Hungarian coach Istvan Urbanyi has stepped up to lead the Maldives national football team for a third tenure, noting that the election of his former player, Ahmed Thariq, as the President of the Football Association of Maldives (FAM) was a primary motivation for his return. Having previously steered the national side to notable performances in the SAFF Championship, Urbanyi considers the U-23 team’s victory in the Rajapaksa Cup to be one of his most significant achievements. Despite the footballing landscape being somewhat affected by the country’s political climate, his current objective is to build a formidable squad for upcoming major competitions. Urbanyi’s return to the helm follows a period where the national team struggled to achieve desired results under the leadership of local coaches.
