​Croatia’s most celebrated football manager, Zlatko Dalic, stepped down on Wednesday, bringing to a close a tenure that saw the national team soar to remarkable heights, including the 2018 World Cup final. In a statement, the 59-year-old reflected on his remaining ambition and described the moment as the right time to end an extraordinary era, saying he still feels the urge to pursue further success with Croatia but that this chapter should come to a close.
“I am leaving with a full heart and pride in the contribution I have made to the greatest achievements in the history of Croatian football,” Dalic declared, underscoring the sense of fulfillment he carries after guiding the national side since October 2017.
Dalic’s leadership oversaw Croatia’s rise beyond expectations. While the team ultimately fell to France in the 2018 World Cup final under his stewardship, the journey marked a historic milestone for Croatian football. He later steered the team to the semi-finals of the 2022 Qatar World Cup and to the Round of 16 at Euro 2020, further cementing his status as a transformative force in Croatian football.
Marijan Kustić, the president of the Croatian Football Federation, lauded Dalic’s enduring impact, saying, “Zlatko’s name will remain forever written in golden letters in the history of Croatian football.” The federation’s tribute reflected the profound mark he left on the sport in the country.
Dalic’s departure comes at a moment when Croatia did not advance to the knockout stage of this year’s World Cup, suffering a 2-1 loss to Portugal in a tightly contested match earlier in the tournament. As the national team continues to navigate a new era, local media have begun naming potential successors, with former international Slaven Bilić widely tipped to assume the role.
Bilić, 57, has a storied coaching résumé that includes spells at several clubs, notably West Ham United, where he spent part of his playing career in the mid-1990s. The former defender most recently led Saudi Arabia’s Al-Fateh in the 2023-2024 season. In Croatia, news outlets emphasize the need for a successor who can emulate Dalic’s ability to unify a squad and sustain competitive momentum on the world stage.
Dalic himself has repeatedly emphasized that coaching is the greatest privilege and joy he could have pursued in football. His career has included notable international stints outside Europe as well: he has managed top Saudi clubs Al-Faisaly and Al-Hilal, and in 2014 he took the reins at Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates. There, he earned recognition as coach of the year on two occasions and guided the club to the 2016 Asian Champions League final, adding an international dimension to his résumé.
As Dalic moves on, the Croatian football community reflects on a period defined by resilience, tactical discipline, and a belief in the team’s capacity to punch well above its weight on the world stage. His decision to step away signals a new chapter for Croatia, one that will require careful selection of a successor who can honor the legacy of the Dalic era while guiding the team toward fresh ambitions in future tournaments.