Have we (including myself) been far too harsh on you? The answer is YES.
Croatians have been endlessly critical of Zlatko Dalić (not all but many), putting every tactical frustration under a microscope, often forgetting the reality: the man has done so much with so little. He rebuilt this team after the losses of Rakitić and Mandžukić in 2018, navigated two major tournaments with virtually no pace or natural wingers, and still delivered two World Cup medals, a Nations League silver and five straight tournament qualifications.
In 2017, when nobody wanted to touch this team and Croatian football was at a 52-week low, Dalić stepped in and transformed chaos into consistency. Through all the noise of couch managers like us, his results speak louder than any of our complaints.
Honestly, he deserves a statue in every trg in Croatia. And if it were up to me, he would have them.
Dalić is heading to his third and probably last World Cup for Croatia in 2026. And outside of the qualifying, outside of keeping Modrić and his veterans motivated, his most impressive move in my opinion over the past year is that he played the young guns in qualifying. He rolled out Ivanović and Matanović. He finally let Marco Pašalić play on the right wing. And above all, he let 18 year-old defensive phenom Luka Vušković receive his first senior international caps.
Not only has Dalić remained consistent, but he has evolved in the process.
So maybe the roster size expands from 26 to 30 so who you think is going for croatia as of now for me are locks are
Livi Kotarski
Gvardiol Sutalo Dcc Vuskovic Stanisic Jakic
Modric Sucic Kovacic Pasalic
Perisic Kramaric Budimir Pasalic M
Thats 15 so if fifa expands 15 more who you got.
HSV is trying to get Vuskovic’s loan extended another year, but they have competition from Borussia Dortmund who also want Vuskovic on loan next season.
WhoScored just placed Vuskovic on their team of the season so far (with the likes of Haaland and Mbappe).
…and we’re probably not going to consider starting him at the World Cup. 😉
@40:40 – DCC had a free header from Perisic free-kick – there was nobody around him – why did he head it across the goal to Mario (who flubbed it) – if that was Vuskovic – that’s an easy goal
Perfect play to show what Vusko brings to the team (scoring goals is the #1 most important thing in football – in case people didn’t realize)
I think it is going to be a long 6 months , of little national action. Not use to the express qualification process.
Can put away my heart medicine and watch the grass grow. Hope team does not lose our competitive edge, and youngsters continue to develop positively.
We still need some more fermentation time.
Hopefully Luka Sucic gets some very productive playing time in the time being, has an attitude adjustment , and time heals all wounds between him and Zlatko Dalic.
Additionally, Luka V keeps producing in league play, and fully convinces Dalic.
Dalic is our best coach of all time and there is talk that he might get another contract with HNS after the WC, it will all depend on the result and how far we get.
Some statistics on Croatia in the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers:
• 46 big chances (2nd)
• 5 clean sheets (2nd)
• 8.5 shots on target per game (2nd)
• 22.6 total shots per game (3rd)
• 26 goals scored (4th)
• Most goals: Andrej Kramarić (6, 3rd)
• Most assists: Ivan Perišić (4, 3rd)
• Big chances created: Ivan Perišić (10, 1st)
• Tackles per game: Petar Sučić (3.3, 4th)
The stats look impressive but maybe not so when one considers that we had one of the, if not the weakest UEFA qualifying groups.
Since our disastrous Euros we’ve had a record of 8-3-3. That includes a draw against Portugal and a win against France. We can most certainly compete against top European teams. However, with that being said we witnessed what happened against Spain last year and Argentina in the semis. Those are arguably the worst two games we’ve played for competitive matches. Lots has changed in the last year for football. We are still considered a dark horse. Although we haven’t played the best teams in our group besides Czech. I have been impressed with the new formations and strategies.
In terms of how we compare to the rest of the world. We are definitely in better form than giants such as Italy, Brazil, Belgium. Argentina and Spain are still dominating. South America has certainly improved especially Colombia so that’s a good test for us in that friendly match. I haven’t paid close attention to African sides. They always have a few.
Above all our toughest group would be; Spain or Argentina from pot one, Pot three would be Norway. Pot four I would say Poland. Perhaps Ukraine too. We should be craving the best in our group.
The only major concern is Livakovic having zero minutes at his club. I’m beyond impressed how much of an impact our young guns have some so far. Vuksovic, Sucic and Ivanovic will all start. I’ve never seen our defence stronger. Our midfield is still considered top but not as much as it was in 2018. Lots to work with at the front. Our strikers are certainly stronger with Petkovic and Orsic out.
In conclusion I believe this will be a better team than last Euros and let’s hope performance. The last two euros we’ve conceded 14 goals in 8 games. For the last two world cups; 16 goals in 14 games. Just dwell on that.
ESPN did a ranking of WC qualified teams. Not that I particularly care what they have to say, but it’s always interesting to see different perspectives.
Croatia are ranked 19 between Switzerland and Morocco. The commentary focused on how old Modric is, but is still a highly rated passer and defender of possessed ball. The commentary also said international soccer is less demanding or competitive. I guess they did not see the 2018 run or Croatia’s group of death in 2022.
Norway are ranked 10.
And of course Italy are ranked 7.
England are ranked 1.
I keep looking at the FIFA rankings and can’t believe some of the rankings, including the special rule for Italy. But I also appreciate the perspective of other ranking which call out national teams.
