Vlatko Andonovski

Vlatko Andonovski (Macedonian: Влатко Андоновски; born 14 September 1976) is a Macedonian-American association football manager and former player who is the head coach and sporting director of the Kansas City Current of the National Women's Soccer League.^[3] He was the head coach of the United States women's national team from 2019^[4] to 2023.^[5]

Vlatko Andonovski

Andonovski with the U.S. women's national team in 2019
Personal information
Date of birth	(1976-09-14) 14 September 1976 (age 48)[1]
Place of birth	Skopje, SFR Yugoslavia[1]
Height	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)[2]
Position(s)	Central defender
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
	FK Rabotnički
	Makedonija GP
	Vardar
2000	Wichita Wings (indoor)	31	(16)
2001–2005	Kansas City Comets (indoor)	110	(48)
2005	California Cougars (indoor)	6	(1)
2005–2006	Philadelphia KiXX (indoor)	13	(2)
2015	Missouri Comets (indoor)	1	(0)
Managerial career
2010–2013	Missouri Comets (assistant)
2013–2016	Missouri Comets
2013–2017	FC Kansas City
2018–2019	Reign FC
2019–2023	United States (women)
2023–	Kansas City Current
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Andonovski previously coached FC Kansas City and Reign FC of the National Women's Soccer League, as well as the Missouri Comets in the Major Arena Soccer League.

Playing career

A central defender, Andonovski played six seasons for multiple clubs in Europe, such as FK Rabotnički, Makedonija GP and FK Vardar,^[6] competing in the First Macedonian Football League, European Cup and Intertoto Cup.^[7]

In 2000, Andonovski signed with the Wichita Wings of the National Professional Soccer League and later played for the Kansas City Comets, California Cougars and Philadelphia Kixx of the Major Indoor Soccer League in his indoor career.^[8]

On February 8, 2015, Andonovski and Wichita B-52s coach Kim Røntved came out of retirement to play against each other for their respective teams for one game.^{[citation needed]}

Managerial career

On December 5, 2012, Andonovski signed a contract to become the head coach of FC Kansas City.^[7] He was hired as the head coach of Kansas City Comets on 29 August 2013, after being an assistant under Kim Røntved for three seasons. During the 2014 year of both programs, Andonovski won both the MISL Championship with the Comets and the NWSL Championship with FC Kansas City.^[9][10][11]

On November 7, 2017, Andonovski moved to Seattle Reign FC, succeeding Laura Harvey as head coach.^[12] During his tenure with the team, it moved from Seattle to Tacoma, Washington after the 2018 season and rebranded itself as Reign FC; it would rebrand again in 2020 as OL Reign.

Andonovski holds a USSF Pro License and a United Soccer Coaches (formerly NSCAA) Goalkeeping Diploma and has been involved with many youth teams and clubs in the Kansas City area.^[13]

Andonovski received significant praise from media^[14] and players alike for his role in the Reign's 2019 season. Despite losing a significant number of players to various injuries and the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup, Andonovski managed the team to a 4th-place finish in the NWSL and a second straight playoff berth.^[15]

Andonovski was named the head coach of the United States women's national team on 28 October 2019.^[16]

Andonovski led the United States to a bronze medal in the 2020 Olympics, which was criticized by some observers as an underperformance from a team which had won four previous Olympic gold medals.^[17][18] He remained with the team through the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, at which the U.S. was eliminated in a penalty shootout against Sweden in the round of 16, which was the team's earliest exit in a World Cup. Less than two weeks later, on August 16, Andonovski resigned as head coach.^[19]

On October 23, 2023, Andonovski returned to the NWSL as he was hired as head coach and sporting director of the Kansas City Current.^[3]

Personal life

Andonovski was born in Skopje, SR Macedonia, SFR Yugoslavia (now North Macedonia),^[1] and became a U.S. citizen in 2015.^[20] He is a 2008 graduate of Park University with a Bachelor of Arts in business administration/management. He earned a Master's in Soccer Coaching Education (MSC) from Ohio University in 2017. Andonovski resides in Kansas City, Missouri, with his wife, Biljana, and their three children, Dragana, Luka, and Daria.^[21]

Managerial statistics

As of May 25, 2024

Team	Nat	Year	Record
			G	W	L	T	Win %
FC Kansas City[22][23]		2013–2017[a]	91	43	28	20	047.25
Kansas City Comets[22]		2013–2016[b]	73	58	15	0	079.45
Reign FC[23][c]		2018–2019[d]	48	21	11	16	043.75
United States (women)		2019–2023	65	51	5	9	078.46
Kansas City Current		2023–	11	7	0	4	063.64
Career Total			288	180	63	45	062.50

1. Statistics include NWSL Playoffs; see club page for further information.
2. See club page for further information.
3. This club was known as Seattle Reign FC in the 2018 season.
4. Statistics exclude NWSL Playoffs; see club page for further information.

Honors

Playing

Individual^[21]

• MISL Most Valuable Player: 2005
• MISL Defender of the Year: 2002
• MISL Most Improved Player: 2002
• MISL All-Star: 2-time

Coaching

High School / Youth^[1]

• Missouri State Championship: 4-time
• Youth National Championship: 1-time

Kansas City Comets

• Major Indoor Soccer League: 2013–14

FC Kansas City

• NWSL Championship: 2014, 2015

United States

• CONCACAF Women's Championship: 2022^[24]
• Olympic Bronze Medal: 2020^[25]
• SheBelieves Cup: 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023

Individual

• Major Arena Soccer League Coach of the Year: 2014–15
• NWSL Coach of the Year: 2013,^[26] 2019^[27]