Željko Sopić

Željko Sopić (born 26 July 1974) is a Croatian former footballer who played as a midfielder.

Željko Sopić
Sopić with Al-Ain in 2019
Personal information
Full name Željko Sopić
Date of birth (1974-07-26) 26 July 1974
Place of birth Zagreb, SFR Yugoslavia
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1994–1998 NK Zagreb 94 (3)
1998–2000 Borussia Mönchengladbach 52 (3)
2000–2005 LR Ahlen 126 (20)
2005–2006 NK Zagreb 20 (0)
2006–2008 Slaven Belupo 62 (2)
2008–2011 NK Lokomotiva 87 (9)
Total 441 (37)
National team
1998–1999 Croatia B 2 (0)
Teams managed
2011–2012 NK Lokomotiva (assistant)
2012–2015 Rudeš
2015–2016 Dinamo Zagreb II
2016 Dinamo Zagreb (caretaker)
2016–2017 Dinamo Zagreb (assistant)
2017–2019 Al-Ain B
2019 Al-Ain (caretaker)
2019–2020 Sabah
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Club career

Sopić started his professional career with NK Zagreb in 1994 and spent four years with the club's first team before leaving for Bundesliga side Borussia Mönchengladbach in 1998. He made 23 appearances and scored two goals in his only season in the German top flight. He went on to spend another season with Mönchengladbach in the 2. Bundesliga, following their relegation from the first division in 1999, before moving to league rivals LR Ahlen in the summer of 2000. He played for Ahlen until 2005, bringing his record in the 2. Bundesliga to a total of 155 appearances and 21 goals. He then returned to NK Zagreb for the 2005–06 season, before joining to NK Slaven Belupo, in the summer of 2006. In 2008 he came back to Zagreb but he has played for NK Lokomotiva Zagreb in the Croatian First Football League.

International career

He also won two international caps for the Croatian B national team, against Romania in 1998 and France in 1999.[1]

Managerial career

Sopić started as a manager with NK Rudeš in 2012. He managed a club to 2015, and in 2016 he was named the caretaker manager for Dinamo Zagreb, after Zoran Mamić had left. Before that, Sopić worked as the manager for Dinamo Zagreb II in the Croatian Second Football League, and after as the assistant manager for Ivaylo Petev in Dinamo Zagreb. On 30 January 2017, Sopić became the assistant for Zoran Mamić in Al-Ain, but two years later, on 30 January 2019, Mamić left Al-Ain and Sopić became the manager for club.

On 26 November, Sabah FC announced the appointment of Sopić on an 18-month contract.[2]

Personal life

Sopić is the father of the German-born footballer Leon Sopić.[3]

References
  1. Croatia National Team – "B" Internationals
  2. ""SABAH" FK-DA YENİ BAŞ MƏŞQÇİ". sabahfc.az/ (in Azerbaijani). Sabah FC. 26 November 2019. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  3. "Welkom, Leon Sopić!".
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