Vladimir Ivić

Vladimir Ivić
Ivić in 2016
Personal information
Date of birth (1977-05-07) 7 May 1977
Place of birth Zrenjanin, SR Serbia, Yugoslavia
Height 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position Attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team
Al Ain (manager)
Youth career
Proleter Zrenjanin
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1994–1998 Proleter Zrenjanin 67 (7)
1998–2004 Partizan 133 (64)
2004–2005 Borussia Mönchengladbach 4 (1)
2005–2007 AEK Athens 56 (9)
2007–2008 Aris 29 (5)
2008–2012 PAOK 103 (20)
Total 392 (106)
International career
1997–1999 FR Yugoslavia U21[a] 4 (2)
2001–2004 FR Yugoslavia /
Serbia and Montenegro
8 (0)
2001 FR Yugoslavia XI 5 (0)
Managerial career
2016–2017 PAOK
2018–2020 Maccabi Tel Aviv
2020 Watford
2022–2023 Maccabi Tel Aviv
2023–2024 Krasnodar
2025– Al Ain
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Vladimir Ivić (Serbian Cyrillic: Владимир Ивић; born 7 May 1977) is a Serbian football manager who is the head coach of UAE Pro League club Al-Ain. A former Serbia and Montenegro international footballer, Ivić spent hundreds of matches with Partizan and PAOK at club level. After retirement, Ivić won back-to-back championship titles as Maccabi Tel Aviv manager in 2019 and 2020.

Club career

Ivić began his career with Proleter Zrenjanin, making his senior debut in the 1994–95 season. He was transferred to Partizan in the summer of 1998. Over the next six years, Ivić helped the side win three championship titles and two domestic cups. He also made his UEFA Champions League debut in the 2003–04 campaign. After Saša Ilić's departure from the club in early 2004, Ivić became the team's captain. He scored a total of 64 league goals in 133 appearances with the Crno-beli.[1]

In July 2004, Ivić signed a three-year contract with German club Borussia Mönchengladbach.[2] He made just four league appearances and scored once in the team's 3–1 home victory against Werder Bremen,[3] before transferring to AEK Athens in early 2005. After three seasons in the Greek capital, Ivić signed with fellow Superleague club Aris. He spent one year there, before switching to crosstown rivals PAOK in June 2008. Over the following four seasons, Ivić made 133 appearances and scored 24 goals across all competitions.[4]

International career

At international level, Ivić was capped eight times by Serbia and Montenegro between 2001 and 2004, making his debut as a substitute for Dejan Stanković in a World Cup 2002 qualifier against Switzerland, an eventual 1–1 draw.[5] His final international was an April 2004 friendly match against Northern Ireland.[6]

Ivić was previously a member of the team that represented his nation at the Millennium Super Soccer Cup, winning the tournament.[7]

Managerial career

2010s

In June 2013, Ivić started working with PAOK's under-20 team. He led them to the league title in his first year for the role. In March 2016, Ivić was appointed manager of PAOK until the end of the season, following the departure of Igor Tudor.[8][9] He won the Greek Cup in May 2017, before leaving the following month.[10]

On 31 May 2018, Ivić officially took charge of Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv, penning a two-year deal with an option for a third season.[11] He won the national championship in his debut season with a record 31-point margin and only one loss. In his second season, Ivić led the team to another championship title, only losing in the final league fixture.[12]

2020s

On 15 August 2020, Ivić was appointed as manager of Watford on a one-year contract with an option for a further year.[13] He was sacked by the club on 19 December when they finished fifth in the league.[14] Ivić returned to Maccabi Tel Aviv on 12 June 2022 on a two-year contract.[15]

On 4 January 2023, Ivić was appointed manager of Russian Premier League club Krasnodar on a two-year deal.[16] He was dismissed by the club on 13 March 2024.[17] On 4 February 2025, Ivić was appointed coach of UAE Pro League club Al-Ain.[18]

