Veljko Paunović
Serbian footballer and manager (born 1977)
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Veljko Paunović (Serbian Cyrillic: Вељко Пауновић, pronounced [ʋěːʎko paǔ:noʋitɕ]; born 21 August 1977) is a Serbian football manager and former player. He is the head coach of the Serbia national team.
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Paunović managing Chicago Fire in 2017 | |||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Veljko Paunović[1] | ||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 21 August 1977[1] | ||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Strumica, SFR Yugoslavia[1] | ||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)[1] | ||||||||||||||||
| Positions | |||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||
Current team | Serbia (manager) | ||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||
| 1983–1994 | Partizan | ||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||
| 1994–1995 | Partizan | 13 | (1) | ||||||||||||||
| 1995–2002 | Atlético Madrid | 52 | (9) | ||||||||||||||
| 1995–1996 | → Marbella (loan) | 20 | (2) | ||||||||||||||
| 1996–1998 | Atlético Madrid B | 22 | (11) | ||||||||||||||
| 1998–1999 | → Mallorca (loan) | 24 | (5) | ||||||||||||||
| 2001 | → Oviedo (loan) | 22 | (4) | ||||||||||||||
| 2001–2002 | → Mallorca (loan) | 33 | (3) | ||||||||||||||
| 2002–2003 | Tenerife | 38 | (18) | ||||||||||||||
| 2003–2005 | Atlético Madrid | 35 | (6) | ||||||||||||||
| 2005 | Hannover 96 | 6 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2005–2007 | Getafe | 44 | (10) | ||||||||||||||
| 2007 | Rubin Kazan | 16 | (1) | ||||||||||||||
| 2008 | Almería | 7 | (2) | ||||||||||||||
| 2008 | Partizan | 9 | (1) | ||||||||||||||
| 2011 | Philadelphia Union | 17 | (3) | ||||||||||||||
| Total | 358 | (76) | |||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||
| 2002–2004 | Serbia and Montenegro | 2 | (1) | ||||||||||||||
| Managerial career | |||||||||||||||||
| 2012–2014 | Serbia U18 | ||||||||||||||||
| 2013–2014 | Serbia U19 | ||||||||||||||||
| 2014–2015 | Serbia U20 | ||||||||||||||||
| 2015–2019 | Chicago Fire | ||||||||||||||||
| 2020–2022 | Reading | ||||||||||||||||
| 2022–2023 | Guadalajara | ||||||||||||||||
| 2024–2025 | Tigres UANL | ||||||||||||||||
| 2025 | Oviedo | ||||||||||||||||
| 2025– | Serbia | ||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||
A versatile attacking unit, he could operate as an attacking midfielder or a striker, and spent most of his professional career in Spain where he represented eight clubs,[2] amassing La Liga totals of 212 matches and 38 goals over 11 seasons and having several spells with Atlético Madrid. Other than in his own country, he also played in Germany, Russia and the United States.[3]
Paunović began working as a manager in 2012, starting with Serbia's youth teams and later being in charge of Chicago Fire, Reading, Guadalajara, Tigres UANL and Oviedo. In October 2025, he was appointed at the Serbia senior side.
