1. Predrag Radosavljevic, better known by the nickname Preki, is a former soccer player and coach.
28 Facts About Preki
1. 2.
Preki is currently an assistant coach with Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.
3.
Preki previously coached Sacramento Republic FC and Saint Louis FC in the United Soccer League and coached in MLS with Toronto FC and Chivas USA.
4.
Preki played indoor soccer in the United States for over a decade, being considered among the best indoor players of all time.
5.
Preki is the only two-time winner of the MLS MVP award, now known as the Landon Donovan MVP Award, and represented the United States at the 1998 FIFA World Cup.
6.
Preki was elected to the American National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2010.
7.
In 2015 Preki left his managing role at Sacramento Republic FC by mutual consent.
8.
Preki played one season for Raslatts SK in Sweden in 1990.
9.
Preki made 53 appearances for the Blues, 28 of those as a substitute.
10.
In June 1994, Preki signed with the San Jose Grizzlies of the Continental Indoor Soccer League where he rejoined Bob McNab from his Tacoma days.
11.
Preki played eight games, scoring sixteen goals, before returning to England in August 1994 to play for Portsmouth.
12.
Preki resumed outdoor play beginning with MLS's inaugural season in 1996 when he joined the Kansas City Wiz, renamed the Wizards after the 1996 season.
13.
On 9 September 1998, Preki scored a hat-trick and made two assists against San Jose Earthquakes, tying a league record with eight points in a single game.
14.
Between 1996 and 2000, Preki scored a total of 50 goals in 145 appearances for Kansas City.
15.
In 2001, Preki joined the Miami Fusion and scored eight goals and 14 assists in 24 games, thus playing a crucial role in the turnaround that saw the Fusion go from worst to first, winning his second Supporters Shield for the best regular season record in MLS.
16.
In 2003, the 40-year-old Preki played and started 30 games for the Wizards, logging nearly 2,700 minutes.
17.
Preki was named to the MLS All-Time Best XI after his retirement.
18.
Preki is the only player to have won the MLS MVP Award and the MLS Scoring Champion Award twice, winning in 1997 and 2003, and is the current all-time league leader in points with 270.
19.
Preki is still widely regarded as the greatest player in Kansas City's history, as he ranks first on career charts for both goals, and assists.
20.
Originally from Yugoslavia, Preki was living and working in the US in 1985 but when he was offered a spot on the US national team he applied for US citizenship which was granted on October 25,1996.
21.
Preki made his debut for the United States on November 3,1996, against Guatemala at the age of 33, making him one of the oldest players to make an international debut.
22.
Preki played a total of 28 games for the US, scoring four goals, one of them to beat Brazil at the 1998 Gold Cup.
23.
Preki left Chivas "by mutual consent" on November 12,2009, following Chivas' failure to progress to the latter stages of the MLS playoffs.
24.
Preki became head coach of Toronto FC on November 19,2009.
25.
On July 15,2013, after nearly three years out of coaching, Preki was named head coach of the USL Professional Division expansion Sacramento Republic FC in advance of their inaugural 2014 season.
26.
Preki won the USL Pro Championship game in September 2014 with the club.
27.
On July 8,2015, Preki announced his resignation from his post to take up a coaching role in the United Kingdom.
28.
In January 2018, Preki was hired as an assistant coach to Brian Schmetzer with the Seattle Sounders FC.