Zlatko Dalic has indicated that his tenure as Croatia’s head coach is drawing to a close following his team’s elimination from the Round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup at the hands of Portugal.
The Slavic team suffered a 2-1 defeat against the Seleção in a match marred by intense refereeing controversy, particularly after Josko Gvardiol’s 103rd-minute goal was disallowed for offside.
Expressing his deep disappointment after the match, Dalic said: “The refereeing was very poor. Not a single foul was called in our favor, and play was never stopped to protect us.” He added: “The officiating was bad, but Croatia lost, and we don’t have much else to say. I am sorry.”
Commenting on Goncalo Ramos’ decisive goal in the 92nd minute, Dalic noted: “We did not deserve this ending. It is never easy to concede a goal in the dying minutes of a game, but we should have handled the situation differently.” Concluding his remarks regarding his future, he stated: “I think an era has come to an end. It is time for new beginnings. Everything we achieved was incredible; we enjoyed spectacular success.”
Dalic’s hints at departure come at a time when he is heavily linked with the UAE national team and Qatar’s Al Sadd SC. Furthermore, his name has emerged as a potential candidate to lead the Saudi Arabia national team, should the current Greek manager, Georgios Donis, be dismissed.
It is worth noting that Dalic initially took charge of Croatia in 2017 on an interim basis, successfully saving his country from missing out on the 2018 World Cup. He then famously guided Luka Modric and company to the final in Russia, before securing a third-place finish at the Qatar 2022 World Cup.
