Bahrain’s new coach Talajic arrives in Kingdom

TDT | Manama                                                      

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain’s newly signed senior men’s national football team head coach Dragan Talajic arrived in the Kingdom yesterday to begin his tenure.

He was received upon touching down at Bahrain International Airport by national team manager Mahmoud Riyadh and team administrator Ahmed Malallah, amongst other officials.

“I am coming here to be a small part of the history we will make together,” Tajalic boldly commented.

The Croatian is taking over for Argentinian Juan Antonio Pizzi, whose two-year contract was terminated last week by the Bahrain Football Association (BFA) with mutual consent after just over half-a-year in the job.

Talajic, 58, was a goalkeeper during his playing career. He began coaching in 2003 and has extensive experience in guiding clubs in the region.

He has coached three clubs in Bahrain in the past, including Riffa, East Riffa and most recently Al Khaldiya from late 2020 to mid-2022. During this period, he helped Khaldiya claim their first-ever HM the King’s Cup title in 2022.

Talajic is taking charge of Bahrain as they compete in the joint-qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup 2026 and AFC Asian Cup 2027.

Currently in the second round of qualification, Bahrain are in Group H where they resume their bid next month when they travel to Kathmandu to face Nepal on March 21, and then host the Nepalese at home on March 26.

Their final two games of this qualifying round will be against Yemen at home on June 6, and then away against the UAE on June 11.

At the end of this stage, the winners and runners-up of each of the nine groups advance to the third round of FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers, and also book their direct tickets to the AFC Asian Cup 2027.