Buducnost Podgorica

The 1925–1941 period

The club was founded in June 1925, as a Workers' sports club Zora (RSK Zora). After two years, the club was renamed to RSK Budućnost. Historically, the first ever team of RSK Zora / RSK Budućnost, between 1925 and 1928, played Musaja Čelebičić, Vaso Vukadinović, Bećo Abdomerović, Vaso Čarapić, Vlado Kirsanov, Đorđe Kešeljević, Vaso Kulić, Blažo Prelević, Duljo Džaferadžović, Blažo Šutulović, Buto Krkanović, Luka Bulatović, Tahir Čelebić, Ilija Ivanović, Milo Pajović, Milovan Radulović, Vuko Vuksanović, Dušan Krcunović, Đorđije Vučeljić, Branko Rajković, Smail Bibezić, Šećir Kapadžić and Arso Marković. The first coach was Slovenian-born Karlo Vugrinec, who served in Podgorica as an electrician.

The first game in the history of FK Budućnost was a friendly match against local rival GSK Balšić, played in 1925. Budućnost won the game, with a result of 2–1.

In the late 1920s, RSK Budućnost played their first games in official competitions. Their debut in the Montenegrin football championship occurred in the 1927 season under the name Zora, when they were eliminated in the first stage of competition against GSK Balšić (0–3). Next season, Budućnost made their first win in official competitions, defeating GSK Balšić (2–1), but were eliminated in Championship semifinals against Lovćen (2–3).

In the next two years, Budućnost was eliminated in the early stages of Montenegrin Championship, and in spring 1931, for the second time in history, played in the semifinals. After elimination of GSK Balšić (4–1) and Berane (3–0), the team from Podgorica lost the semifinals against Obilić Nikšić (3–5).

In autumn 1931, Budućnost played in the finals of the Montenegrin football championship for the first time, but lost against SK Crnogorac Cetinje (1–2). In the previous stages of the competition, Budućnost eliminated GSK Balšić (6–2) and Gorštak Kolašin (3–1).

The Podgorica side played their first international game in 1932. Budućnost was hosted by KS Vllaznia in Shkoder and won 1–0.

In autumn 1932, Budućnost won their first title of Montenegrin champion. In the finals, the team from Podgorica defeated FK Lovćen (6–3). During that season, FK Budućnost played their first official game against FK Sutjeska (2–1), which was the first edition of Montenegrin Derby—the greatest rivalry in the history of Montenegrin football. In the spring of 1933, Budućnost defended their trophy. Their opponent in the final game was once again, FK Lovćen (2–0; 2–2). FK Budućnost won their third Montenegrin championship in 1934. Their opponent in the finals, was FK Lovćen (2–0, 1–1). The last time Budućnost played in a Championship final was in 1935; in that year FK Lovćen won the title (1–2).

In the beginning of 1937, as a team which supported workers' ideas, together with FK Lovćen, FK Budućnost was abandoned by the regime of that time. During the next years, the club, under the temporary name RSK Crna Gora, only played a few friendly, illegal games, against Lovćen and FK Velež from Mostar.

With the beginning of World War II, all sports' activities of the club were suspended. All the players joined the Partisan movement and 19 died during the battles. Outside of Podgorica City Stadium (Western stand), there is a memorial tablet commemorating all FK Budućnost players who died or participated in the war.

The 1945–1975 period

After the war, the club was refounded under the name FK Budućnost. Their first game was played on 1 May 1945, against FK Lovćen at Cetinje (4–2). In January 1946, Budućnost played its first international friendly game after the war against KF Tirana (6–1) in Podgorica. Soon after that, the team from Podgorica won the first official football competition after World War II in the Montenegrin Republic League for the 1946 season, which meant they were placed in the inaugural season of the Yugoslav First League (1946–47). During the six matches, Budućnost did not have a single defeat and made one of the biggest official victories in the team's history against Arsenal (8–0).

In their first game in the First Yugoslav League, FK Budućnost played on 25 August 1946 against Dinamo Zagreb (2–2), in front of 5,000 spectators in Podgorica, which was equal with the town population of that time. On 16 March 1947, Budućnost defeated NK Nafta 9–0. Until today, it remains the biggest home victory of Budućnost in the First League.

Until 1955, FK Budućnost played three seasons in the Yugoslav First League, four in the Yugoslav Second League and three in the Montenegrin Republic League. During this entire period, their head coach was Vojin Božović, who still holds two records in the club's history, Manager with most seasons (10) and with the most official games (199). In the season 1953, FK Budućnost made the biggest victory in their official games history, against Iskra away (13–1).

From 1955 to 1960, the team from Podgorica was a permanent participant of the Yugoslav First League. Their best performance of that era occurred in the 1956–57 and 1958–59, finishing as a ninth-placed team.

The most important moment in the next decade occurred in the season of 1964–65. Budućnost was a member of the Yugoslav Second League, but they surprisingly participated in the final game of 1964–65 Yugoslav Cup. They lost a game against Dinamo Zagreb (1–2). In their first Cup final, Budućnost played with following team: Hajduković, Folić, Gardašević, Pavlović, Savković, Kovačević, Šaković, Todorović, Šorban, Ćerić, Franović (coach: Božidar Dedović). The only goal for Budućnost scored Franović in the 35th minute. In previous rounds, FK Budućnost eliminated Sutjeska (3–2), Radnički Beograd (1–0), OFK Beograd (3–2) and Vardar away (2–0) in semifinals.

On the other side, during the 1960s, FK Budućnost spent only one season in the top tier (1962–63).