Veljko Paunović

Veljko Paunović

Personal information
Full name	Veljko Paunović
Date of birth	21 August 1977
Place of birth	Strumica, SFR Yugoslavia
Height	1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing position	Midfielder / Striker
Club information
Current team	Chicago Fire (head coach)
Youth career
1983–1994	Partizan
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps^†	(Gls)^†
1994–1995	Partizan	13	(1)
1995–1996	Marbella	20	(2)
1996–1998	Atlético Madrid B	22	(11)
1996–2002	Atlético Madrid	52	(9)
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	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)
National team
2002–2004	Serbia and Montenegro	2	(1)
Teams managed
2012–2014	Serbia U18
2013–2014	Serbia U19
2014–2015	Serbia U20
2015–	Chicago Fire
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (goals)

Veljko Paunović (Serbian Cyrillic: Вeљкo Пауновић; born 21 August 1977) is a retired Serbian footballer, and the current head coach of American club Chicago Fire Soccer Club.

A versatile offensive unit, he could operate as an attacking midfielder or a striker, and spent most of his professional career in Spain where he represented almost ten clubs,^[1] amassing La Liga totals of 212 games and 38 goals over the course of 11 seasons and having several spells with Atlético Madrid.

Other than in his own country, Paunović also played professionally in Germany, Russia and the United States.

Club career

Born in Strumica, Macedonia, Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Paunović made his professional debut at only 17 with FK Partizan. The following summer he moved to Spain, where he would stay for most of the following decade playing for a host of clubs,^[2] starting in the 1995–96 season with modest CA Marbella and reaching the 1998–99 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup final with RCD Mallorca (with whom he scored five league goals in that campaign, to help the Balearic Islands team finish third^[3]),^[4] as well as having three separate stints with Atlético Madrid.^[5]

Paunović had his best year in 2002–03 with CD Tenerife in Segunda División, netting 18 times in 38 appearances although the insular side could only rank eighth. After a return to Atlético and a brief stay in Germany with Hannover 96, he joined Getafe CF for 2005–06's top flight, 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.

Paunović was signed by Russian Premier League's FC 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 UD Almería in January: his debut was a sour one, playing twenty 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).^[6] He would score on two occasions towards the season's end, in a 2–4 away defeat against former team Getafe^[7] and in the last matchday, a 3–1 success at RCD Espanyol.^[8]

On 12 July 2008, it was announced that Paunović signed a two-year deal with his former club Partizan. On 13 August he scored in a 2–2 draw with Turkey's Fenerbahçe SK, in a UEFA Champions League qualifying round.^[9] On 24 December however, he announced his decision to retire from the game.

On 29 June 2009, Paunović went on trial with the New York Red Bulls, but eventually turned down the one-year contract offer.^[10] In June 2011, after nearly three years out of football, the 33-year-old signed a deal with another North American club, Philadelphia Union, after a trial stint.^[11] He scored his first goal with his new team late in the month, in a 3–2 win against Chivas USA.^[12]

On 19 January 2012, Paunović officially announced his retirement for the second time.^[13] On 24 November 2015, after several years managing Serbia's youth sides, he was appointed head coach of Chicago Fire Soccer Club.^[14]

International career

Paunović made his debut for Serbia and Montenegro in a 2–1 friendly win with Mexico, on 13 February 2002. His last cap came two years later against Northern Ireland, on another friendly, and he scored in the 1–1 draw in Belfast.^[15]

International goals

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	28 April 2004	Windsor Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland	Northern Ireland	0–1	1–1	Friendly

Personal life

Paunović's father, Blagoje, was also a footballer. A defender, he too played for Partizan and represented Yugoslavia at UEFA Euro 1968, later embarking in a managerial career.

Paunović is married and has four children. He is fluent in Serbian, Spanish, Macedonian and English.^[16]

Paunović is a member of the Gravediggers Canada 1987 fan club.^[17]

Club statistics

^[18][19]

