Bora Milutinovic is a World Cup history man and the architect of Scotland’s downfall, but his philosophy is one Alex McLeish should not ignore

  • Bora Milutinovic has managed at five World Cups with five different nations
  • His principles were formed by a childhood that may seem impossibly tough
  • He is remembered in Scotland as the coach who led Costa Rica to victory over the Tartan Army at the 1990 World Cup

He is a citizen of the world. But Bora Milutinovic is also a child of his times. The Serbian coach has achieved renown for coaching in five successive World Cups with five different teams, leading Mexico in the home tournament of 1986, Costa Rica in 1990, United States in 1994, Nigeria in 1998 and China in 2002. He has also coached in Honduras, Italy, Iraq and Jamaica.

His principles and personality were formed by a childhood that seems impossibly tough, yet Milutinovic looks back with gratitude rather than regret. To veterans of the Tartan Army, he may be remembered as the coach who led Costa Rica to victory over Scotland at the 1990 World Cup in Italy. His side also beat Sweden before losing 1-0 to Brazil and departing in the knockout stage at the hands of Czechoslovakia.

He regards this as his greatest achievement in a stellar career but Milutinovic's journey from Bajina Basta on the Drina river to the biggest stage in sport is at least as fascinating as his extraordinary successes.

Bora Milutinovic has been to World Cups with five different teams, earning plaudits every time

Bora Milutinovic has been to World Cups with five different teams, earning plaudits every time

He was orphaned young, with a father killed in the Second World War and a mother succumbing to illness at an early age. There is a sense that football not only sustained Milutinovic but may have saved him. He shrugs off questions about being an orphan in a turbulent period in what was then Yugoslavia.


He prefers to reminisce in more positive terms. 'It was beautiful where I was born. It was a great town. We played all day with a ball made of socks. I was very lucky,' he says.

He played with his brothers Milos and Mitorad with Partizan Belgrade before embarking on the travels that have taken him all over the world. At 73, Milutinovic lives for part of the year in Qatar, where he is an advisor for the Aspire Academy in Doha, but his first expeditions were to play professionally in France and Mexico. He now watches the football world rather than being dictated to by its demands.

As Scotland launched a new era under Alex McLeish against Costa Rica and a nation aches for a World Cup appearance, he is an informed guide on the demands of international football and the stresses and joys of the greatest sporting event on the planet.

'Do you know what is the toughest group at the World Cup this year?' he asks. 'It is Italy, Chile, USA and Holland.' 

There is a chuckle. All of the above, of course, did not qualify for Russia. 'That is what you must remember,' he says. 'It is tough to qualify. It is even tougher to make progress.' 

Milutinovic shares the record for World Cup appearances as a manager with Carlos Parreira of Brazil. The Serb, though, brought four of his five teams through the initial group stage at the finals to the knockout phase.

So what advice does he have for McLeish, who, incidentally, was in the Scotland side defeated 1-0 by Costa Rica in Genoa?

'I do not like to speak publicly to other managers. They know their jobs,' he says. 'But I will tell you what was important to me. I am a man for details. I think there are so many things you have to cover. 

'I read about football, I watch football, I study football. Everything is important. Of course, you must be lucky and you must have good players but you must work to give yourself the best chance.' 

Milutinovic offers good luck to England manager Sven Goran Eriksson at the 2002 World Cup

Milutinovic offers good luck to England manager Sven Goran Eriksson at the 2002 World Cup

He chats pleasantly and with great humour but he was chillingly decisive as a coach. Anecdotes abound of him sacking captains, telling Alexi Lalas of the USA to cut his hair, laying down rules that could not be broken.

'You have to communicate with the players in a straightforward way,' says the coach who can speak English, Spanish and French. 'But it is much more than language. It is much more important to understand the culture, to find a way to have a connection with the people of the country, not just the players. You must have empathy.' 

His philosophy is simple. 

'First, to enjoy the game, to enjoy the work. It is necessary to have a good staff and to have a way of working. It is very difficult to succeed at this level of football.' 

His first management post at UNAM Pumas of Mexico was conspicuously successful, with a domestic league title, a CONCACAF Champions Cup and a Copa Interamericano.

But it is his World Cup record that is astounding. He reached the knockout rounds with Mexico (losing to West Germany in the quarter-finals), Costa Rica (defeated by the Czechs), USA (1-0 to Brazil), Nigeria (losing to Denmark). This run from 1986 was halted by China's failure to emerge from the group stage in 2002 but Milutinovic is convinced of his greatest success.

China manager Milutinovic is pictured with South Korea manager Guus Hiddink (July 2002)

China manager Milutinovic is pictured with South Korea manager Guus Hiddink (July 2002)

'Costa Rica,' he says simply. 'I was hired 70 days before the finals. We had no friendly matches. We had to come up with a strategy with players who had never played at this level, with a country that had never come so far. We then qualified from a group that included Scotland, Brazil and Sweden.

'That was satisfying, I came to Scotland before the World Cup and watched you beat Argentina, the world champions, and I also know of the tradition of Celtic and Rangers. Costa Rica did not have this history.

'But we prepared very well psychologically. I told them we didn't have anything to lose but we have so much to gain. It is a matter of giving players confidence, having a good team spirit.' 

He would not presume to give McLeish direct advice but did say: 'To do well in the World Cup, everyone has to be on the same page. The best thing a coach can do is instil confidence in players. It is important that they are allowed to enjoy the experience.' 

He did, however, admit he regularly has a word with a former Scotland coach. Andy Roxburgh was in the opposite dugout on that fateful night in Genoa and Milutinovic says: 'I have met up with him regularly over the years. I always tell him that I have a ranch in Mexico called Scotland. I named it that because of the bonus I received in 1990.' 

He led Mexico to the quarter-finals in 1986, their highest ever finish at a World Cup finals

He led Mexico to the quarter-finals in 1986, their highest ever finish at a World Cup finals

He adds with a chuckle: 'It is not true but I like the reaction I get from Andy. He is a lovely guy but I won't tell you what he says to that.' 

Milutinovic also recalls that on the way to the match he saw fans putting up five fingers, indicating they expected Scotland to win by a handful. He knows that is the way of supporters but he points out that it emphasised the subsequent achievement of Costa Rica.

'Small teams do not win the World Cup. It is reasonable to expect Germany, Brazil, France or Spain will win it in Russia. So the task is to achieve as much as your team can. In this respect, Costa Rica and 1990 was my best World Cup,' he says.

'The biggest happiness in life is to do what is not expected, to have a success that no one predicts.' That joy has been in short supply for the Tartan Army. Does the granddaddy of World Cup over-achievement believe Scotland can make it to Qatar.

'First, I will say that I hope so because the supporters will enjoy the event,' he says. 'This is a small country and it will be possible to see matches in two venues in two days.' He points out, too, that the temperature-controlled stadia will be popular with fans who watch their football in snow and rain.

'But Qatar is a long way away in the future. One cannot make predictions about countries,' he adds. 'You can see that by noting who has failed to go to Russia. The joy for many is just to be there. I hope that Scotland can have that.' 

His own satisfaction is assured. He lives for part of the year in Qatar but regularly goes home to the banks of the Drina. 'I play chess, I walk by the river, I play cards,' he says.

Milutinovic has become a man of the world but his passion for football ensures he will always remain the boy who played in the streets with a ball made of socks.

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