Club career
Born in Strumica, Socialist Republic of Macedonia, Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Paunović made his professional debut at 17 with Partizan. The following summer he moved to Spain, where he would stay for most of the following decade playing for a host of clubs,[4] starting in the 1995–96 season with modest Marbella and reaching the 1998–99 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup final with Mallorca (with whom he scored five league goals in that campaign, to help the Balearic Islands team finish third),[5][6] as well as having three separate stints with Atlético Madrid.[7]
Paunović had his best year in 2002–03 with Tenerife in the Segunda División, netting 18 times from 38 appearances although the insular side could only rank eighth.[8] After a return to Atlético and a brief stay in Germany with Hannover 96, he joined Getafe for 2005–06's top flight,[9] enjoying his finest season in La Liga by scoring ten goals in 30 league matches to help the Madrid outskirts club to the ninth place. Due to the years spent in the country, he received a Spanish passport in 2006.[10]
Paunović was signed by Russian Premier League's Rubin Kazan in March 2007, after falling out of favour with Getafe coach Bernd Schuster. The following year, he agreed a two-and-a-half-year deal with Almería in January.[10] His debut was a sour one, playing 20 minutes off the bench against Racing de Santander in a 1–0 away defeat, while also receiving two yellow cards in one minute (with the consequent dismissal).[11] He would score on two occasions towards the season's end, in a 4–2 away loss to former team Getafe[12] and in the last matchday, a 3–1 victory at Espanyol.[13]
On 12 July 2008, Paunović signed a two-year deal with his former club Partizan.[14] On 13 August, he scored in a 2–2 draw with Turkey's Fenerbahçe in the third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League.[15] Before the end of the year, however, he announced his decision to retire from the game.[16]
On 29 June 2009, Paunović went on trial with the New York Red Bulls, but eventually turned down the one-year contract offer.[17] In June 2011, after nearly three years out of football, the 33-year-old signed a deal with another American club, Philadelphia Union, after a trial stint.[18] He scored his first goal with his new team late in the month, in a 3–2 win over Chivas USA.[19]
Paunović officially announced his retirement for the second time on 19 January 2012.[20]
International career
Paunović made his debut for Serbia and Montenegro in a 2–1 friendly win over Mexico, on 13 February 2002.[21] His only other cap came two years later against Northern Ireland, another exhibition match, and he scored in the 1–1 draw in Belfast.[22]
Coaching career
Serbia youths
Paunović earned a UEFA Pro coaching licence and a sporting director degree from the Royal Spanish Football Federation. For nine months, he was a UEFA Champions League analyst for RTVE in Spain.[23]
Paunović began working as a manager with the Serbia national team, being in charge of their under-18, under-19 and under-20 sides. While with the latter, he won the 2015 FIFA World Cup.[24]
Chicago Fire
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On 24 November 2015, Paunović was appointed head coach of Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer.[25] He led the team to the playoffs in 2017, which happened for the first time in five years.[23] In the same year, he coached in the All-Star Game against Real Madrid.[26]
Paunović also reached the semi-finals of the U.S. Open Cup in 2016 and 2018.[27][28] He and the Fire parted ways on 13 November 2019.[29]
Reading
Paunović replaced Mark Bowen as manager of Reading on 29 August 2020.[30] On his EFL Championship debut on 12 September, the team won 2–0 at Derby County;[31] he ended September as the division's Manager of the Month for winning all three games.[32] They missed out on a playoff place with two games remaining, after a 2–2 draw against Swansea City at the Madejski Stadium.[33]
In November 2021, during Paunović's second season, the team received a six-point deduction for breaching profitability and sustainability rules across the previous three seasons.[34][35] The following January, the Royals were knocked out of the FA Cup in the third round by National League North side Kidderminster Harriers.[36]
Following a 3–2 away victory over Preston North End on 19 February 2022, Reading announced that Paunović had left his role by mutual consent.[37]
Guadalajara
On 31 October 2022, Paunović was named manager at Liga MX club Guadalajara.[38] He made his debut the following 7 January in a 1–0 win at Monterrey.[39]
Paunović left in December 2023 by mutual agreement.[40]
Tigres UANL
On 9 June 2024, Paunović became head coach of Tigres UANL in the same country and league.[41] On 2 March 2025, he was dismissed.[42]
Oviedo
