Who is Igor Jovićević, the coach of Al-Raed:

Igor Jovićević, born on November 30, 1973, in Zagreb, SR Croatia, Yugoslavia, is a Croatian football manager and former professional footballer. He currently serves as the manager of the Saudi club Al-Raed. Jovićević's career in football has seen him transition from playing to coaching with notable experiences in both domains.

Jovićević's journey began when, as a youth player for Dinamo Zagreb, he was labeled the "new Zvonimir Boban." In 1991, at the age of 17, he signed a contract with Real Madrid for one million dollars, with the potential for an additional five million if he played for the first team. His time at Real Madrid Castilla allowed him to train under the likes of Rafael Benítez, where he played alongside emerging talents like Raúl and Guti.

However, in June 1995, an injury sustained while playing for the Croatia national under-21 team interrupted his career. After recovering, he continued his playing career with clubs such as NK Zagreb, Yokohama F. Marinos, Guarani Futebol Clube, FC Metz, Shenyang Dongjin, and Karpaty Lviv. Sadly, injuries led to the premature end of his playing career at the age of 32.

After retirement, Jovićević settled in Marbella, Spain, where he owns a bar.

Jovićević's transition to coaching began with his appointment as the transfer director of Karpaty Lviv in 2010. He subsequently managed the U21 and U19 squads, eventually taking charge of the senior squad as the head coach in 2014.

His coaching journey continued as he took over as the head coach of Slovenian PrvaLiga club Celje in October 2016. However, his stint with Celje ended in June 2017.

Jovićević returned to Croatia and assumed various coaching roles at Dinamo Zagreb, including coaching Dinamo Zagreb II and Dinamo Zagreb U19. Under his leadership, the U19 squad achieved success in domestic leagues and the UEFA Youth League.

In April 2020, Jovićević was appointed as the head coach of Dinamo Zagreb. His tenure, however, was relatively short, and he parted ways with the club in July 2020.

His coaching career led him to Ukraine, where he became the head coach of Dnipro-1 in September 2020. Subsequently, he took charge of Ukrainian powerhouse Shakhtar Donetsk in July 2022.

In July 2023, Jovićević took on a new challenge as the manager of Saudi Pro League club Al-Raed, further expanding his managerial horizons.

Jovićević's father, Čedomir "Čedo" Jovićević, was a renowned defender for Dinamo Zagreb. Igor is married and has two sons, Filip and Marcos, who are both players in the Dinamo Zagreb Academy.

Igor Jovićević's career in football, spanning from playing at prestigious clubs to coaching at various levels and across different countries, reflects his dedication and passion for the sport. His journey continues as he seeks to make an impact in his role as a football manager.