Following the Thanksgiving holiday, one of Republic FC’s very own will have an opportunity to learn on the international stage. From November 26 to December 5, U-17 Head Coach and Director of Talent Identification Ivan Mirkovic will join the U.S. U-15 Youth National Team staff for its trip to the UEFA Development Tournament in Lisbon, Portugal.
Mirkovic will serve as a Performance Analyst under Head Coach Tom Heinemann. He is the second active Republic FC coach to serve national team duty. Academy Director Eder Quintanilla joined the U-17 MYNT staff for an international tournament last September under head coach Gonzalo Segares.
“It’s an honor and privilege to serve the United States Youth National Team,” said Mirkovic. “The federation has done a tremendous job developing its program for young players throughout the country and I am excited to be able to work with some of the best in the world.”
Mirkovic joined Republic FC’s Academy Staff in 2020 as U-19 head coach and was elevated to Director of Talent Identification prior to the 2022-23 season. His teams have reached the MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs – the national championship for the top level of youth soccer in North America – each year under his leadership, including a trip to the semifinals for his U-19 squad in the summer of 2021. This season, he has led the U-17 squad to a stellar 6-1-1 record to open the season, which includes wins over MLS-affiliated academies from San Jose Earthquakes, Real Salt Lake, and Seattle Sounders FC.
A native of Serbia, Mirkovic came to the U.S. in 2010, playing collegiately at Oxnard College and Fresno Pacific University. Prior to joining the club’s coaching ranks, he played professionally in the United States for six seasons – including two in Republic FC’s midfield where he was a member of the club’s title-winning 2014 squad. He featured for USL Championship sides Orange County SC, St. Louis FC, and FC Tulsa from 2016-2018 before beginning his professional coaching career in 2019 with USL side Fresno FC in its final season as a player-coach.
Following his national team stint, Mirkovic will return to Sacramento’s Academy as it closes out the first half of the 2023-24 season at MLS NEXT Fest in Phoenix, Arizona.
