In the ocean of football, the fate of a team is often closely tied to its helmsman. Today, Chinese football ushered in a new leader - Croatian coach Ivankovic. His joining, like a spring breeze and rain, has injected new vitality and hope into the national football team.
Ivankovic, the coach who has achieved great success with the Croatian national team and several European clubs, is known for his rigorous tactical system and deep understanding of the game. His CV is a football epic, full of wisdom and tenacity, having coached football clubs and national teams in a number of countries and regions. Here are some of the highlights of his coaching career:
1.Croatian NK Varazdin: Ivankovic's coaching career began with his old club as a player, and this was his starting point.
2.Croatia National Team Assistant Coach: Under Blazevic, he participated in the 1998 World Cup as an assistant coach, helping Croatia to a third-place finish.
3.Hannover 96 (Germany): In the 1999-2000 season, he began coaching the Bundesliga side Hannover 96, but left within a year.
4.Iran National Team: In 2001, he became an assistant coach of the Iranian national team, then became head coach in early 2002, leaving after eight months. A year later, he was again the head coach of the Iranian national team, where he remained until 2006.
5.Shandong Luneng Taishan: In 2010, Ivankovic led Shandong Luneng Taishan team to win the Chinese Super League championship and was awarded the "2010 Best Coach of the Chinese Super League".
6.Persepolis: In 2015, he coached Iranian side Persepolis and led them to the AFC Champions League final in 2018, but lost to Kashima Antlers.
7.Oman national team: In 2019, Ivankovic became the coach of the Oman national team. In the top 12 of the 2022 World Preliminary Championship, Oman and the national football team were in the same group, and Ivankovic led the team to defeat Japan 1-0 in the first game of the group stage.
8.Chinese men's national football team: On February 24, 2024, the Chinese Football Association officially announced Ivan Kovic as the head coach of the Chinese men's national football team, which is a new challenge in his career.
Ivankovic is known for his tactical versatility and his precise grasp of the team's characteristics. His wealth of experience has led to significant achievements in both Asia and Europe. Now, he will lead the national football team to the 2026 World Cup, which is undoubtedly another major challenge in his career. Facing the upcoming World Cup qualifiers, it will be a tough test for him and the team. However, as the ancients said, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step", and we have every reason to believe that under the leadership of this outstanding coach, the national football team will be able to show unprecedented combat effectiveness.
Come on, Chinese football, we are always with you!