Former India coach Igor Stimac guides Zrinjski Mostar to 1-1 draw against Crystal Palace in Conference League

Igor Stimac may have become a chapter in Indian football, but the Croatian tactician has continued to ply his trade as a coach.

The former Indian men’s coach is currently the head coach of Bosnian Premier League club Zrinjski Mostar, with which the team will play in the UEFA Europa Conference League (UECL) this season.

On Thursday, Zrinjski Mostar held FA Cup champions Crystal Palace 1-1 in the first leg of the UECL play-offs in Mostar, keeping them afloat in the competition.

Ismaila Sarr opened the scoring for the Premier League side before half-time, before Karlo Abramovic equalized ten minutes into the second half.

The draw prompted cries of ‘sacked in the morning’ from frustrated Palace fans for manager Oliver Glasner, who will leave the club at the end of the season.

Stimac, on the other hand, guided Zrinjski Mostar to 23rd place in the league stage of the UECL as it qualified for the play-offs. The club is also currently second in the Bosnian Premier League, with 43 points from 21 games.

Stimac’s previous coaching stint was with the Indian National Men’s Team between 2019 and 2024, where he won two SAFF Championships, one Intercontinental Cup and a Tri-Nations Series.

However, following India’s exit from the FIFA World Cup qualifiers and a barren 2023 AFC Asian Cup campaign, Stimac was sacked, with Manolo Marquez replacing him in June 2024.

Published on February 20, 2026