues-all-stars-every-player-picked-barcelona-match-past-squads-coach-previous-results/xh0cmvcndmnyaauuu75kj8qi |access-date=8 July 2022 |website=Sporting News}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Soccerway|alexandar-popovic/643737}}
{{Sydney FC squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Popovic, Alexandar}}
Category:Australian men's soccer players
Category:Soccer players from Adelaide
Category:Men's association football defenders
Category:Adelaide United FC players
Category:National Premier Leagues players
Category:A-League Men All-Stars