Zdravko Rajkov

Zdravko Rajkov ( Serbian: Здравко Рајков ) ( born December 5, 1927 in Čurug; † 30 July 2006) was a Yugoslav football player and coach.

Biography

Rajkov began his career at FK Vojvodina Novi Sad, with which he rose to the highest Yugoslav league in 1950. The striker has established itself with the team in the first division and quickly became the choice player in the Yugoslav national team. With the national team he won the silver medal at the 1952 Olympics. At the World Cup 1958 he was part of the squad by national coach Aleksandar Tirnanić. Used in all three group games, he helped with a goal in the 3-3 draw against Paraguay to reach the quarter-finals. Towards the later World Cup Fourth Germany, he retired with the team there after a goal by Helmut Rahn with a 0-1 defeat of.

1962 left Rajkov as runner-up of Yugoslavia and moved to Switzerland for FC Lausanne-Sport. After a year he moved on within the National League, while FC Biel -Bienne he played until his retirement end 1966. Subsequently he returned as coach for FK Vojvodina. In 1968 he went as a coach for the Iranian national team. From 1970 he worked as a club coach in Iran, with Esteghlal Tehran he twice won the national championship. In 1977 he took over Sepahan Isfahan for one season.

1978 Rajkov left Iran and went as national coach to Algeria. With the Algerian national team he reached in a duet with Mahieddine Khalef the final of the African Cup of Nations in 1980, this was however lost to Nigeria. Then he was alone responsible for the selection, but was replaced in 1981 by Yevgeny Rogov, Mohamed Rabah Maouche and Saâdane. He then went to Spain, where he coached the second division FC Cordoba. Later he settled in North America, 2006, he died in Mexico.