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Zlatko Dalić is no longer Croatia’s coach after leading the team to two consecutive top-three finishes at World Cups.
“I leave with a full heart, proud of my contribution to the greatest successes of Croatian football in history, and I wish my successor, the national team and Croatian football many new successes,” Dalić said in a statement published by the national football federation on Instagram on Wednesday.
The announcement came less than a week after Croatia lost 2-1 to Portugal in the round of 16 of the World Cup.
“I have always said that there is no greater honor than leading my national team and that I cannot have a more important, more responsible and more beautiful job than this,” Dalić said.
“The support in recent days made me reconsider my decision to leave, but… it was time. Although I still feel the ambition and desire to write new hits with Croatia, I think it is the right time to conclude this incredible era.”
The federation called Dalić’s time at the helm an “unforgettable journey” and said his departure was a “proud farewell”.
“After almost nine years, head coach Zlatko Dalić has decided to close his incredibly successful chapter with Croatia,” the federation said on
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“The results are a testament to your qualities as a coach. The respect you have earned from your players, your staff and your opponents says a lot about the person you are.”
Under Dalić, Croatia’s so-called golden generation, which included star player Luka Modric, was runner-up at the 2018 World Cup in Russia and third at the 2022 edition in Qatar. He was also a runner-up in the 2023 Nations League.
The federation did not immediately announce a new coach.
Associated Press reporting.
