Rapids’ Djordje Mihailovic on Olympic selection: ‘Shocked and excited’

Colorado Rapids midfielder Djordje Mihailovic (10) looks for a pass during a 2-1 win over Sporting Kansas City at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City on Thursday, July 4, 2024. (Photo by Zachary Spindler-Krage/The Denver Post)

After he and the U.S. men’s youth national team failed to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics four years ago, Djordje Mihailovic didn’t think he’d get another chance.

He grew up watching the Olympics, desperate to be on that field. But Olympic roster rules only allow three players over the age of 23, so the Rapids midfielder’s chances of making the team this year have diminished significantly.

At 25, Mihailovic defied odds by joining Nashville’s Walker Zimmerman and Cincinnati’s Miles Robinson as the team’s oldest players, U.S. Soccer announced Monday. In 21 games, Mihailovic has contributed 10 goals and nine assists for Colorado, good for seventh in MLS scoring contributions this season.

He is the second active Rapids player in franchise history to represent the United States at the Olympics. The first was Joey DiGiamarino at the 2000 Games.

“It’s hard to describe how I feel,” Mihailovic told the Denver Post. “When I failed in my age group (to qualify for Tokyo), it was hard to deal with. And in this sport, you rarely get a second chance to achieve that dream. It’s always been my goal to compete in the Olympics, and this is a special moment for my friends and family, but also to represent the Rapids and my teammates.”

“When (Olympic coach Marko Mitrović) called me to tell me, I was shocked and excited. And at the same time, I’m disappointed that it’s me who’s going and not Cole (Bassett). I felt like he really deserved to go.”

Clubs can refuse to allow players to travel to Paris, which some have done, in the interest of the domestic competition and the needs of their team at the time. With three games against top MLS teams followed by the Leagues Cup during the Olympics, the Colorado Rapids could have easily forced the 25-year-old to stay in the United States.

When Mitrović brought in the Rapids star, it was an easy choice for coach Chris Armas and the club.

“The players’ dreams are our dreams, as a club and as coaches,” Armas told the Post. “Overall, this is the best thing for Djordje. I’m really proud to be on this journey with him and help him. It’s great; we should be very excited for him and that’s how we see it.”

So there is a fine line to be walked when clubs have the power to refuse to send players to the Olympics. On the one hand, a player goes and the team’s performance may decline in his absence. On the other, the emotional fallout from one’s own team refusing to participate may far outweigh the short-term benefits of staying with the team for an extra month.

From the Rapids’ perspective, it’s a given that they’ll miss their offensive catalyst during a tough stretch of games. But with a goal and an assist, Bassett proved in a 4-1 win over St. Louis City on Sunday that he’s a worthy replacement for the time being, especially with a Paris-sized chip on his shoulder.

In the long run, the experience of Olympic-level competition for Mihailovic certainly won’t hurt the Rapids either.

“He makes the difference. He will show his qualities. He is fit, strong and lively at the moment,” Armas said. “He is dangerous with his goals and assists, and he has exceptional shooting quality from set pieces. I think he will open eyes on the international scene and maybe he should be considered for the national team.”

Which will certainly be at the heart of Mihailovic’s concerns when he gets off the plane in Paris.

He has recorded 11 caps for the senior team over the past five years, including two friendlies and two appearances at the CONCACAF Gold Cup. The most notable performance was his performance at the 2023 Gold Cup, when he scored two goals and provided two assists in a 6-0 group stage win over St. Kitts and Nevis en route to a semifinal loss to eventual runners-up Panama.