Boris Bračulj


Boris "Boro" Bračulj was a Bosnian Croat former professional football player and football manager who was originally from Croatia.

Club career

Bračulj started playing youth football in his hometown's Junak Sinj in 1954. A year later, he moved to Sarajevo suburb Ilidža and began playing for Igman. He played for the youth squad until he became a part of the first team in 1957.
He also played for Čelik Zenica before moving to Željezničar in 1963. He played in 97 league matches for the club, scoring 18 goals. Bračulj retired from active football in 1969.

International career

While playing for Čelik Zenica, in 1962 Bračulj was called up to the Yugoslavia Olympic football team for the 1964 Summer Olympics.

Managerial career

After finishing his playing career, Bračulj stayed in football as a manager. He is considered to be one of the best Bosnian football fitness coaches. He worked in the Željezničar youth squads, and then as a manager of Jedinstvo Bihać, Iskra Bugojno and Leotar. In 1978, he became an assistant manager to Ivica Osim in Željezničar. Bračulj was also Željezničar manager on two occasions, the first occasion being from 1986 to 1987, and second one being from 1997 to 1998.
During a period in the 1988–89 season, he held the caretaker manager role at Željezničar alongside Mišo Smajlović. His last managerial position was that of Olimpik manager from 2000 to 2001.

Death

Bračulj died at the age of 79 on 26 July 2019 in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.