From Strumica to Wembley: The globetrotting career of manager Veljko Paunović
In short: Born in Yugoslavia and shaped by a decade in Spain, Veljko Paunović has navigated a nomadic career spanning three continents. From winning a FIFA World Cup as a youth coach to managing clubs in the United States, England, and Mexico, his path reflects the complex, often volatile nature of modern professional football management.
Veljko Paunović, born in 1977 in Strumica, began his football journey as a player at Partizan before moving to Spain in the mid-1990s. Over an 11-season span in La Liga, he represented eight clubs, including multiple stints at Atlético Madrid. His playing career was defined by versatility, operating as both a striker and attacking midfielder. By 2006, his deep integration into Spanish football earned him citizenship, though his playing days eventually took him to Russia and the United States before he retired in 2012.
Transitioning to management, Paunović found early success with Serbia’s youth setup, notably winning the 2015 FIFA World Cup with the under-20 side. His club management career has been marked by high-pressure environments and frequent moves. In the United States, he led the Chicago Fire to the playoffs in 2017, a feat the club had not achieved in five years. His tenure in England with Reading began with a Manager of the Month award in September 2020, but the stint was later complicated by a six-point deduction for financial breaches and an early exit from the FA Cup against lower-league opposition.
Paunović’s recent years have seen him manage in Mexico with Guadalajara and Tigres UANL, followed by a return to Spain with Real Oviedo. At Oviedo, he achieved a significant milestone by securing promotion to the top flight for the first time in 24 years. However, his career remains characterized by rapid turnover; he was dismissed from Oviedo in October 2025 despite being outside the relegation zone. Shortly thereafter, he was appointed head coach of the Serbia senior national team, debuting with a loss to England at Wembley that concluded their 2026 World Cup qualification hopes.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Veljko Paunović
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