Zlatko Dalic steps down as Croatia head coach after nine years

An era in numbers

The 59-year-old had taken over the role in October 2017 from Ante Cacic, who in turn had succeeded Niko Kovac two years earlier. At the time, Croatia was facing an acute crisis: qualification for the 2018 World Cup in Russia was in jeopardy. Dalic was meant to turn things around – and he did. Just one year later, the squad built around record international Luka Modric reached the World Cup final, where it lost 2:4 to France.

The greatest achievement in federation history

It was the greatest achievement in the history of the Croatian federation, which had won the bronze medal in 1998 as underdogs led by top scorer Davor Suker. With the final appearance in 2018, the generation around Modric surpassed that feat. At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Dalic and his players repeated the success of 2018 and again claimed bronze. The following year, 2023, the team reached the Nations League final, but lost there 4:5 on penalties to Spain.

Resignation in the middle of a tournament cycle

Overall, Dalic was on the touchline for the national team for 111 matches. His contract would have run until the 2026 World Cup. Following the disappointing performance in the USA, Canada and Mexico, however, the coach decided to bring the collaboration to an early end. According to media reports, Dalic had already received a lucrative offer from the United Arab Emirates before the World Cup, which had further fuelled speculation about his future.

The end of the golden generation

With Dalic's resignation, an era also comes to an end for Croatia's so-called golden generation. Modric, Ivan Perišić and Mateo Kovacic, who shaped the 2018 runner-up finish and the 2022 third place, are looking at the twilight of their careers. Modric is 40 years old, Perišić 37 and Kovacic 32. New potential stars, such as Luka Vuskovic, who was only sparingly used at this World Cup, are expected to take the reins going forward.

Nations League as the first test

The first international matches for the new Croatia head coach are scheduled for September and October in the UEFA Nations League. In that competition, Croatia under Dalic had already reached the final in 2023. The opponents in the upcoming edition include, among others, the Czech Republic (26 September), Spain (29 September and 6 October) and England (3 October). Spain is a familiar rival – in the 2023 Nations League final, the Croatians had lost to the Iberians on penalties.

The Croatian federation must now begin the search for a successor. The list of successes that Dalic leaves behind is weighty: 2018 World Cup runner-up, 2022 World Cup third place, 2023 Nations League finalist, and a string of historic qualifying campaigns. The upcoming tasks in the Nations League will show whether the HNS can manage to build on this era while simultaneously initiating the transition to a new generation of players.