Paunović returned to Spain on 26 March 2025, being appointed at second-tier Real Oviedo.[43] On his debut four days later, he oversaw a 2–1 home victory over Málaga thanks to an own goal in injury time.[44] He ultimately guided the Asturians to a third-place finish,[45] and secured top-flight promotion for the first time in 24 years with a 3–1 extra-time defeat of Mirandés in the second leg of the promotion play-off final.[46]
On 9 October 2025, even though his team was placed outside the relegation zone, Paunović was sacked; he was the first manager to be shown the door that season.[47][48]
Serbia senior
On 30 October 2025, Paunović replaced the dismissed Dragan Stojković at the helm of the Serbia national side, who stood third in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification group with two games remaining.[49] On his debut on 13 November, a 2–0 loss against England at Wembley Stadium ended all hopes of reaching the finals.[50]
Personal life
Paunović experienced hardships while training for football, such as walking for hours to practice and sometimes going without food.[51] His father, Blagoje, was also a footballer; a defender who inspired him, he also played for Partizan and represented Yugoslavia at UEFA Euro 1968, before beginning a managerial career.[51]
Paunović is married and has four children.[52] He is fluent in six languages: English, Spanish, Serbian, Macedonian, Russian and German.[23]
Career statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Partizan | 1994–95 | First League | 13 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 1 |
| Marbella (loan) | 1995–96 | Segunda División | 20 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 2 |
| Atlético Madrid B | 1996–97 | Segunda División | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 3 |
| 1997–98 | Segunda División | 15 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 8 | |
| Total | 22 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 11 | ||
| Atlético Madrid | 1996–97 | La Liga | 16 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 1 |
| 1997–98 | La Liga | 14 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 19 | 6 | |
| 1999–00 | La Liga | 30 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 38 | 7 | |
| 2000–01 | Segunda División | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | |
| Total | 52 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 63 | 10 | ||
| Mallorca (loan) | 1998–99 | La Liga | 24 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 30 | 6 |
| Oviedo (loan) | 2000–01 | La Liga | 22 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 4 |
| Mallorca (loan) | 2001–02 | La Liga | 33 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 41 | 3 |
| Tenerife | 2002–03 | Segunda División | 38 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 18 |
| Atlético Madrid | 2003–04 | La Liga | 25 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 7 |
| 2004–05 | La Liga | 10 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 15 | 2 | |
| Total | 35 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 42 | 9 | ||
| Hannover | 2004–05 | Bundesliga | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Getafe | 2005–06 | La Liga | 30 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 13 |
| 2006–07 | La Liga | 14 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 1 | |
| Total | 44 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 48 | 14 | ||
| Rubin Kazan | 2007 | Russian Premier League | 16 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 2 |
| Almería | 2007–08 | La Liga | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 2 |
| Partizan | 2008–09 | Serbian SuperLiga | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 18 | 2 |
| Philadelphia Union | 2011 | Major League Soccer | 17 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 3 |
| Career total | 358 | 76 | 21 | 6 | 32 | 5 | 411 | 87 | ||
International
- Scores and results list Serbia and Montenegro's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Paunović goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 28 April 2004 | Windsor Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland |  Northern Ireland | 1–0 | 1–1 | Friendly[22] |
Managerial statistics
| Team | From | To | Record | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | D | L | Win % | |||
| Serbia U20/U19/U18 | 1 October 2012 | 30 June 2015 | 16 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 62.50 |
| Chicago Fire | 24 November 2015 | 13 November 2019 | 148 | 46 | 39 | 63 | 31.08 |
| Reading | 29 August 2020 | 19 February 2022 | 83 | 29 | 18 | 36 | 34.94 |
| Guadalajara | 31 October 2022 | 15 December 2023 | 50 | 27 | 8 | 15 | 54.00 |
| Tigres UANL | 9 June 2024 | 2 March 2025 | 35 | 20 | 6 | 9 | 57.14 |
| Oviedo | 26 March 2025 | 9 October 2025 | 22 | 11 | 4 | 7 | 50.00 |
| Serbia | 30 October 2025 | Present | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 25.00 |
| Total | 362 | 145 | 78 | 139 | 40.06 | ||
Honours
Manager
Serbia
Individual
- EFL Championship Manager of the Month: September 2020[32]
