"Top Three Person I Have Ever Met": An Inside Look At Marko Mitrovic
Dejan Jovelic, Aleksandar Saric, and Veljko Paunovic speak to us about the Revs' new head coach.
Aleksandar Saric gave a slight smile when asked to share a story about Marko Mitrovic, who was recently named head coach for the New England Revolution.
The two have a long history–including time together coaching at the Chicago Fire–and have even been roommates. He admitted they’ve been through highs and lows.
He ultimately settled on one told by Mitrovic’s wife.
“When he was with the family, he met a wolf in front of them,” Saric told The Blazing Musket. “A wolf was in front of them and didn’t want to move, and Marko didn’t want to move. In the end, the wolf gave up.”
The story helps us understand Mitrovic as a person and a coach.
Compassionate
It doesn’t take long to see that Marko Mitrovic is a caring individual.
The 47-year-old began his introductory press conference by thanking everyone who helped him reach his new role. The ensuing media questions were each met with appreciation.
“When I see that so many people care about this club and support this club, it means that we are in the right spot, in the right place, moving forward,” Mitrovic said.
This isn’t an act; many who have worked with Mitrovic describe him as compassionate.
Dejan Joveljic, who scored 34 goals with the LA Galaxy between 2021 and 2024 before netting 18 with Sporting KC in 2025, was coached by Mitrovic at Red Star Belgrade at age 15.
“From every coach, I learned something, but the most I learned was from him,” Jovelic said. “His approach, his enthusiasm was on a different level.”
A graduate of the renowned Mathematical Grammar School, Mitrovic understands the importance of education and regularly visited his athletes’ schools in Serbia to check their grades.
“Top three person I have ever met,” Joveljic stated.
Mitrovic was a versatile midfielder in Europe until age 32, when he transitioned into coaching.
He began as an assistant for a pair of Serbian professional clubs, then served as the first assistant for Veljko Paunovic at various Serbian youth national teams. He also worked inside the Belgrade academy, his childhood club.
As he advanced in his career, his family grew, first marrying Marija and then having three children. Mitar, the eldest, plays at Michigan University while the youngest son, Matija, plays professionally at Vitoria SC in Portugal.
“As a dad and a person, I think he’s a very caring, loving, and selfless person,” daughter Mia said in a documentary. “He’s always there to help other people. He’s a role model. I want to be like him when I grow up. I want to be the type of person he is. He’s a very good person.”
This compliment shouldn’t be taken lightly, as a coach’s life can change quickly. But Mitrovic’s family has been with him throughout the journey. Valuing time together is a key priority, with soccer, of course, included.
“Everything I know, I learned from him, not just on the field, but as a person, as well,” Mitar said.
A willingness to move and adapt has helped Mitrovic achieve everything he has so far.
“They support him,” Aleksandar Saric said of the family. “It’s important to have that environment.”
Couragous
The second match of the 2025 U-20 World Cup was a challenging one for the United States, as they faced France, who defeated the 2024 Olympic team 3-0. Marko Mitrovic coached both of these squads.
The latest encounter was a cagey affair, with the United States having the better opportunities. Substitute Zavier Gozo broke the deadlock in the 85th minute.
It would’ve been easy to sit on a late, one-goal lead, but the U.S. pushed for more, outshooting France 13-2 by the time the final whistle blew.
The U.S. won 3-0, with one substitute (Gozo) recording a goal and assist, and another (Marcos Zambrano) scoring.
“He loves possession, he likes to control the ball, and to score more than anything,” Dejan Jovelic said. “He likes hungry players.”
Mitrovic’s U-20 team wasn’t outshot in any of the five World Cup games, creating 26 big chances (eight against New Caledonia). His opponents created only five, with France and Italy having none.
“The thing that makes me drawn towards Marko as a coach is that tactically, he’s excellent,” sporting director Curt Onalfo said. “He has clear ways of playing.