Personal life

Ivić is the younger brother of fellow footballer Ilija Ivić.[19]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[b] Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Proleter Zrenjanin 1994–95 First League of FR Yugoslavia 5 1 5 1
1995–96 16 1 16 1
1996–97 20 1 20 1
1997–98 26 4 4 0 30 4
Total 67 7 4 0 71 7
Partizan 1998–99 First League of FR Yugoslavia 20 11 6 0 6 0 32 11
1999–00 30 18 1 0 8 3 39 21
2000–01 30 20 4 2 4 0 38 22
2001–02 23 8 1 0 1 2 25 10
2002–03 First League of Serbia and Montenegro 13 3 1 0 6 2 20 5
2003–04 17 4 3 2 2 0 22 6
Total 133 64 16 4 27 7 176 75
Borussia Mönchengladbach 2004–05 Bundesliga 4 1 0 0 4 1
AEK Athens 2004–05 Alpha Ethniki 17 4 6 1 0 0 23 5
2005–06 27 3 5 0 2 0 34 3
2006–07 Super League Greece 12 2 0 0 5 1 17 3
Total 56 9 11 1 7 1 74 11
Aris Thessaloniki 2007–08 Super League Greece 29 5 6 3 5 0 40 8
PAOK 2008–09 Super League Greece 28 7 4 0 32 7
2009–10 30 9 0 0 4 1 34 10
2010–11 23 2 5 0 10 3 38 5
2011–12 22 2 2 0 5 0 29 2
Total 103 20 11 0 19 4 133 24
Career total 392 106 44 8 62 12 498 126
  1. ^ Official UEFA matches only
  2. ^ Includes FR Yugoslavia Cup, Serbian Cup, Greek Football Cup

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year[20]
National team Year Apps Goals
Yugoslavia 2001 2 0
2002 5 0
Serbia and Montenegro 2003 0 0
2004 1 0
Total 8 0

Managerial statistics

As of 15 February 2026
Managerial record by team and tenure
Team From To Record
P W D L Win %
PAOK U20 9 March 2014 5 March 2016 59 40 9 10 067.80
PAOK 9 March 2016 10 June 2017 70 41 12 17 058.57
Maccabi Tel Aviv 31 May 2018 7 July 2020 91 61 22 8 067.03
Watford 15 August 2020 19 December 2020 22 10 7 5 045.45
Maccabi Tel Aviv 12 June 2022 3 January 2023 23 16 3 4 069.57
Krasnodar 4 January 2023 13 March 2024 48 27 11 10 056.25
Al Ain 4 February 2025 Present 45 26 10 9 057.78
Total 356 219 74 63 061.52

Honours

Player

Partizan

Manager

PAOK U20

PAOK

Maccabi Tel Aviv

Krasnodar

Individual

References

  1. ^ "Vladimir Ivić". partizanopedia.rs (in Serbian). Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  2. ^ "Mönchengladbach in for Ivic". UEFA. 16 July 2004. Archived from the original on 12 November 2012.
  3. ^ "Vladimir Ivic". Fussballdaten (in German). Retrieved 18 March 2026.
  4. ^ "Vladimir Ivić". Greek Super League. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
  5. ^ "Ivić Vladimir". reprezentacija.rs (in Serbian). 14 March 2020. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  6. ^ "Jovan Aćimović, international football player". EU-football.info. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
  7. ^ "Mirna Bosna". Glas Javnosti (in Serbian). 25 January 2001. Retrieved 7 May 2017.
  8. ^ Τέλος ο Τούντορ. PAOK (in Greek). 9 March 2016. Retrieved 9 March 2016.
  9. ^ "Tudor otpušten, Vlada Ivić vodi PAOK". B92 (in Serbian). 9 March 2016. Retrieved 7 May 2017.
  10. ^ Δήλωση Βλάνταν Ίβιτς (in Greek). paokfc.gr. 10 June 2017. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
  11. ^ "Vladan Ivic Appointed as Maccabi Head Coach". Maccabi Tel-Aviv. 31 May 2018. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
  12. ^ "Ivic: "I have had two amazing years here I will never forget"". Maccabi Tel-Aviv. 7 July 2020. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  13. ^ "Official: Ivić Appointed New Head Coach". Watford F.C. 15 August 2020. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  14. ^ "Club Statement: Vladimir Ivić". Watford F.C. 19 December 2020. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  15. ^ "Ivic Appointed As Maccabi Head Coach". Maccabi Tell-Aviv. 12 June 2022. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  16. ^ "Vladimir Ivić Becomes the Head Coach of FC Krasnodar". FC Krasnodar. 4 January 2023. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
  17. ^ «Краснодар» Расторг Контракт С Владимиром Ивичем. FC Krasnodar (in Russian). 13 March 2024.
  18. ^ "Al Ain appoints Serbian coach Vladimir Ivić as new head coach". Nogomania. 4 February 2026. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
  19. ^ "Najzad zajedno". Večernje novosti (in Serbian). Hanza Media. 22 December 2004. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  20. ^ "Vladimir Ivić, international football player". eu-football.info. Archived from the original on 18 January 2023. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  21. ^ "Sky Bet Championship: Manager and Player of the Month November winners". EFL. 11 December 2020. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  22. ^ Владимир Ивич – Winline Лучший Тренер Июля И Августа (in Russian). Russian Premier League. 10 September 2023.
  23. ^ Владимир Ивич – Winline Лучший Тренер Сентября (in Russian). Russian Premier League. 14 October 2023.