Despotovich, George

Club career

Born in the city of Loznitsa in western Serbia a couple of months before the collapse of Yugoslavia. From a young age he played football at the school of the Belgrade club Crvena Zvezda . I did not get into the main team, and spent the 2010 season on loan with the Sopot team from the southern suburbs of Belgrade.

In 2011, he moved to the club from Vojvodina - Spartak Subotica , who returned to the Super League of Serbia . For his first season, the 19-year-old striker scored 4 goals, in the next - already 12 (two - “Crvene Zvezda”).

In July 2013, he signed a one-year agreement with the Belgian Lokeren , playing in the Jupe League , where he scored 1 goal in four games, and a year later returned to Red Star.

He played 10 games in the Super League of Serbia and scored 1 goal, and in the Serbia Cup - 1 goal in two games. In February 2015, it was leased for six months to the Kazakhstani Zhetysu club ^[2] . Despite the rule “only five legionnaires on the field”, he received the necessary practice and scored five goals in 18 games.

During the two-match confrontation between Kairat and Crvena Zvezda in the first round of the Europa League, the scouts of the Almaty club drew attention to the striker, and in early July 2015 the player transferred to Kairat before the end of the season ^[3] . On July 16, in his first Europa League match against the Armenian Alashkert , he opened the scoring for his goals for the club. In the end, the championship scored 8 goals in 9 games and helped Kairat become the vice champion of Kazakhstan ^[4] . On November 21, in the Kazakhstan Cup final, he scored 2 goals against Astana and brought Kairat a victory (2: 1) ^[5] .

In December 2015, Despotovich bought his contract for debts from his native club Crvena Zvezda and became a free agent, but one of the conditions for leaving was a ban on playing for six months for Kairat ^[6] . In February 2016, he signed a two-year contract with the Astana club ^[7] . Having played 31 games in the championship, he scored 8 goals and became the team's top scorer. In the Cup games, he spent 4 out of five games and scored three goals. His contribution helped “Astana” to make a gold double for the first time - to win both the championship and the Cup of the country ^[8] . In the qualification of the Champions League and the group stage of the Europa League 2016/17, Despotovich played 11 matches out of 12 and scored two goals - the Greek Olympiacos and the Cyprus APOEL . In February 2017, it was sent for a year for rent to the Kostanay club “ Tobol ” ^[9] . Spent 15 games there, scored three goals. June 15 was brought back on the eve of the Champions League games ^{[10] [11]} . He played for “Astana” in the second round of 7 matches in the championship, scored the goal of “ Ordabasy ”. However, in the Champions League qualification match 2017/18 with the Polish “ Legia ” on July 26 in Astana (3: 1) in the 20th minute, he was seriously injured and was eliminated for four months ^[12] . He entered the field only by December to replace in two matches the group stage of the Europa League against the Spanish “ Villarreal ” (2: 3) and the Prague “ Slavia ” (1: 0), when the club for the first time in its history entered the playoff stage of the Europa League . On February 15 and 22, 2018, he played in these two matches of Astana with the Portuguese Sporting (1: 3, 3: 3). On March 4, 2018, on the 26th day of his birth, he won his first Kazakhstan Super Cup in Kazakhstan against Kairat (3-0) with Astana, and fans congratulated him with a birthday cake right from the rostrum ^[13] .

March 11, played in the first round of the championship of Kazakhstan, and a week later flew to the United States. There, having undergone a medical examination, he signed a two-year contract with the Los Angeles Galaxy club. The transfer amount amounted to 1 million euros ^[14] . Returning to Serbia, he received a US work visa. At this time, the Los Angeles Galaxy signed a long-planned contract with the ex-player of Manchester United Zlatan Ibrahimovic . A week later, Zlatan made his debut for the club and, leaving the 71st minute of the match with a score of 1: 3 in the match against Los Angeles , scored a double and brought the victory to Galaxy (4: 3). The Americans have not yet made Despotovich in the application, and in the new circumstances, the transfer of the Serb failed ^[15] . George returned to Astana and on April 11 in the second league match Astana-M - Taraz-M (3-0) scored a goal ^[16] . On May 9, he opened the scoring for his goals in the championship of the season of 2018, scoring the goal of “Kyzyl-Zharu” ^[17] . In June, disappointed with the collapse of his career in America, Despotovich announced his desire to leave Astana ^[18] and on July 22 left the team in the summer transfer window ^[19] .

A week later, he signed a two-year contract with the Russian Orenburg ^[20] . In the autumn part he played 9 games of the Russian championship and scored one goal for Moscow Lokomotiv in the last 17 round on December 8, 2018. In the spring, he scored another goal for Dynamo Moscow (1-0) and brought his club to 8th place. April 13, 2019 scored the winning goal against Moscow CSKA (3: 2). There was still a goal against the outsider of the Yenisei in the lost match (1: 2) and as a result these three points were not enough for the team, which from 7th place did not qualify for European competition.

Team Career

On October 7, 2010 he made his debut for the youth national team of Serbia U19 in a match with Bulgaria (3: 0).

  Kairat

• Silver medalist of the championship of Kazakhstan : 2015
• Kazakhstan Cup Winner 2015

  "Astana"

• Champion of Kazakhstan (2): 2016 , 2017
• Kazakhstan Cup Winner 2016
• Finalist of the Super Cup of Kazakhstan 2016
• Owner of the Super Cup of Kazakhstan 2018

• Đorđe Despotović Stats at Utakmica.rs