Vitaly Kutuzov praises the rising Belarusian football talent.
In an interview with Pressball, Vitali Kutuzov, a former Belarus national team and AC Milan striker, discussed the potential of promising young Belarusian footballers, with particular focus on 18-year-old striker Trofim Melnichenko.
Melnichenko, who joined FC Porto in January 2025 on a contract running until 2028, having transferred from Dinamo Minsk, has made significant strides in his career. Notably, he scored for the Belarus national team in a friendly match against Kazakhstan on June 5, 2025, contributing to a 4-1 victory. His move to Porto marks a significant step in his career, and he appears to be establishing himself both at club and international levels.
Kutuzov praised Melnichenko's progress abroad but expressed concern that players in the Belarusian championship aren't developing at the same pace. He suggested that big-money transfers might be necessary to help Belarusian footballers develop at a similar pace to those playing abroad.
According to Kutuzov, leading European teams operate by generating income through player sales. He proposed that the funds from such transfers could be used to develop football infrastructure in Belarus. However, the discussion did not include specific details about how the funds from larger transfers would be used in Belarus.
Kutuzov also expressed hope for Belarusian players to move to top clubs for larger transfer fees, but did not mention any other specific Belarusian footballers who could potentially benefit from this. He did not express hope that Melnichenko's transfer fee would be significantly increased, but suggested a transfer fee of 3,500,000, similar to his own to AC Milan.
Melnichenko's impressive performance in Porto's second team, where he played 17 matches, scoring one goal and providing 3 assists, underscores Kutuzov's belief in the potential of Belarusian talent. As the footballing world continues to watch Melnichenko's career with anticipation, Kutuzov's call for investment in Belarusian football infrastructure remains a relevant and timely discussion.
[1] Transfermarkt. (2025). Trofim Melnichenko. Retrieved from https://www.transfermarkt.com/trofim-melnichenko/profil/spieler/344826 [2] Belarus Football Federation. (2025). Belarus 4-1 Kazakhstan. Retrieved from https://www.bff.by/en/news/belarus-4-1-kazakhstan [3] UEFA.com. (2025). Belarus 4-1 Kazakhstan. Retrieved from https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro-u21/season=2025/matches/round=2001266/match=2035661/postmatch/report/index.html
In light of Melnichenko's progress in FC Porto's second team, it emphasizes the potential of Belarusian sports-analysis, particularly in the realm of football. Vitali Kutuzov's suggestion of large-scale investments for Belarusian football development could significantly contribute to nurturing such talent.
