Latvia’s second tier side Mārupe have announced that Nikola Vitorović will take charge as head coach for the 2026 Nākotnes līga season, bringing with him extensive international experience across Europe and Asia.
Vitorović is a UEFA PRO licence holder, having obtained the qualification in Latvia. In 2024, he won Nākotnes līga with Super Nova as assistant coach under Ervīns Pērkons, parallel to guiding Super Nova reserves to the third tier title.
In 2025, he unexpectedly moved to take over newly promoted FK Riteriai in the Lithuanian A Lyga, where he managed the youngest squad in the league, placing a strong emphasis on player development and competitiveness. FK Riteriai faced tremendous financial, legal and organizational challenges right from the start of the 2025 season, with the club repeatedly tethering on the edge of bankruptcy and termination.
Speaking to Baltic Football News, the new Mārupe head coach explained the process behind the move: “It was a quick deal, in matter of few days it happened after my name came to the table. Mārupe is a stable team which grows step by step and when the time is right, things will happen. After Riteriai, I needed a move that would be stable financially and I heard only the best things about the president of Mārupe, which drove me even closer. We will make steps towards something better and we will see where it takes us. I know the league from the 2024 season when we won it, so the move made sense as soon as we also came to financial agreement.”
Before transitioning fully into coaching, Vitorović enjoyed a broad playing career. He was named Cyprus’ Best Young Footballer in 2007 and represented clubs in Cyprus, Greece, Lithuania, Romania, Malta, Singapore, Malaysia, and Bangladesh.
