Who is Andrej Panadić, the Croatian candidate to coach the Stallions of Burkina Faso? | OneFootball

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The 57-year-old coach is impressed by the potential of the current Stallions generation

Who is Andrej Panadić, the Croatian candidate to coach the Stallions of Burkina Faso?

After the dismissal of Brahima Traoré and his technical staff following the disappointment at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, the Burkina Faso Football Federation (FBF) issued a call for applications for the head coach position of the Stallions' senior national team on February 6. When the application window closed on February 15, the FBF announced on the evening of February 17 that it had received 82 applications at its general secretariat office.

According to the federation, these applications came from a variety of nationalities. Among the candidates, one name caught the attention of the Burkinabé football community: Croatian Andrej Panadić.This 57-year-old coach belongs to the generation of managers who once shone as footballers themselves.

Originally a defender, he represented Croatia at the international level and played in the 1990 World Cup in Italy. He also featured in both the UEFA Champions League and Europa League with renowned European clubs.

Today, as a professional coach holding a UEFA license, Panadić boasts an impressive coaching résumé. He has honed his skills alongside top managers, working with high-profile names such as Niko Kovač, Zlatko Dalić, and Branko Ivanković. He was part of the Croatian coaching staff that guided Luka Modrić and his teammates to the quarterfinals of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Andrej Panadić played a pivotal role in building the Croatian squad that finished runners-up at the 2018 World Cup in Russia four years later, serving as Zlatko Dalić's assistant and being responsible for recruiting international players.

All this underlines that the Stallions could soon have a highly experienced and accomplished coach knocking at their door. His European football background and top-level expertise could be a major asset for the Stallions in upcoming competitions. Furthermore, his previous experience in recruiting international talent for Croatia could help the Stallions attract young players who are sometimes hard to reach. His discipline and strictness may also bring much-needed structure to the squad.