An era is coming to an end in Croatia. Zlatko Dalic will not renew his contract as national team coach, which expires after the World Cup, and is leaving the Vatreni. However, the country has a Plan B ready for the upcoming transition: Slaven Bilic.
Zlatko Dalic goes down in history as the most successful Croatian national team coach to date. He took over the position in 2017 and led the Vatreni to the World Cup final just one year later (a 2–4 loss to France); in 2022, they finished in third place (a 2–1 win over Morocco), before recently being eliminated in dramatic fashion in the Round of 16 in North America with a 1–2 loss to Portugal.
“The role of a national team coach requires many difficult decisions, but this was certainly the hardest one for me,” the outgoing national team coach is quoted as saying: “I’ve always said that there is no greater honor than leading one’s own national team, and that I couldn’t have a more important, more responsible, or more fulfilling job than this one.”
Unexpected Successes Under Dalic
Dalic’s contract with the Croatian Football Federation (HNS) was set to run through the 2026 World Cup; the federation had actually intended to extend the successful coach’s contract, but that did not happen. “The support I’ve received over the past few days has led me to reconsider my decision to step down—but the time has come,” Dalic candidly admits. The 59-year-old had long kept his cards close to his chest, which kept fueling speculation about a multi-million offer from the United Arab Emirates.
As of Wednesday afternoon, it’s clear: Dalic will not continue as Croatia’s national team coach; someone else will have to navigate the upcoming transition—with Luka Modric (40), Ivan Perisic (38), Andrej Kramaric (35), and Mateo Kovacic (32) likely to bid farewell as key pillars of the team.
Even though no one in Croatia was willing to speak openly about Dalic’s future, behind the scenes preparations were underway for his departure. Two favorites quickly emerged as potential successors—Ivica Olic and Slaven Bilic—and it appears Bilic will be the one to take the helm. The 57-year-old previously served as national team coach from 2006 to 2012, and before that he led his home country’s U-21 team. He is highly regarded in Croatia, in part because he is credited with laying the foundation for the generation that has recently enjoyed such success.
Thanks to his experience and authority, Bilic was considered the top candidate from the very beginning. It is also reported that informal discussions were held with the majority of the national team players even before the World Cup to gauge their opinions on Bilic’s possible return. According to reports, the reactions were consistently positive. An official confirmation that Bilic—who most recently served as coach of Al Fateh in Saudi Arabia until the summer of 2024—will become Croatia’s new national team coach is still pending.