Vlatko Butonovski, the head coach of the United States women’s national soccer team is a former player. He is a former football player and a Macedonian. He is the second person to lead the team, and the first since Pia Moondhage in 2000. He has experience in coaching both women's teams and the men's.
Andonovski became the first woman to coach the national women's soccer team.
Andonovski has a new look in the coaching of women's soccer. He fits the new coach/player model more closely than Ellis did. Ellis' style is less direct and resonates more with players. He is a pioneer in the sport.
Andonovski was a native of the former Yugoslavia. His family grew up near Skopje in North Macedonia. He spent his childhood playing soccer and watching others. He made it to the senior squad and went professional. After a successful playing career in the United States, he settled into coaching.
Andonovski, in addition coaching the USWNT has also managed several other teams. He has also been involved in youth soccer coaching. He was known to players as well scouts when he was the FC Kansas City's coach. His teams reached playoffs in 13 and 14. He was also a part of the Missouri Olympic Development Program.
He is the 2nd coach to directly go from coaching in the American professional league to coaching for the national team, following April Heinrichs' 2000 departure.
Er was a world-class ambassador for the U.S. women's national team and a former player, winning two U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year Awards. Her professional playing experience was with Prato in Italy, and Juventus. She was instrumental in helping many young players reach their potential and move up the ranks to professional soccer. The USWNT won the silver medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics, won the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2003, and won the gold medal in the 2004 Olympics. Her role as head coach has been critical to the development of the women's game in the United States and abroad.
Er was a former professional football player. She played in the NPSL for the Wichita Wings from 2000 to02. Later she went on to play for both the Kansas City Comets as well as the Philadelphia Kixx and the California Cougars. She was a MISL All-Star twice. She went on to earn her Bachelor's degree from Park University in 2008 and earned her Master's degree in coaching education with a soccer track from Ohio University in 2018. She currently lives in Kansas City, Missouri.
After Pia Sundhage, he is the first person to move directly from coaching in a pro league to coaching the nation team.
Pia Sundhage was a Swedish soccer player and is now a manager. At age 15, she made her national team debut and led the Swedish team to the two Women's World Cups in Atlanta and the 1996 Olympics. She was awarded 146 caps, and she scored 71 goals. She also played as a sweeper, midfielder, and sweeper throughout her career.
Sundhage is well-known in her country as a coach and has a greater chance of leading the men's national soccer team than many women who have made the change. According to a Swedish poll, Sundhage received 25% of the vote and the next-ranked candidate got 12 percent. A renowned Swedish management expert has praised her.
Sundhage was an integral part of the Philadelphia Charge's coaching staff during their two first seasons in the WUSA. She was later named Sweden head coach, and is expected to remain in the position through the summer of 2006.