Marko Mitrović (footballer, born 1978) explained

Marko Mitrović
Full Name:Marko Mitrović[1]
Birth Date:8 July 1978
Birth Place:Belgrade, SR Serbia, SFR Yugoslavia
Height:1.80 m
Position:Midfielder
Currentclub:United States U23 (head coach)
Youthclubs1:Red Star Belgrade
Years1:1995–1999
Clubs1:Red Star Belgrade
Caps1:0
Goals1:0
Years2:1995–1996
Clubs2:Voždovac (loan)
Years3:1996–1997
Clubs3:Budućnost Valjevo (loan)
Years4:1997–1999
Clubs4:Milicionar (loan)
Years5:1999–2000
Clubs5:Zemun
Caps5:2
Goals5:0
Years6:2000–2001
Caps6:11
Goals6:1
Years7:2001–2002
Clubs7:Vasas
Caps7:10
Goals7:0
Years8:2002–2005
Caps8:85
Goals8:3
Years9:2005–2006
Clubs9:Olimpik Baku
Caps9:24
Goals9:1
Years10:2006–2007
Clubs10:Banat Zrenjanin
Caps10:43
Goals10:1
Years11:2008
Clubs11:Atyrau
Caps11:14
Goals11:1
Years12:2008
Clubs12:Megasport
Caps12:9
Goals12:2
Years13:2009
Clubs13:Lokomotiv Astana
Caps13:18
Goals13:0
Years14:2010
Clubs14:Smederevo
Caps14:14
Goals14:0
Nationalyears1:1995
Nationalteam1:FR Yugoslavia U18
Nationalcaps1:2
Nationalgoals1:0
Manageryears1:2011–2012
Managerclubs1:Banat Zrenjanin (assistant)
Manageryears2:2012–2013
Managerclubs2:Napredak Kruševac (assistant)
Manageryears3:2012–2015
Managerclubs3:Serbia U20 (assistant)
Manageryears4:2013–2015
Managerclubs4:Red Star Belgrade U15
Manageryears5:2014–2016
Managerclubs5:Serbia U15
Manageryears6:2016–2019
Managerclubs6:Chicago Fire (assistant)
Manageryears7:2020–2022
Managerclubs7:Reading (assistant)
Manageryears8:2022–2023
Managerclubs8:United States U19
Manageryears9:2023–
Managerclubs9:United States U23

Marko Mitrović (Serbian Cyrillic: Марко Митровић; born 8 July 1978) is a Serbian football coach. A versatile midfielder, he could operate as a holding midfielder or a box to box player and spent most of his professional career in Serbia where he represented eight clubs. Other than in his own country, Mitrović also played professionally in Hungary, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan. He is the head coach of the United States U23 national team.[2]

Playing career

Club

Mitrović was a member of the Red Star Belgrade academy for several years, before signing his first professional contract with the club. He made his professional debut for Red Star Belgrade on 6 April 1996 against Novi Sad in a second game of the FR Yugoslavia Cup semifinals at the age of 17.

The next three seasons he spent on loan at FK Voždovac, FK Budućnost Valjevo and FK Milicionar. With FK Milicionar, he got promoted to the Super League during the 1997–98 season.

After leaving Red Star in summer 1999 he played for FK Zemun for 6 months. His next station was FK Radnički Kragujevac where he spent the 2000–01 season before he moved to Vasas SC, in the Hungarian Premier League, where he spent the 2001–02 season.

In 2002–03 he was signed by FK Budućnost Banatski Dvor. The club won the Second League in his first year and got promoted to the First League. In 2003–04 they played the Cup Final vs Red Star. They lost 0–1 but the club qualified for UEFA Cup.

In summer 2005 he moved to Olimpik Baku, Azerbaijan Premier League, where he spent one year, from 2005 to 2006.[3]

In July 2006 he joined Banat Zrenjanin for another 18 months.

In January 2008 he signed for FC Atyrau. After 6 months he got transferred to FC Megasport. They were members of the Kazakhstan Premier League. At the end of 2008, they merged with Alma-Ata to form Lokomotiv Astana (today known as FC Astana). In December 2009 he left the club based on the league's new rules that foreigners older than 30 years old cannot be signed by Kazakhstan Premier League Clubs.

Spring 2010 he spent with Smederevo playing in Serbian Super League before he announced retirement from a professional playing career.

International

Mitrović represented the FR Yugoslavia national under-18 football team in 1995.[4]

Coaching career

In summer 2011 he started his coaching career with his former club FK Banat Zrenjanin as an assistant coach under Milan Budisavljević in Serbian First League. In January 2012 he joined FK Napredak Kruševac as an assistant coach under former Red Star Belgrade head coach Aleksandar Kristić.

In summer 2012 he joined Veljko Paunović as first assistant coach for Serbia U-18, U-19, and U-20 national teams. Under his involvement the Serbia national team had the following accomplishments:

Some players were promoted to Serbia National Team like Sergej Milinković-Savić, Nemanja Maksimović, Marko Grujić, Luka Jović, Andrija Živković, Miloš Veljković, Predrag Rajković, Mijat Gaćinović.

In summer 2013 he was in charge for Red Star Belgrade Youth Academy U-15 and U-16 Team. He won the First place in the season 2013/14 in Serbian U-15 League. Players like Luka Ilić, Dejan Joveljić, Aleksa Terzić, Vladan Djekic and others were part of that generation and Mitrović had an important role in their selection and development.

From December 2014 to December 2015 he was the head coach of Serbia U-15 national team. Some players were promoted to Serbia national team like Sergej Milinković-Savić, Nemanja Maksimović, Marko Grujić, Luka Jović, Andrija Živković, Miloš Veljković, Predrag Rajković, and Mijat Gaćinović.

In January 2016 he was signed by Chicago Fire FC (MLS) as an assistant coach with Veljko Paunović as a head coach. He spent 4 years with the Chicago Fire,[6] from January 2016 to November 2019.

In August 2017, he was assistant coach for MLS ALL Star Team vs Real Madrid.[7]

During his time with the Chicago Fire[8] he had a chance to work with many national team players such as: Bastian Schweinsteiger, Nicolás Gaitán, Aleksandar Katai, Nemanja Nikolić, David Accam, Dax McCarty, Djordje Mihailovic, Przemysław Frankowski, Francisco Calvo, Nicolas Hasler, Cristian Martínez, and Răzvan Cociș.

In September 2023, he was named head coach of the United States u-23 for the 2024 Summer Olympics.

Personal life

He is married and has three children with his wife Marija. He is fluent in four languages: English, Spanish, Serbian and Russian. In 1997 he graduated from the Mathematical Grammar School in Belgrade.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Men's Olympic Football Tournament Paris 2024: Squad list . 15 . . July 24, 2024 . July 25, 2024 .
  2. Web site: Marko Mitrović Named Head Coach Of U.S. Under-19 Men's Youth National Team . US Soccer . 18 April 2022.
  3. Web site: Archived copy . pfl.az . 18 September 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131016145729/http://www.pfl.az/upload/arxiv/200506/oyuncustats200506.pdf . 16 October 2013 .
  4. Web site: Marko Mitrovic .
  5. Web site: FIFA U20 World Cup. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170321204420/http://www.fifa.com/u20worldcup/archive/newzealand2015/. March 21, 2017.
  6. Web site: 6 November 2018. Modern Soccer Coach. https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/9UgMaZUZOOw . 2021-12-21 . live. YouTube.
  7. Web site: MLS ALL Star Team Assistant Coach.
  8. Web site: 10 May 2017. Assistant coach-Chicago Fire. https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/64ST9r7I1Iw . 2021-12-21 . live. YouTube.