Former Croatia coach Slaven Bilic joined the Saudi league by signing with Al-Fateh, the club announced on Saturday. The 54-year-old is the latest figure from the world of football to join the Saudi league, following the appointment of Steven Gerrard to the bench at Al-Ettifaq earlier this week.
At the head of the Croatian team from 2006 to 2012, Slaven Bilic had already had his first coaching experience in Saudi Arabia with the Al-Ittihad club during the 2018-2019 season. He had been sacked after winning only 6 of his 20 matches in charge of this team.
Player, Bilic, trained at Hadjuk Split, notably evolved at Everton and West Ham, in the English championship. He was one of the pillars of the defense of the young Croatian selection, wearing the Vatreni (Flamboyants) checkered shirt 44 times. During the semi-final of the 1998 World Cup, lost 2-1 against France, Bilic had deprived Laurent Blanc of the final, causing the expulsion of the French international following a clash between the two players.
