Zoran Marić

Zoran Marić (Serbian Cyrillic: Зоран Mapић; born 21 February 1960) is a Serbian professional football manager and former player.

Zoran Marić
Personal information
Full nameZoran Marić
Date of birth (1960-02-21) 21 February 1960 (age 64)
Place of birthBoka, FPR Yugoslavia
Height1.82 m (5 ft 11+12 in)
Position(s)Striker
Youth career
Novi Sad
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1977–1979Novi Sad33(4)
1979–1987Vojvodina212(44)
1987–1991Celta88(15)
1991–1993Compostela54(8)
Total387(71)
International career
1983Yugoslavia2(0)
Managerial career
1999Compostela
2001Compostela
2005–2006Vojvodina
2009Vojvodina
2010Borac Banja Luka
2011–2012Serbia U19
2012Spartak Subotica
2013–2014Proleter Novi Sad
2014–2015Vojvodina
2016Novi Pazar
2019–2020Krupa
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

Born in Boka, SFR Yugoslavia, Marić represented local clubs Novi Sad and Vojvodina in his country. In January 1988, aged almost 29, he was allowed to leave the Iron Curtain nation and move to Spain, where he would remain until his retirement five years later, with Galician clubs Celta[1] and Compostela.[2]

Marić competed in La Liga with Celta and Compostela, amassing totals of 71 matches and 13 goals, before finishing his playing career in 1993.

International career

Marić earned two caps for Yugoslavia, both in 1983. He made his debut on 30 March in a 2–0 friendly win against Romania.

Managerial career

Marić became a manager in 1999, notably working with former sides Compostela[3] and Vojvodina.[4] On 19 May 2010, he won the 2009–10 Bosnian Cup while in charge of Bosnian Premier League club Borac Banja Luka,[5] who he led from January to August 2010.

After Borac, he worked as the head coach of the Serbia U19 national team from 2011 to 2012, then managed Spartak Subotica, Proleter Novi Sad, Vojvodina again and Novi Pazar.

On 21 June 2019, Marić became the new manager of, at the time, First League of RS club Krupa.[6] On 8 May 2020, the 2019–20 First League of RS season ended abruptly due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Bosnia and Herzegovina and by default, Krupa, led by Marić, were crowned league champions and got promoted back to the Bosnian Premier League.[7] On 15 September 2020, he left Krupa due to poor results.[8]

Personal life

Marić's son, Goran, was also a footballer and a striker. He too spent many years working in Spain, mainly with Celta B.[9]

Honours

Manager

Borac Banja Luka[5]

Krupa

References