Nikola (Niki) Budalic, the former player and later coach of Serbian White Eagles in the Canadian Soccer League, is one of the busiest individuals in soccer these days after joining David Beckham in the launch of new team Inter Miami CF. Club Internacional de Fútbol Miami, which is referred to as Inter Miami CF or just Inter Miami, is set to kickoff in Major League Soccer (MLS) in the upcoming 2020 season.
Budalic first entered the CSL in 2001 with Glen Shields Sun Devils when the league was known as the Canadian Professional Soccer League (CPSL). Following stints with the Toronto Lynx of the U.S.-based A-League, Orebro of Sweden, Montreal Impact and Haugesund of Norway, the attacking midfielder signed for Serbian White Eagles in 2006 to win the league title and also reach the CSL championship final.
Budalic was named team captain for Serbian White Eagles in 2008 and was appointed head coach in 2009. While with Serbian White Eagles as a player, Budalic was on loan for a brief period in 2007 with Toronto FC II. He served in a managerial role for Serbian White Eagles and last played in Canada briefly while assuming the role of director of soccer operations for K-W United, a team in southwestern Ontario and member of the Premier Development League of the USL. He holds an MBA from Sir Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo.
In recent times, Budalic has been the assistant GM and later GM of Orlando City in MLS and worked also with Orlando Pride of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). He was appointed Director, Soccer Operations with Inter Miami early in 2019.
Inter Miami CF is formed from a partnership which includes Jorge Mas, a prominent Cuban American businessman and philanthropist and David Beckham, a former player in the English Premier League, also in Europe before moving to the U.S. to join LA Galaxy, then ending his playing career with Paris Saint Germain. Beckham has 115 caps for England.
Dragan (Doug) Bakoc, president of Serbian White Eagles, considers Kitchener-born Budelic has served his team and Canadian soccer well over the years and deserves the recognition he is now receiving in MLS and the United States. “ Niki Budalic was a very good player who put his skills to good use while coaching in Canada. He is of pleasant disposition and also served us well in managerial positions and we wish him every success in this new, exciting venture with the new club in Miami,” he said.
Inter Miami CF will play out of Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale for two seasons until the team moves to its home ground in Miami Freedom Park.
