Struggling with the food, weather and homesickness, Kopitovic, who had left home for the first time, admitted to a difficult start in the Singapore Premier League (SPL).
Yet, game by game, "Big Bad Boris" found his stride, steadily racking up goals to become the club's all-time top scorer in 2024.
In 138 matches, the 1.89m hitman plundered 110 goals and notched 41 assists, eclipsing the previous record of 105 goals set by local football icon Aleksandar Duric, who played for the Stags from 2010 to 2014.
But now, nearly five years after his SPL debut, the 29-year-old will depart for a new challenge after signing a 1½-year deal with two-time Indonesian Liga 1 champions Bali United.
The mid-season move comes as a surprise, as Kopitovic is the club's top scorer - and joint-fourth overall - this SPL season with 16 goals. Tampines are leading the league after 20 matches, three points ahead of Lion City Sailors, who have played three games fewer than the Stags.
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