Lazar Stefanovic: 'I've shown that I can play at this level for TFC'
In a 1-on-1 interview, the young defender discusses his 2025 season with the Reds, his ambitions for next year, and much more.
Still only 19, Lazar Stefanovic has been through a lot in his career with Toronto FC
A product of the club's youth academy, Stefanovic signed his first professional contract with TFC 2 on June 30, 2023. The next day the youngster joined the senior side on a short-term loan and made his MLS debut when he was subbed on in the Reds’ 1-0 loss to Real Salt Lake at BMO Field. In doing so, Stefanovic became the second-youngest player to appear in a league match for Toronto (16 years, 10 months and 22 days).
Three days later he came off the bench again in a 4-0 loss away to Orlando City. Stefanovic then started his first match for Toronto on July 30 in the Leagues Cup, and the teenager was far from overwhelmed in a 1-0 loss to Liga MX side Atlas.
Stefanovic returned for TFC 2 for the remainder of that season, but things took a turn for the worse. He missed the majority of the 2024 MLS NEXT Pro campaign for the Young Reds after he broke his foot while on international duty with Canada’s under-20 team early in the year. That injury, coupled with the team’s tactical shift, limited him to just five MLS NEXT Pro appearances totalling 334 minutes.
But he managed to bounce back from that injury setback by being signed to a senior team contract in February, and he ended up playing 14 MLS games (four starts) totalling 569 minutes in his first full season in the league.
In this one-on-one interview with TFC Republic, Stefanovic discusses coming back from the injury, his 2025 campaign with Toronto FC, his ambitions for next season, and much more.
