Published On 1/7/2026
After leading him to the quarter-finals of the 2016 European Cup, the 2018 World Cup, and then the quarter-finals of the 2021 European Cup when he achieved the great achievement of eliminating France, Bosnian coach Vladimir Petkovic finds himself facing his second country, Switzerland, when Nati meets Algeria on Thursday in Vancouver in the round of 32 of the North American World Cup.
After the exciting 3-3 draw with Austria in the last round of the first round, which allowed Algeria to pass the group stage for the second time in its fifth participation, the 62-year-old was asked about facing his former national team.
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Petkovic replied, “Let us first enjoy qualifying for the round of 32 before thinking about the next challenge of facing Switzerland.”
Then Petkovic added, “I know them well. Even if there are some new faces, there are those who played with me, so I know those players.”
He added, “Switzerland is a good team,” adding that “it is a team with great experience and regularly participates in major European and international tournaments. I know their football philosophy well… We will study this team carefully in the coming days to prepare the best plan to continue our journey in this World Cup.”
Prestige Petkovic
Speaking to Swiss Radio and Television (SRF), Switzerland striker Christian Fassnacht spoke about Petkovic, saying, “He was the first coach to call me to the national team (in 2018),” adding, “I will forever be grateful to him for that, and he has a special place in my heart.”
The 32-year-old continued, “He knows the players and their personalities. He is also aware of some of their weaknesses and mental aspects.”
15 players in the current squad have previously played under Petkovic’s leadership, and “this certainly gives them (the Algerians) an advantage,” explaining, “He knows the players and their personalities… I do not want to exaggerate that. The advantage is not decisive.”
When asked about the differences between current coach Murat Yakin and his predecessor, he said, “Petkovic has a certain prestige and has clear ideas. Yakin is more communicative (with the players) and also listens to the players’ desires.”
Petkovic’s relationship with Switzerland is not limited to the national team he coached between 2014 and 2021, and he left an imprint, especially by leading it to the quarter-finals of the 2021 European Cup for the first time in its history, at the expense of France, the world champion at the time.
Swiss trip
He began his Swiss career in 1987 when he was a midfielder and remained there until 1999, that is, until his retirement, before moving on to coaching, where he supervised five Swiss teams until 2012.
The current coach, Yakin, commented on the confrontation with Petkovic, saying to the Swiss news website “Now”, “It is a renewed date with Vlado, whom I know from our confrontations in Switzerland,” referring to the days of their supervision of clubs in the Swiss League.
Their last encounter was in May 2012 during Petkovic’s short spell with Sion, when Jakin won with Luzern 3-1.
Before that, Petkovic, when he was coach of Young Boys, faced the Toon team led by Yakin four times, and “Vlado” was unable to achieve any victory (three draws).
In total, Petkovic did not succeed in achieving any victory in five matches against a team led by Yakin.
After a long training experience in Switzerland, Petkovic then moved to Italy to train Lazio and then return to his second country, where he obtained citizenship in the early 2000s, in order to train “Nati”.
During his seven years at the helm of the coaching staff, Petkovic led Switzerland in 78 matches, making him the most steadfast coach in his position with this national team.
The adventure with Nati began on December 23, 2013, when it was announced that Petkovic would succeed German Ottmar Hitzfeld as head of the coaching staff after the 2014 World Cup finals.
First win in the playoffs?
After his successful career in the Swiss national team, Petkovic played in the French League, where he briefly supervised Bordeaux before he was fired in February 2022 as a result of the team’s decline in the late positions.
He remained without work until late February 2024, when the Algerian Federation knocked on his door to supervise the “Desert Warriors”, and he was right in his bet on him, as he returned the team to the World Cup after missing the 2018 and 2022 editions.
Before the North American finals, and despite the disappointment of being eliminated months earlier from the quarter-finals of the African Cup of Nations at the hands of Nigeria (0-2), the Algerian Federation rewarded Petkovic for his efforts and extended his contract until July 2028.
The Algerian Federation justified its decision by saying that the Bosnian-Swiss “achieved remarkable results since taking over the job.”
The Federation stressed that “the continued technical stability at the head of the national team reflects the ambition and desire to achieve positive results during the upcoming international competitions.”
There is nothing more important than the victory that awaits the “Desert Foxes” on Thursday in Vancouver, Canada, where Petkovic hopes to benefit from his complete knowledge of Swiss football in order to lead Algeria to achieve its first victory ever in the qualifying rounds of the World Cup, after its previous experience in 2014 in Brazil ended with a loss to Germany 1-2 after overtime.
