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Veljko Paunovic Admits Regret Over Chivas Exit, Pitches Mexico Friendly as Serbia Coach

He now leads Serbia through a rebuild following the team's failure to reach the 2026 World Cup.

Overview

  • In a new interview with Claro Sports, Paunovic said he regretted stepping down from Chivas and acknowledged he acted too quickly.
  • He said the decision was driven by family obligations in Chicago and extreme fatigue, noting he lost about 12 kilograms during 13 months in charge.
  • Under his watch, Chivas reached the Clausura 2023 final and secured direct liguilla qualification in both tournaments he coached.
  • Now managing Serbia, he opened his tenure with a 2-0 defeat to England and a 2-1 win over Latvia, with his contract reported to run through 2030.
  • He proposed a SerbiaMexico friendly, framing it as World Cup preparation for Mexico and a tune-up for Serbia ahead of the next Nations League.