TEHRAN – Branko Ivanković, former head coach of Iran’s national team and Persepolis, has announced his retirement from coaching.

He was recently a candidate to replace Vahid Hashemian but declined the offer from the Iranian club.

“It has been a fantastic journey. I have lived as a football player and coach for more than 60 years. I sincerely thank Croatia, Germany, Iran, China, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Oman for the excellent cooperation and trust they gave me, and for the opportunity to meet so many wonderful people, colleagues, and friends,” Ivanković said.

“I extend my greatest thanks to my family, who gave me love, support, and strength throughout this incredible journey. With pride and gratitude, I can say this: the time has come. Thank you,” the 71-year-old Ivanković said.

Ivanković added, “That’s enough. I no longer need to wander the world. I will now spend more time with my family, friends, and myself.”

Born in 1954 in Croatia, Ivanković became assistant coach of Iran’s national team in July 2001 and took over as head coach six months later. He led Iran’s U23 team to the gold medal at the 2002 Busan Asian Games, denying South Korea the title. He also guided Team Melli to a 4-3 victory over South Korea in the 2004 AFC Asian Cup quarterfinals in China, where Iran won bronze.

Ivanković later led Iran to the 2006 World Cup in Germany but stepped down after the team failed to advance. He then took charge of Persepolis, guiding the club to three consecutive Persian Gulf Pro League titles from 2016 to 2019. Under his leadership, Persepolis reached the 2018 AFC Champions League final, where the Reds lost to Kashima Antlers 2-0 on aggregate.