Croatia's Hajduk Split Signs Bulgarian Football Legend Balakov as Coach

Krasimir Balakov is the new head coach of Croatia's Hajduk Split. Photo by BGNES

Legendary Bulgarian midfielder Krasimir Balakov is the new head coach of the top Croatian football team Hajduk Split.

Balakov, a former player of Portugal's Sporting and Germany's VfB Stuttgart, and a bronze medal winner with the Bulgarian national football team in the 1994 World Cup in the USA, will sign his contract with Hajduk on Tuesday, May 31.

The head of the Governing Board of Hajduk Split, Petroslav Sapunar, announced Friday that Balakov will lead the Croatian team, describing the former Bulgarian international as "the glorious Bulgarian football player Krasimir Balakov," as cited by BGNES.

"The duration of the contract and the other details are confidential but I can only say that even though we are talking about a foreign coach, the provisions are financially beneficial for our team," Sapunar is quoted as saying.

Balakov, who as a playmaker was the backbone of the Bulgarian national team for more than a decade in the 1990s, all the way until he retired in 2003, last coached the Bulgarian team of Chernomorets Burgas.

In 2006-2007, he was the head coach of the Swiss team Grasshopper Zurich.