“He’s aggressive. He knows what it takes to win games at home and away. His teams attack in a way that creates lots of chances, lots of expected goals. When you do that, you end up scoring more goals.”
Aleksandar Saric noted that Mitrovic is “very good at analyzing the opponents,” calling him a “library of the players.” A tireless worker, he’s always looking for new ways to understand the game.
While Saric recognized that Mitrovic tends to use a 4-3-3, with an occasional 4-2-3-1, these numbers are just starting points.
“He knows how to adapt,” Saric said. “He’s adaptable, and that versatility will give him a huge advantage over others.”
Intelligent
One wolf isn’t necessarily dangerous, but it takes a level of awareness to recognize that in the moment, especially when your family is involved.
This comes naturally for Marko Mitrovic, a self-described mathematician.
In fact, his father hoped his son would attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It never came to be, though he did take an Uber to the prestigious college during one of his trips to New England as an assistant coach for the Chicago Fire.
He remembers jokingly calling his father to tell him, “I’m here.”
“I was born with a certain talent for math,” Mitrovic said. “When I was a kid, my dad was dreaming of me going to M.I.T., and that was a topic in my house all the time.”
Curt Onalfo believes that Mitrovic’s logical view of the game is an asset, saying, “There’s a lot of [roster] rules. It’s important to understand numbers when you’re looking at the composition of the roster. So, that math part of his brain will be helpful for us.”
The life of a head coach isn’t easy, as each decision affects many, including those in the stands. Aleksandar Saric believes that Mitrovic will approach each of these with the utmost care.
“He makes some decisions, which are not easy decisions,” Saric said. “I believe in him, really. I believe that he will change things in New England for the better. Even if he didn’t find a way immediately, he will find a way with time because his tenacity is second to none. He’s the guy who never gives up.”
A Sense Of Timing
Timing, whether it’s encountering a wolf in the woods or accepting your first job as a club head coach, is everything.
Marko Mitrovic only recently became interested in taking control of an MLS team.
“I wasn’t open, to be honest, before the Olympics and Under-20 [World Cup] for anything like this,” Mitrovic said. “I was waiting for those cycles to be done, because I also had a commitment, not just to the federation, but to the players that I worked with. I think it’s organic timing in my life.”
Mitrovic was highly sought after by other MLS clubs because of his experience domestically and internationally. Swift action by the Revolution led to his landing in New England.
“I am surprised that someone didn’t steal him before,” Dejan Jovelic said. “New England are lucky to have him as a coach. He will give 100% to make everyone better, better persons as well.”
The partnership makes sense, as Mitrovic has found success working with young players, including Dusan Vlahovic of Juventus. The Revolution, meanwhile, have established a reputation for developing and selling young talent, including academy product Esmir Bajratakevic.
Curt Onalfo explained that the academy is “probably 25% of what we do,” but it’s an integral part because of MLS’ roster restrictions. Mitrovic, who has a deep understanding of the domestic youth system, believes that the academy is “one of the strongest resources that one club can have.”
“He came through the Red Star Belgrade system, and they know what it’s all about,” Onalfo said. “He just gets it innately, where there are times where, as sporting director, you really need to push coaches into seeing the value in players that can come through the system.”
While Mitrovic is about to embark on his first job as a club head coach, he comes with plenty of experience. Those who know him best believe that he’s ready to face the challenge head-on and won’t back down.
“Marko has a good mix of qualities and experiences,” Veljko Paunovic, current head coach of the Serbian National Team said. “He has played and coached in a European game setup at his beginnings, had experiences in top football country in Europe. Now, for many years working in the U.S. Soccer system, he has developed his football ideology with the vision to create a successful environment.”
I wish him the best and it appears his resume, short of a MLS H.C. position is strong. I hope he understands that he's coming into an organization that has a deflated and enraged fanbase and an owner who doesn't care about competition with regards to the round type of football. The owner has no soccer passion whatsoever, and regarding his round ball team, only cares about one thing... the bottom line.