Mitar Mrkela
Encyclopedia
Mitar Mrkela is a retired Serbia
n football player, who was a member of the Yugoslavian team that won the bronze medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics
in Los Angeles, California
.
in 1981 at only 16 years and 16 days of age (at that time the youngest ever in the Yugoslav First League), before moving on to Red Star Belgrade
in 1983 where he stayed until 1990. After appearing in one league game for Red Star in 1990/91 season, he transeferred to Dutch club Twente Enschede
and stayed there for two seasons. He played several matches for Beşiktaş J.K.
in the 1992-1993 season and scored 4 goals, before returning to the Netherlands with Cambuur Leeuwarden
.
Mrkela holds distinction as the youngest player ever to play for SFR Yugoslavia
national squad. He was only 17 years and 130 days old when he made his national team debut on November 17, 1982 during a Euro 1984 qualifier
versus Bulgaria
in Sofia
. Head coach Todor Veselinović brought him on in the 17th minute in place of injured Zvonko Živković
. However, despite a lot of early promise, Mrkela would go on to make only 4 more national team appearances, scoring 1 goal.
In July 2005, soon after Dragan Stojković
took over the club president's job from Dragan Džajić
, Mrkela became the director of Red Star Belgrade youth academy - a job up to that moment performed by Goran Đorović.
After leaving his post at Red Star in December 2008, he became the sporting director at OFK Beograd.
. The couple divorced in 2000. They have a son Andrej Mrkela
, born in 1992, who is also a professional footballer and currently plays for Red Star Belgrade
.
For a while, Mrkela was politically active in the Serbian Renewal Movement
(SPO).http://www.mtsmondo.com/sport/vesti/text.php?vest=76633
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n football player, who was a member of the Yugoslavian team that won the bronze medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
.
Career
He started his senior pro career with OFK BeogradOFK Beograd
Omladinski fudbalski klub Beograd, commonly referred to as OFK Beograd , is a football club from Belgrade, Serbia, more precisely from the Karaburma urban neighborhood. It currently is the oldest team playing in the Serbian SuperLiga. The name means "Youth Football Club Belgrade" in Serbian...
in 1981 at only 16 years and 16 days of age (at that time the youngest ever in the Yugoslav First League), before moving on to Red Star Belgrade
Red Star Belgrade
Red Star Belgrade is a football club from Belgrade, Serbia. The club is a part of the Red Star Sports Society.Red Star Belgrade is the most successful Serbian club, with a record of 25 national championships and 23 national cups in both Serbian and ex-Yugoslav competitions...
in 1983 where he stayed until 1990. After appearing in one league game for Red Star in 1990/91 season, he transeferred to Dutch club Twente Enschede
FC Twente
FC Twente is a Dutch professional football club from the city of Enschede, playing in the Eredivisie. The club was formed in 1965 by the merger of 1926 Eredivisie Champions, Sportclub Enschede and Enschedese Boys...
and stayed there for two seasons. He played several matches for Beşiktaş J.K.
Besiktas J.K.
Beşiktaş Jimnastik Kulübü , or simply Beşiktaş , is a Turkish sports club. The club's football team is one of the major teams in Turkey. The professional sports club, founded in 1903, is based in the Beşiktaş district in Istanbul, Turkey...
in the 1992-1993 season and scored 4 goals, before returning to the Netherlands with Cambuur Leeuwarden
Cambuur Leeuwarden
SC Cambuur , formed on June 19, 1964, is a Dutch football club from Leeuwarden, currently playing in the Eerste Divisie. The club's home ground is the 10,250 seater Cambuur Stadion and they play in yellow shirts and blue shorts. The club's emblem originates from the coat of arms of the House of...
.
Mrkela holds distinction as the youngest player ever to play for SFR Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia national football team
The Yugoslavia national football team represented the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in association football. It enjoyed a modicum of success in international competition. In 1992, during the Yugoslav wars, the team was suspended from international...
national squad. He was only 17 years and 130 days old when he made his national team debut on November 17, 1982 during a Euro 1984 qualifier
1984 UEFA European Football Championship qualifying
The qualifying round for the 1984 European Football Championship consisted of 32 teams divided into seven groups; three of four teams and four of five teams. The qualifying round was played at various times between May 1982 and December 1983, with some groups concluding earlier than...
versus Bulgaria
Bulgaria national football team
The FIFA Bulgaria national football team is an association football team fielded by the Bulgarian Football Union, a member association of UEFA. The team's home ground is Vasil Levski in Sofia and Luboslav Penev is in charge manager after replacement of Lothar Matthäus...
in Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
. Head coach Todor Veselinović brought him on in the 17th minute in place of injured Zvonko Živković
Zvonko Živkovic
Zvonko Živković was a top Serbian footballer of the late 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s, and now one of the most primising and respected Serbian football coaches....
. However, despite a lot of early promise, Mrkela would go on to make only 4 more national team appearances, scoring 1 goal.
Post-football
For a time in early 2000s, Mrkela was the president of City of Belgrade Football Association. He then became the youth coach in the OFK Beograd system.In July 2005, soon after Dragan Stojković
Dragan Stojkovic
Dragan Stojković , also known under the nickname Piksi is a Serbian former footballer and current manager of J...
took over the club president's job from Dragan Džajić
Dragan Džajic
Dragan Džajić is widely considered to have been one of the best Serbian football players to emerge from former Yugoslavia. Regarded as a preeminent and very proficient left winger, he is strongly reputed to have been one of the finest European players of his generation...
, Mrkela became the director of Red Star Belgrade youth academy - a job up to that moment performed by Goran Đorović.
After leaving his post at Red Star in December 2008, he became the sporting director at OFK Beograd.
Personal
During the early 1990s Mrkela married actress Lidija VukićevićLidija Vukicevic
Lidija Vukićević is a Serbian film and TV actress. Since 2004, she is also politically involved with Serbian Radical Party and is currently their MP in the Serbian parliament.-Acting:Best known for playing Violeta, daughter of the central Popadić family on hugely popular Bolji život TV...
. The couple divorced in 2000. They have a son Andrej Mrkela
Andrej Mrkela
Andrej Mrkela is a Serbian football attacking midfielder, currently playing for FK Rad.He is the son of former footballer Mitar Mrkela and actress and politician Lidija Vukićević...
, born in 1992, who is also a professional footballer and currently plays for Red Star Belgrade
Red Star Belgrade
Red Star Belgrade is a football club from Belgrade, Serbia. The club is a part of the Red Star Sports Society.Red Star Belgrade is the most successful Serbian club, with a record of 25 national championships and 23 national cups in both Serbian and ex-Yugoslav competitions...
.
For a while, Mrkela was politically active in the Serbian Renewal Movement
Serbian Renewal Movement
The Serbian Renewal Movement is a political party in Serbia.It was founded in 1990.In 1997 a dissident group abandoned the party and formed New Serbia....
(SPO).http://www.mtsmondo.com/sport/vesti/text.php?vest=76633