Ranko Popovic · Biography

Ranko Popović was born on 26 June 1967 in Peć, then part of Yugoslavia, and came through the youth ranks at Budućnost, the club of his home town. A 1.83-metre defender, he played in Yugoslavia, Greece, Spain and Austria before starting a coaching career that took him to five countries, with Japan as his most frequent destination. In Spanish football he managed Real Zaragoza from November 2014 to December 2015.

Early years as a defender

He moved to Belgrade to do his military service and joined Partizan, who loaned him to Leotar Trebinje. His longest spell in Yugoslav football came at Spartak Subotica, where he played from 1992 to 1994 and scored 11 goals in 58 league matches. In 1994 he moved abroad with Greek side Ethnikos Piraeus and, after a short return to Subotica, signed for UD Almería in 1995, staying until 1997.

Austrian champion with Sturm Graz

In 1997 he joined Sturm Graz, the club where he spent the longest part of his playing career. With the Styrian side he won back-to-back Austrian Bundesliga titles in 1997-98 and 1998-99, the 1998-99 Austrian Cup and the Austrian Supercup in 1998 and 1999. He made 74 league appearances, scoring 9 goals, and played 11 Champions League matches. He left Graz in 2001 and finished his career at TuS Arnfels, a small club in the region, where he already worked as player-manager.

Learning the trade in Japan

In 2006 he went to Japan as assistant to Mihailo Petrović at Sanfrecce Hiroshima, staying on through 2007. Back in Serbia, he won the 2007-08 Serbian League Vojvodina with Zlatibor Voda and then coached Spartak Subotica until 2009. That same year he returned to Japan to take over Oita Trinita midway through the season, with the team sunk by a run of 14 straight defeats. Results improved, but the club went down. In 2011 he led Machida Zelvia to third place in the Japan Football League, which brought promotion to J2.

FC Tokyo and Cerezo Osaka

His work at Machida opened the door to the Japanese top flight. In 2012 and 2013 he managed FC Tokyo in J1, finishing tenth and eighth, with 34 wins in 78 competitive matches. In 2014 he took charge of Cerezo Osaka, a squad that included Diego Forlán and Cacau, but poor results led to his dismissal in June of that year, after 13 games.

Real Zaragoza, one goal short of La Liga

On 24 November 2014 Real Zaragoza presented him as their new head coach, with the team in the Spanish second division. He finished the 2014-15 league campaign in sixth place, the last play-off spot. In the semi-final of the 2015 promotion play-offs his side lost 3-0 to Girona at La Romareda, then won 4-1 at Montilivi to go through on away goals. In the final they beat UD Las Palmas 3-1 in Zaragoza but lost 2-0 in Gran Canaria, and promotion went to the Canary Islands club, again on away goals. He was named Segunda División Manager of the Month for October 2015, and the club sacked him in December that year. His record at Zaragoza was 19 wins, 17 draws and 15 defeats in 51 matches.

Thailand, India and Austria

In August 2016 he joined Thai club Buriram United, winning the Thai League Cup and the Mekong Club Championship that same year. He left in June 2017 and in September signed for FC Pune City of the Indian Super League, whom he coached until May 2018. In October 2018 he returned to Austria to manage SKN St. Pölten in the Bundesliga until June 2019.

Back in Japan: Machida, Kashima and Kyoto

In 2020 he returned to Machida Zelvia, by then in J2, and coached them for three seasons until January 2023, taking charge of 127 matches. In August 2023 he took over Serbian club Vojvodina, staying until December. Kashima Antlers announced him as head coach in December 2023 and dismissed him on 6 October 2024, with the team fourth in J1 and six rounds left to play. On 8 June 2026 Kyoto Sanga announced his appointment as first-team head coach.