Vladimir Petkovic, the Swiss coach, has commenced his new role with Algeria’s senior national football team on Monday, taking the helm until 2026, succeeding Djamel Belmadi.
The 60-year-old coach, born in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia, previously oversaw the Swiss national team from 2014 to 2021.
However, Petkovic truly distinguished himself during the UEFA Euro 2021 tournament, leading Switzerland to eliminate the reigning world champions, France, in the Round of 16, before narrowly exiting in the quarter-finals against Spain.
He also guided Switzerland to a fourth-place finish in the inaugural edition of the UEFA Nations League in the 2018-2019 season, where they lost to England on penalties, as well as to the Round of 16 in the 2018 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2016.
Petkovic has managed several Swiss clubs, including Sion, Young Boys, Bellinzona, and Lugano.
He also clinched the domestic cup title with Italian side Lazio in 2013.
However, his tenure with French club Bordeaux during the 2021-2022 season was not successful, as poor results led to the team’s relegation to the second division.