Club performance			League		Cup		Continental		Total
Season	Club	League	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Serbia			League		Serbian Cup		Europe		Total
1994–95	Partizan	Serbian SuperLiga	13	1	0	0	0	0	13	1
Spain			League		Copa del Rey		Europe		Total
1995–96	Marbella	Segunda División	20	2	0	0	0	0	20	2
1996–97	Atlético Madrid B		7	3	0	0	0	0	7	3
1996–97	Atlético Madrid	La Liga	16	1	2	0	1	0	19	1
1997–98	Atlético Madrid B	Segunda División	15	8	0	0	0	0	15	8
1997–98	Atlético Madrid	La Liga	14	6	2	0	3	0	19	6
1998–99	Mallorca		24	5	0	0	6	1	30	6
1999-00	Atlético Madrid		17	2	0	0	3	1	20	3
2000–01	Atlético Madrid	Segunda División	5	0	0	0	0	0	5	0
2000–01	Oviedo	La Liga	22	4	0	0	0	0	22	4
2001–02	Mallorca		33	3	0	0	8	0	41	3
2002–03	Tenerife	Segunda División	38	18	0	0	0	0	38	18
2003–04	Atlético Madrid	La Liga	25	6	2	1	0	0	27	7
2004–05	Atlético Madrid		10	0	2	0	3	2	15	2
Germany			League		DFB-Pokal		Europe		Total
2004–05	Hannover	Bundesliga	6	0	1	0	0	0	7	0
Spain			League		Copa del Rey		Europe		Total
2005–06	Getafe	La Liga	30	10	1	3	0	0	31	13
2006–07			14	0	3	1	0	0	17	1
Russia			League		Russian Cup		Europe		Total
2007	Rubin Kazan	Russian Premier League	16	1	2	1	0	0	18	2
Spain			League		Copa del Rey		Europe		Total
2007–08	Almería	La Liga	7	2	0	0	0	0	7	2
Serbia			League		Serbian Cup		Europe		Total
2008–09	Partizan	Serbian SuperLiga	9	1	0	0	8	1	17	2
USA			League		Open Cup		North America		Total
2011	Philadelphia Union	Major League Soccer	17	3	0	0	0	0	17	3
Total	Spain		297	70	12	5	24	4	333	79
	Germany		6	0	1	0	0	0	7	0
	Russia		16	1	2	1	0	0	18	2
	Serbia		22	2	0	0	8	1	30	3
	USA		17	3	0	0	0	0	17	3
Career total			358	76	15	6	32	5	405	87

Honours

Manager

Serbia

• FIFA U-20 World Cup: 2015

References

1. Vujcic, Djuradj (29 March 2012). "Inside the MLS: Veljko Paunovic". Red Nation Online. Retrieved 30 March 2012.
2. "Paunovic poised for Getafe switch". UEFA.com. 10 May 2005. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
3. "Paunovic: "Cumplí varios sueños en el Mallorca, y estaré agradecido eternamente"" [Paunovic: "I fulfilled several dreams with Mallorca, and I'll thank them forever"] (in Spanish). RCDM. 6 August 2009. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
4. "El Mallorca pierde con orgullo" [Mallorca loses proudly] (in Spanish). El País. 20 May 1999. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
5. "Atlético and Paunovic part company". UEFA.com. 24 January 2005. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
6. "Paunovic: "Es muy indignante que esto suceda en el fútbol español"" [Paunovic: "It's outrageous this can happen in Spanish football"] (in Spanish). Ideal. 25 February 2008. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
7. "Getafe 4–2 Almeria". ESPN Soccernet. 7 May 2008. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
8. "Espanyol 1–3 Almeria". ESPN Soccernet. 18 May 2008. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
9. "Fenerbahçe fightback foils Partizan". UEFA.com. 13 August 2008. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
10. Lewis, Michael (22 July 2009). "Red Bulls eyeing Serbian forward Veljko Paunovic". NY Daily News. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
11. "Union sign Serbian forward Veljko Paunović". Philadelphia Union. 13 June 2011. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
12. "Philadelphia Union 3–2 Chivas USA: Philly extend home unbeaten run with spirited comeback". Goal.com. 26 June 2011. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
13. "Union's Paunović announces decision to retire". Philadelphia Union. 18 January 2012. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
14. "Chicago Fire Soccer Club hires Veljko Paunovic as head coach". Chicago Fire. 24 November 2015. Retrieved 25 November 2012.
15. "NI 1–1 Serbia & Montenegro". BBC Sport. 28 April 2004. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
16. "Paunovićev poker" [Paunović poker] (in Serbian). Mozzart Sport. 30 July 2013. Retrieved 18 June 2015.
17. "Djuradj Vujcic – Biography". Urban Book Circle. 16 May 2013. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
18. "Veljko Paunovic". Worldfootball. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
19. "Veljko Paunovic". Footballdatabase. Retrieved 21 March 2015.

External links

• Veljko Paunović profile at BDFutbol
• El Mundo stats (Spanish)
• MLS player profile
• National team data (Serbian)
• Veljko Paunović at National-Football-Teams.com