Biography
Who is Srečko Katanec?
Early life and playing beginnings
Srečko Katanec was born in Ljubljana. He began his youth football path at the age of seven with the club NK Ljubljana. In 1981, he signed with Olimpija before moving to Dinamo Zagreb in 1985. The following year, he joined Partizan, where he secured a Yugoslav League championship title in 1987.
During his time as a player, he was primarily a midfielder but also competed as a defender. He represented Yugoslavia at major events including the 1984 and 1988 Summer Olympics, the 1984 UEFA European Championship, and the 1990 FIFA World Cup. His performance during the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles resulted in a bronze medal for the Yugoslavia team.
Professional club career in Europe
In 1988, he moved to Germany to play for VfB Stuttgart in the Bundesliga. The team reached the 1989 UEFA Cup final but lost the title to Napoli. He spent one season with the German club before transferring to the Italian team Sampdoria in 1989.
His tenure at Sampdoria was marked by significant trophies. He won the European Cup Winners' Cup during his initial season with the club. In 1991, the team secured the Serie A championship, also known as the Scudetto. The following year, Sampdoria reached the European Cup final but lost to Barcelona. Under manager Sven-Göran Eriksson, he also won the Coppa Italia in 1994. He retired from professional football after his contract with Sampdoria expired.
International management career
Srečko Katanec began his transition into coaching as an assistant manager for the Slovenia under-21 team between 1996 and 1997. In 1997, he became the head coach of the club Gorica. By July 1998, he was appointed manager of the Slovenia national team. Under his leadership, Slovenia qualified for their first major tournaments, the 2000 UEFA European Championship and the 2002 FIFA World Cup. He resigned from the role after the 2002 World Cup following a public disagreement with player Zlatko Zahovič.
His coaching career took him to several other international posts. He managed the Macedonia national team from 2006 until 2009. Later, he led the United Arab Emirates national team from 2009 until 2011. He returned to manage Slovenia for a second stint between 2013 and 2017. In 2018, he became the head coach of Iraq, where he guided the team to the knockout stages of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. His final managerial position was with Uzbekistan, which he held from 2021 until his retirement due to health concerns in January 2025.
Personal life and family
Srečko Katanec was born to parents of Croat descent who were from Međimurje. He is a father to two sons, Svit Oliver and Ian Oskar. His professional life has kept him active in the sport for several decades, spanning from his youth in Ljubljana to his final coaching role in Uzbekistan.
Birthday and age
Srečko Katanec was born on July 16, 1963, which makes Srečko 63 years old today. That birthday falls under the Cancer sign. Srečko shares the date with 61 other famous people.
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