 Sopić withAl-Ain in 2019 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | (1974-07-26)26 July 1974 (age 51) | ||
| Place of birth | Zagreb,Republic of Croatia | ||
| Height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Osijek (manager) | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1994–1998 | NK Zagreb | 94 | (3) |
| 1998–2000 | Borussia Mönchengladbach | 52 | (3) |
| 2000–2005 | LR Ahlen | 126 | (20) |
| 2005–2006 | NK Zagreb | 20 | (0) |
| 2006–2008 | Slaven Belupo | 62 | (2) |
| 2008–2011 | Lokomotiva | 87 | (9) |
| Total | 441 | (37) | |
| International career | |||
| 1998–1999 | Croatia B | 2 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2012–2015 | Rudeš | ||
| 2015–2016 | Dinamo Zagreb II | ||
| 2016 | Dinamo Zagreb (caretaker) | ||
| 2017–2019 | Al-Ain B | ||
| 2019 | Al-Ain (caretaker) | ||
| 2019–2020 | Sabah | ||
| 2022–2023 | Gorica | ||
| 2023–2024 | Rijeka | ||
| 2025 | Widzew Łódź | ||
| 2025– | Osijek | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Željko Sopić (born 26 July 1974) is a Croatian professionalfootball manager and formerplayer who is currently the manager ofCroatian Football League clubOsijek.
Sopić started his professional career withNK Zagreb in 1994 and spent four years with the club's first team before leaving forBundesliga sideBorussia Mönchengladbach in 1998. He made 23 appearances and scored two goals in his only season in the German top flight. He went on to spend another season with Mönchengladbach in the2. Bundesliga, following their relegation from the first division in 1999, before moving to league rivalsLR Ahlen in the summer of 2000. He played for Ahlen until 2005, bringing his record in the 2. Bundesliga to a total of 155 appearances and 21 goals. He then returned to NK Zagreb for the 2005–06 season, before joiningNK Slaven Belupo in the summer of 2006. In 2008, he returned to Zagreb but has played forNK Lokomotiva Zagreb in theCroatian First Football League.
He also won two international caps for theCroatian B national team, againstRomania in 1998 andFrance in 1999.[1]
Sopić started as a manager withNK Rudeš in 2012. He managed a club to 2015, and in 2016 he was named the caretaker manager forDinamo Zagreb, afterZoran Mamić had left. Before that, Sopić worked as the manager forDinamo Zagreb II in theCroatian Second Football League, and after that as the assistant manager forIvaylo Petev in Dinamo Zagreb. On 30 January 2017, Sopić became the assistant for Zoran Mamić inAl-Ain, but two years later, on 30 January 2019, Mamić left Al-Ain, and Sopić became the manager of the club.[2]
On 26 November 2019,Sabah announced the appointment of Sopić on an 18-month contract.[3] He was named manager ofGorica in November 2022, replacingIgor Angelovski.[4]
On 17 March 2025, Sopić was announced as the new manager of the PolishEkstraklasa teamWidzew Łódź on a deal until June 2027.[5] On 25 August 2025, he was relieved of his duties as head coach. During his tenure, Widzew secured five victories, two draws, and suffered eight defeats, with a goal difference of 18–17.[6]
On 29 October 2025, Sopić was announced as the manager forCroatian Football League sideOsijek.[7]
Sopić is the father of the German-born footballerLeon Sopić.[8]
| Team | From | To | Record | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % | |||
| Dinamo Zagreb II | 22 September 2015 | 30 June 2016 | 25 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 24 | 27 | −3 | 032.00 |
| Dinamo Zagreb (caretaker) | 19 September 2016 | 29 September 2016 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 4 | +2 | 066.67 |
| Sabah FK | 27 November 2019 | 3 July 2020 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 12 | 18 | −6 | 027.27 |
| Gorica | 28 November 2022 | 22 August 2023 | 24 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 27 | 28 | −1 | 029.17 |
| Rijeka | 23 August 2023 | 13 August 2024 | 44 | 26 | 10 | 8 | 79 | 34 | +45 | 059.09 |
| Widzew Łódź | 17 March 2025 | 25 August 2025 | 15 | 5 | 2 | 8 | 18 | 17 | +1 | 033.33 |
| Osijek | 29 October 2025 | Present | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | −2 | 000.00 |
| Career total | 125 | 51 | 33 | 41 | 167 | 131 | +36 | 040.80 | ||
