# Darko Nestorović

Darko Nestorović (Serbian Cyrillic: Дарко Несторовић; born 4 April 1965) is a Bosnian professional football manager. He is the current manager of Saudi club Al-Jubail.

## Playing career

Born in Kakanj, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina, Nestorović played for Čelik Zenica, Rad and Rijeka in the former SFR Yugoslavia.
After Rijeka and the breakup of Yugoslavia, he played abroad for Panserraikos in the Greek First Division, HamKam in the first league of Norway, Hong Kong Golden in the first league of China, FC Umea in the first league of Sweden. In the first league of Serbia and Montenegro, he played for FK Spartak Subotica and FK Mogren. In his playing career, he was a representative of all national teams of Bosnia and Herzegovina and a youth representative of Yugoslavia in the generation of Darko Pančev, Dragan Stojković, Mitar Mrkela, Aleksandar Stojanović, and with that generation he qualified for the European Championship. He also remained as Celik's all-time top scorer. He played in the UEFA Cup with FK Rad and was the scorer in a 2–1 victory over Olympiacos in Belgrade. Abroad, he was a member of the Hong Kong national team.

## Managerial career

After ending his playing career, Nestorović stayed in football as a professional manager, starting off at Radnik Bijeljina. After Radnik, he managed Drina Zvornik then Rudar Prijedor.
With Rudar Prijedor, Nestorović achieved the greatest success in the history of the club. In three seasons, he introduced a team from the second league to the first league, and the following year to the premier league of Bosnia and Herzegovina. With the same players, he was in the middle of the Premier League table. He was twice chosen as the best coach of the year in the selection of Sportski žurnal, as well as by his fellow coaches. Then he managed Sloboda Mrkonjić Grad, Radnik Bijeljina, who he promoted to the Bosnian Premier League by winning the 2011–12 First League of RS.
While at Radnik Bijeljina, Nestorović was coach of the Bosnia and Herzegovina U23 Olympic national team, Sutjeska Foča and Rudar, before becoming head coach of the Bosnia and Herzegovina U21 national team on 27 December 2014. Nestorović stayed as head coach until 10 mart 2017.
He then became manager of Kuwait Premier League club Al-Arabi on 13 August 2017, working alongside Kuwaiti manager Mohammed Ebrahim Hajeyah. On 5 September 2018, he became the new manager of newly promoted Bosnian Premier League club Zvijzeda 09.
Nestorović took over the team that was last in the standings with only three points and that everyone had already seen in the second league. In a very short period, he stabilized the team and with five consecutive victories in the championship led the team to the sixth place in the table and saved relegation. Even after making decent results with the club, Nestorović decided to leave Zvijezda on 11 March 2019. On 6 September 2019, he returned to Al-Arabi. Nestorović took over Al Arabi, who were also last in the Kuwait First League table and were in a very difficult situation. He eventually managed to lead the team to third place and also played with Al Arabi in the final of the Prince Cup and was first in the League Cup. Al Arabi played the most beautiful football in Kuwait during that period.
Nestorović once again became manager of Radnik Bijeljina on 24 November 2020. On 16 April 2021, he decided to resign as manager of Radnik for private reasons. On 14 June 2021, Nestorović became the coach of Kazma, another club in the Kuwait Premier League.
With Kazma, Nestorović was the autumn champion of the Kuwait First League and played in the semi-finals of the Emir Cup. After twenty years, Kazma was at the top of Kuwaiti football. During that period of his stay in Kazma, Nestorović was a candidate for the selector of the National Team of Kuwait.
2023 Won the Jordanian Super Cup with Al Wehdat. In the two final games Al Faisali won 2-1 and 1-0. I left the team in second position in the Jordan championship.
With FC Arabi, he was the autumn champion of Kuwait and played in the semi-finals of the Emir Cup.
On 16 November 2024, Nestorović was appointed as manager of Saudi First Division League club Al-Jubail.

## Managerial statistics

    As of 18 February 2025
| Team | Nat | From | To | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record |
| Team | Nat | From | To | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | W% |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina U21 | | 27 December 2014 | 10 March 2017 | 13 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 19 | −11 | 015.38 |
| Al-Arabi | | 13 August 2017 | 31 December 2017 | 13 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 19 | 18 | +1 | 030.77 |
| Zvijezda 09 | | 5 September 2018 | 11 March 2019 | 16 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 13 | 13 | +0 | 037.50 |
| Al-Arabi | | 3 September 2019 | 30 June 2020 | 26 | 14 | 4 | 8 | 39 | 28 | +11 | 053.85 |
| Radnik Bijeljina | | 24 November 2020 | 16 April 2021 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 10 | 16 | −6 | 020.00 |
| Kazma | | 1 August 2021 | 21 February 2022 | 20 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 28 | 17 | +11 | 050.00 |
| Al-Wehdat | | 19 March 2023 | 17 August 2023 | 16 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 18 | 12 | +6 | 062.50 |
| Al-Arabi | | 3 November 2023 | 1 April 2024 | 20 | 13 | 4 | 3 | 45 | 18 | +27 | 065.00 |
| Emirates Club | | 27 July 2024 | 29 September 2024 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | −4 | 000.00 |
| Al-Jubail | | 16 November 2024 | | 12 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 14 | 17 | −3 | 025.00 |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | 148 | 64 | 39 | 45 | 194 | 162 | +32 | 043.24 |

## Honours
### Manager

Rudar Prijedor
* Second League of RS: 2007-08
* First League of RS: 2008–09
Radnik Bijeljina
* First League of RS: 2011–12
AL-Wehdat SC
* Jordan Super Cup: 2023