Marko Mitrovic hired as US Olympic men’s football coach

The 45-year-old Mitrovic was an assistant for the Chicago Fire from 2016-19 and Reading from 2020-22, then became head coach of the US under-19 team in April 2022.

FILE PHOTO: Marko Mitrovic. | Photo Credit: US Soccer

Marko Mitrovic was hired to coach the US under-23 men’s football team at next year’s Paris Games, the first Olympics for the Americans since 2008.

The 45-year-old Mitrovic was an assistant for the Chicago Fire from 2016-19 and Reading from 2020-22, then became head coach of the US under-19 team in April 2022. He served as an assistant to national team interim head coaches Anthony Hudson and B.J. Callaghan from April until July.

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After the U.S. under-23 team failed to qualify for the last three Olympics, the regional governing body of North and Central American and the Caribbean said the CONCACAF Under-20 Championship in June and July of 2022 would serve as qualifying for the 2024 Olympics. The U.S. won the tournament and qualified for both the Olympics and the Under-20 World Cup, where the Americans lost 2-0 to Uruguay in the quarterfinals.

Olympic men’s football is limited to players under 23, with each nation allowed three wild-card players over the age limit.

Michael Nsien replaced Mitrovic as US under-19 coach after coaching the under-16 team since last November.