Veljko Paunovic started his soccer career in 1994 when he was 17. He played with Paritzan FK for one year and moved to Spain, which is where he played for seven soccer clubs in 13 years. During this time, he had a record of 73 goals in 341 games. During his time on the soccer field, he was a striker, but he could also play as a midfielder.
Mr. Paunovic was transferred to Hannover 96 in 2005. One year later, he went back to La Liga’s Getafe. He played there for two seasons. He played for the Russian Premier League in 2007, and he later returned to his last Spanish club, Almeria. In 2002, Mr. Paunovic played for the Serbian National Team. When the team played against Northern Ireland in April of 2004, Paunovic scored the lone goal during a draw.
Veljko Paunovic’s Career With the Fire
Mr. Paunovic is the head coach of the Fire, which is a professional soccer team that is based out of Chicago. In January of 2019, the team announced that they planned to extend Mr. Paunovic’s contract. This multiyear contract extension was for two years with a club option for an additional year.
Before Mr. Paunovic was hired to coach the Fire, he managed the Serbian Youth National Team. During this time, he lead his team to a 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup victory.
With the extension of Paunovic’s contract, the Fire is setting the foundation and standards for developing a championship program. In addition to the extension of Paunovic’s contract, the Fire also recently re-signed Bastian Schweinsteiger and acquired Marco Urena and Marcelo.
The Chicago Fire Soccer Club
The Chicago Fire soccer team was named after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. The team was founded on October 8th, 1997, which was the 126th anniversary of the date of the fire. It competes in Major League Soccer and is a member of the league’s Eastern Conference. The Fire was one of the Major League Soccer’s first expansion clubs. The Fire won an MLS Cup and the U.S. Open Cup during their first season. The team also won the U.S. Open Cup for three years. The Fire has received the MLS Supporters’ Shield. The Fire host games at SeatGeek Stadium. This is a soccer-specific stadium that is located in the Chicago suburb of Bridgeview.
During a recent media release, Paunovic stated that he feels grateful for his opportunity to work with the Chicago Fire. He explained that he appreciates the club’s values and is aligned and committed to representing Chicago. He also thanked the fans for their devotion, support, and passion.
