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Revolution reportedly set to hire Marko Mitrovic as head coach
Mitrovic recently led the U.S. youth team to the quarterfinals at the U-20 World Cup.
The Revolution appear to be making a clean break with the club’s recent history in the choice of a new head coach.
Marko Mitrovic, formerly the head coach of the United States men’s U-20 national team, is set to become New England’s head coach. The news was originally reported by Tom Bogert of The Athletic.
Mitrovic, 47, most recently led the U.S. youth national team to the quarterfinals at the U-20 World Cup. The run included notable wins against France and Italy before falling to eventual champions Morocco.
Prior to that, the Serbian-born Mitrovic (a naturalized U.S. citizen) also led the U.S. team at the 2024 Olympics, which ended with another quarterfinal finish. His career as a head coach has so far been at a youth level, working in the academy of Red Star Belgrade as well as multiple levels of Serbian’s youth national team.
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While coaching Serbia, he helped guide the Balkan nation to victory at the 2015 U-20 World Cup, defeating a talented Brazilian team 2-1 in the final played in New Zealand.
Along with youth coaching, Mitrovic has experience working as an assistant, having spent four years with the Chicago Fire, as well as a stint with English club Reading. Following that, he joined the U.S. youth coaching staff in 2022 (leading, at various points, the U-19, U-20, and U-23 teams).
Prior to his coaching career, Mitrovic — who was born in Belgrade and grew up learning the game in the Red Star academy — played for 14 clubs in a 15-year career.
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The decision to hire him would certainly represent a new direction for a team in desperate need of one. Where New England’s last two coaching hires — Bruce Arena and Caleb Porter — represented the league’s establishment (both arrived having already led multiple MLS tenures), Mitrovic would be an attempt at a clean slate.
And while both Arena and Porter rode into town with impressive resumes (each having won multiple MLS Cups), they were also accompanied by a correspondingly larger amount of baggage. Arena led New England to the 2021 Supporters’ Shield, but eventually resigned after a 2023 MLS investigation confirmed allegations that he had used “insensitive and inappropriate remarks.” Porter, who succeeded Arena, was never able to successfully implement his vision, and was fired in September amid back-to-back two losing seasons.
Looking ahead, New England could be poised for a bounceback season. While positive results were hard to come by in 2025 amid an 11th place finish in the Eastern Conference, the roster contains several talented players (including former MLS MVP Carles Gil). Late-season addition Dor Turgeman scored three goals in three games, and could flourish in 2026 when given a chance to play in a full season in MLS.
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Given Mitrovic’s background as a youth coach, he could also help the Revolution further leverage the club’s recent academy successes. Having produced high-potential young players in recent seasons like Esmir Bajraktarević (now with reigning Dutch champions PSV) and current left back Peyton Miller (who played under Mitrovic at the recent U-20 World Cup), the Revolution could give additional academy talents a chance in the first team.
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