Branko Ivankovich has been invited to the Uzbekistan national team

The competition for the position of head coach of the Uzbekistan national team is becoming increasingly intense. If recently the candidacy of Italian Fabio Cannavaro was mentioned, now the name of another influential specialist has become known to the public. According to Iran's Varzesh website Sport3, experienced Croatian coach Branko Ivankovich has been invited to the Uzbekistan national team ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

Reza Chilongar, Ivankovich's longtime partner and translator in Iran, confirmed the news:

"The Uzbeks sent an official invitation to Branko. They are looking for a new head coach before the 2026 World Cup and have started negotiations with him," the source said.

This information indicates that the Uzbekistan Football Association is looking for an internationally experienced coach who can adequately prepare the team for the World Cup.

The 71-year-old Croatian coach has a very rich coaching career. He was dismissed from his post after failing to qualify for the 2026 World Cup with the Chinese national team.

Also in 2020-2024, he managed the Oman national team and led the team to a number of prestigious tournaments.

Earlier, in 2006, Ivankovic led the Iranian national team to the World Cup, but failed to advance from the group stage. He also played for the Iranian Olympic team, the renowned Persepolis, and clubs in Saudi Arabia, China, and Croatia.

Ivankovic had the honor of participating in the World Cup twice. In 1998, he went to France with the national team as an assistant coach of the Croatian national team. In 2006, he participated in the World Cup in Germany as the head coach of Iran.

This experience shows that he has a high potential to work in international competitions.

As is known, the Uzbekistan national team qualified for the 2026 World Cup for the first time in its history. Therefore, the Association aims to reach an agreement with an experienced and influential coach who will prepare the team for the global tournament.

If the negotiations are successful, Ivankovich can use his vast experience in Asian football for Uzbekistan.