Željko Petrović facts for kids

Željko Petrović (born 13 November 1965) is a Montenegrin professional football manager and a former player. He played as a right-back. During his playing career, he represented the FR Yugoslavia national team at the 1998 FIFA World Cup.

Playing Career: Željko Petrović's Journey in Football

Željko Petrović played for many football clubs during his career. He was known for being a strong defender who could also score goals.

Early Days: Budućnost and Dinamo Zagreb

Petrović started his professional career in 1986 with Budućnost. He played alongside famous players like Dejan Savićević and Predrag Mijatović. After four seasons, he moved to Dinamo Zagreb in 1990.

While at Dinamo Zagreb, which briefly changed its name to HAŠK Građanski, Petrović showed his goal-scoring skills in the 1991–92 UEFA Cup. He scored all three of his team's goals in a match against Trabzonspor, even though his team was eliminated.

Playing in Spain: Sevilla FC

In November 1991, Petrović joined Sevilla in Spain. He moved there at the same time as another talented player, Davor Šuker. It was a bit tough for him to get playing time at first because teams could only have a few foreign players.

However, he slowly started to play more. He even made an important assist in a cup match against Real Murcia. In March 1992, he scored his only goal for Sevilla in a league game.

Dutch Adventures: Den Bosch and RKC Waalwijk

Petrović moved to the Netherlands in 1992 to play for Den Bosch. His father lived nearby, which was a big reason for his move. Even though he was considered a very good player, Den Bosch struggled and was moved down to a lower league.

He then joined RKC Waalwijk in 1994. This is where he really shined as an attacking right-back, scoring 13 goals in two seasons.

Winning with PSV Eindhoven

In 1996, Petrović joined PSV, one of the biggest clubs in the Netherlands. He was a regular player when PSV won the Eredivisie league title in the 1996–97 season.

He played 35 games for PSV before moving to Japan in 1997.

Journey to Japan and Return to RKC

Petrović played for Urawa Red Diamonds in Japan from 1997 to 2000. After his time in Japan, he returned to RKC Waalwijk in the Netherlands, where he finished his playing career in 2004.

International Career: Representing Yugoslavia

Petrović played for the national team of Yugoslavia. His first game was on 12 September 1990 against Northern Ireland.

Yugoslavia faced a ban from major tournaments like the UEFA Euro 1992 and the 1994 FIFA World Cup due to international sanctions. Petrović returned to play for the national team five years later for the qualification to the 1998 FIFA World Cup.

Facing Challenges: A Serious Warning

During the qualification for the 1998 FIFA World Cup, Petrović was a key player for Yugoslavia. Before a crucial play-off match against Hungary in October 1997, he received a serious warning over the phone.

There were also false stories spreading that he had played for the Croatia national team during the breakup of Yugoslavia. Petrović strongly denied these rumors. His teammate, Savo Milošević, spoke out against journalists who spread these untrue stories. Despite these challenges, Petrović went on to play for Yugoslavia at the 1998 FIFA World Cup.

Petrović always saw himself as a Yugoslav. He explained that just like people in the Netherlands might be from different regions but are all Dutch, he was Montenegrin but identified as Yugoslav, especially after the war.

Managerial Career: Leading Teams

After his playing days, Željko Petrović became a football manager. He has coached many teams in different countries.

Early Managerial Roles

In 2006, Petrović became the manager of Portuguese team Boavista. His first match was a big win against Benfica. However, he resigned after only a month and a half.

He then managed RKC Waalwijk in the Netherlands in the 2007–08 season. He helped them finish second in their league but they did not get promoted. He also worked as an assistant manager for Hamburger SV and West Ham United.

Coaching in Asia and Europe

Petrović returned to Japan to manage Urawa Red Diamonds in 2011. He also worked as an assistant for Guus Hiddink at Anzhi Makhachkala in Russia.

He continued to work as an assistant manager for Dick Advocaat at Sunderland and Utrecht.

Recent Managerial Positions

In 2019, Petrović took over as manager of Botev Plovdiv in Bulgaria. After some difficult results, he left the club. He also managed Inter Zaprešić in Croatia briefly in 2020.

He was an assistant manager for Feyenoord in the Netherlands in 2020–2021.

Leading National Teams: Iraq

In late 2021, Petrović became the caretaker manager for the Iraq national team. He coached them in the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup and the final round of the World Cup qualifiers. He left the role in February 2022.

Winning a Trophy with Zrinjski Mostar

On 5 January 2024, Petrović was appointed manager of Zrinjski Mostar, a club in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He had a great start, winning his first match in the Bosnian Cup.

He led Zrinjski to win the Bosnian Cup on 23 May 2024, which was his first major trophy as a manager. He left the club by mutual agreement in June 2024.

Career Statistics

Club Appearances and Goals

International Appearances and Goals

Managerial Record

Honours and Achievements

Željko Petrović has achieved success both as a player and as a manager.

Player Honours

PSV

• Eredivisie: 1996–97 (Dutch top league title)
• Johan Cruyff Shield: 1997 (Dutch Super Cup)

Manager Honours

Zrinjski Mostar

• Bosnian Cup: 2023–24 (National Cup)

See also

In Spanish: Željko Petrović para niños