Marko Mitrović

Marko Mitrović (Serbian Cyrillic: Марко Митровић; born July 8, 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 currently the assistant manager for Reading F.C. in the English Championship.

Playing career[]

Club[]

Mitrović was a member of Red Star Belgrade academy for nine years (1987 to 1996). He signed his first professional multi-year contract with Red Star Belgrade.

He made his professional debut for Red Star Belgrade on April 6, 1996 vs Novi Sad in a second game of the semifinals of Yugoslav Cup at the age of 17.

The next three seasons he spent on loan at FK Budućnost Valjevo, FK Radnički Beograd and FK Milicionar. With FK Milicionar he got promoted in season 1997/98 to the Super League.

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 club qualified for UEFA Cup.

In summer 2005 he moved to Olimpik Baku, Azerbaijan Premier League, where he spent one year, from 2005-06.

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 was part of Yugoslavia national teams (U15, U17, U19 and U21) from 1993 to 1997. He made more than 40 appearances for the youth Yugoslav national teams.

After retiring as a player, Mitrović start his coach career.

Coaching career[]

2011–2012[]

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.

2012-2015[]

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 Serbian national team had the following accomplishments:

• First place^[2] at the FIFA U20 World Cup in New Zealand (2015),
• Third place a UEFA European Championship in Hungary (2014),
• First place at Elite Round,
• First place at UEFA Qualifiers - First Round in Serbia (2013).

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.

2013-2014[]

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 (Manchester City), Dejan Joveljić (Eintracht Frankfurt), Aleksa Terzić (Fiorentina), Vladan Djekic (Internazionale Milano) and others were part of that generation and Mitrović had an important role in their selection and development.

2014-2015[]

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 (Lazio), Nemanja Maksimović (Getafe), Marko Grujić (Hertha Berlin), Luka Jović (Real Madrid), Andrija Živković (Benfica), Miloš Veljković (Werder Berlin), Predrag Rajković (Reims), Mijat Gaćinović (Eintracht Frankfurt).

2016-2019[]

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,^[3] from January 2016 to November 2019.

In August 2017, he was assistant coach for MLS ALL Star Team vs Real Madrid.^[4]

During his time with the Chicago Fire^[5] he had a chance to work with many national team players such as: Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany), Nicolás Gaitán (Argentina), Aleksandar Katai (Serbia), Nemanja Nikolić (Hungary), David Accam (Ghana), Dax McCarty (USA), Djordje Mihailovic (USA), Przemysław Frankowski (Poland), Francisco Calvo (Costa Rica), Nicolas Hasler (Liechtenstein), Cristian Martínez (Panama), Răzvan Cociș (Romania).

2020-present[]

Reading F.C Assistant Manager

Personal life[]

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

Honors[]

• FIFA U-20 World Cup Champions^[6][7][8]

References[]

External links[]

• Profile at Srbijafudbal
• Marko Mitrović at WorldFootball.net
• Profile and stats until 2003 at Dekisa.Tripod