Published On 7/8/2026
Coach Zlatko Dalic, who led the Croatia national team to an unprecedented final in the 2018 FIFA World Cup, announced that he was leaving his position a few days after losing to Portugal in the round of 32 of the current North American version.
Croatia, runner-up in the 2018 edition and third in the 2022 edition, failed to reach the final stage, after falling in an exciting match that saw three of its goals canceled due to offside, against Portugal (1-2).
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The 59-year-old coach said in a statement, “It is the right time to put an end to this amazing adventure. I leave with my heart full of pride after having contributed to the greatest achievements of Croatian football in its history.”
In turn, the President of the Croatian Football Federation, Marian Kostic, said in the same statement, “Zlatko’s name will remain forever engraved in golden letters in the history of Croatian football.”
Dalic’s years at the helm of the Croatian national team (2017-2026) are considered among the most successful in the history of Croatian football. In addition to reaching the 2018 World Cup final in Russia, where Croatia lost to France, he led the team to the 2022 World Cup semi-finals in Qatar, and to the 2020 European Cup final.
Dalic, a former defensive midfielder, worked outside Europe before assuming leadership of the national team, as he supervised the Saudi clubs Al-Faisaly and Al-Hilal. In 2014, he coached Al Ain of the United Arab Emirates, where he won the Best Coach of the Year award twice, and led them to the AFC Champions League final in 2016.
He is likely to be succeeded by former international Slaven Bilic, who previously held this position between 2006 and 2012, according to local media.
