Tag: Matko Miljevic

After a brief investigation, Major League Soccer has terminated the contract of CF Montréal midfielder Matko Miljevic.

Miljevic was swiftly axed following last week’s revelation that he had been playing in a local amateur league under a false name, and was reportedly kicked out of the competition after assaulting another player.

MLS determined the 22-year-old had engaged in conduct detrimental to the league, and was also in breach of his contract.

A MLS statement on Monday said: “Following an investigation, Major League Soccer has terminated the contract of CF Montréal midfielder Matko Miljevic for engaging in conduct detrimental to the league and violating his Standard Player Agreement.”

According to a report from DansLesCoulisses, Miljevic was invited by a friend to play in the QCSL, a local amateur league that operates in the Montréal suburbs.

Likely knowing that his participation would violate his MLS contract, Miljevic adjusted his name by one letter to become “Matko Milojevic,” and played in three QCSL matches in July and August, according to the league website.

If the mere fact of his participation in the QCSL under a fake name wasn’t bad enough, the way Miljevic’s time in the league ended was even more problematic.

According to the report from DansLesCoulisses, the former U.S. youth international got into an argument with an opponent and punched him in the face. He was swiftly kicked out of the league, and the victim is considering filing a criminal charge for assault.

Miljevic tallied two goals and two assists over three seasons with Montréal, starting just eight total MLS games. The midfielder’s strike rate in the QCSL was far more impressive, as he scored six goals in just three games.

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Matko Miljevic wasn’t getting the playing time he wanted at CF Montréal, so he took matters into his own hands.

Did Miljevic request a transfer? Learn a new position? Have a heart-to-heart with his coach? Reader, you probably already know that he did none of those things. Instead, Miljevic found a new league that would offer as many minutes as he desired: Ligue Québécoise de Soccer Calcetto.

The QCSL, as it’s known, is a local amateur league that operates in the northern suburbs of Montréal. According to a report from DansLesCoulisses, Miljevic — who has just 124 total MLS minutes this year — was asked by a friend to play in the QCSL.

Miljevic said yes to the request, but there was a catch. Knowing that his MLS contract would forbid him from playing in the QCSL, the 22-year-old played under a false name in the amateur league.

And so, Matko Milojevic was born.

The QCSL helpfully lists the stats of “Milojevic,” who performed about as well as you’d expect: three games, six goals, two assists — though he did pad those stats with a five-goal performance against the tremendously named Bayer Neverlosen on August 8.

But there’s another curious designation on the player page: At the top, it lists “Milojevic” as being suspended indefinitely.

This, per the report from DansLesCoulisses, is where things get even weirder.

Miljevic apparently got into an argument with an opponent during a match and struck the person in the face. The match was immediately ended, and the former U.S. youth international was told he is no longer welcome in the QCSL.

The victim is reportedly considering filing a criminal charge for assault.

On Thursday, CF Montréal head coach Hernán Losada confirmed that MLS had opened an investigation into Miljevic, who will be kept away from the team in the meantime.

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