Let’s hope for a good draw for the groups and a great run; ignoring all rankings!
Dear Dalic –
Luka Vuskovic on team of the season from Top 6 leagues
The rest of the team is the likes of Haaland, Mbappe, Gabriel, Lamal, etc
x.com/whoscored/status/1991105439866536243?s=46
Yet he’s only good enough for Faroe and not Monte and forced to U21 – why ?
A silver and a bronze, nations league final. Not even a question. He’s our best coach. No one has a comparable resume. There is zero logic in any other answer.
If someone said you can have a coach that will help lead you to those results everyone would choose them.
I would say Dalic is the best coach in my opinion we’ve had. His record and game to game preparation is unmatched.
I know im critical of his loyalty to the veterans who got him here and the unwillingness to infuse young talent and yes, he inherited a midfield touted as the best on earth with 2 Madrid players and a Barca player but he made it work. Great tactician.
In my opinion hes the architect of the 2nd and 3rd games we’ve ever played, that being Argentina ’18 and England ’18.
Blazevic in my opinion is 2nd best, he too inherited an unmatched midfield, Boban, Prosinecki, Asanovic Soldo et al. He’s the architect of the 4th best game we’ve ever played, the pounding of the Germans in ’98. Unreal stuff. Great football mind.
Bilic is 3rd . He’s the architect of the best game we’ve ever played imo tho. The ’08 quarter vs Turkey. Before I get vilified for saying that game which we lost ,but from whistle to whistle it was the game of games. 119th Klasnic bangs one in and I like everyone thought the golden goal arrived. Unfortunately, our opponent was just as tough and resilient as we were. All of us were devastated but we played the best that day. He’s an emotional dude, if only we know how that tournament would have played out if he would have kept his cool after Klasnic scores, I still believe to this day, that tourney was ours even without Dasilva. We’d be saying Bilic 4 ever
It was amazing from the 2008 Turkey game disaster, we went from an awful penalty killing team, to Cold Stone Killers in 2018.
We would have had a total different trajectory for Bilic legacy if the Da Silva incident never happened. England was really pissed off when we knocked them out them out in 2008, and they made us pay. That was three beautiful goals by Kranjar, Olic and Petric. Love the game.
@kromiza
You beat Anonymous to it – 1000% agree Eduardo in 2008 we probably go much farther – and everything different after that
Dear brother you’re not lying . I will go to my grave with the belief that those dirty English bastards broke Da Silva leg on purpose. Let me ask you ? And everyone else here. . How far could we have gone if Zlatan played for us , had he been on that euro 2008 team would we have won that cup and qualify for South Africa
@Cig, 100% agree with you about Dasilva and Ibrahimovic .
What about arguably our best player in ’98 Alen Boksic did not play due to injury. With Boksic in the lineup would we even know the name Lilian Thuram?
I have my own theory on 1998…I know that no one wants to hear it considering the symbolism that Zvonomir represents to Croatian soccer and Croatian independence…However, I watched that game over and over again and Boban made key uncharacteristic errors against France either directly or indirectly resulting in both Thuram’s goals… And shortly thereafter he retired and had a key position at FIFA! Croatia would have and should have won the WC in 1998 with or without Boksic who was also incredible! The usual corruption kicked in as you can’t have Croatia beat France and then take the World Cup on French soil!
@Martin
Nice conspiracy theory
Now watch FIFA Croatia: Defining A Nation Doc
Boban was sick – he had a temperature and shouldn’t have played the game – at HT he went in the shower – he complained he couldn’t feel his legs and was in a haze not even realizing he was on the pitch and couldn’t help the team anymore
Ciro insisted he go back out for the 2nd half
Boban is a hero – it’s players like him – that make Bati and Luka Sucic’s self-induced situation – infuriating
Boban gave ever last ounce he had for Croatia
That’s the standard
That’s what is expected
That’s what’s needed
Get on board – and see yourself out
Martin is not the only one to have those beliefs.. I agree with him . People that are not even Croatian find his actions that day suspicious. I saw fiffa define a nation all lies , Boban interests have always been for himself .
Yeah Martin I share your opinions and have watched that game a 1000 times and read so much on it . Many believe there was so much shady things going on there . Also I understand that we did not know at the time he had money troubles . Those problems disappeared after he retired . Anything is possible
My dad told me even if we beat France , they would never allow us to beat Brazil , u understand your point and agree with you
Gene Of Stone. Vatreni i Zlatan Ibrahimović su Blizanci.
Zlatan had no business playing on a Scandinavian team.
Both have had world cup titles if these two Titan twins had merged.
I agree.
Think the 4-1 at Maksimir in 2010 was the first time Croatia lost a home match ever (or first time at Maksimir) – maybe not ever but a very long time
Theo Walcott 19 y/o hat-trick was pretty fluky and really lucky
Confirmed
4-1 England 2010 Maksimir was the first home loss EVER for Croatia – they didn’t lose at home for 16 years and had a 35-match unbeaten streak
That match was also trauma inducing – maybe not as much as Turkey in 2008 – but remember feeling 😢
Bilic’s normalized Croatia beating the big names
Beat England twice Euro 2008 qualifying including at Wembley in 2007 (and England not making Euro)
Beating Germany at Euro 2008 (this was really the turning point when people stopped thinking Croatia need luck to beat the big names (who knows how far we could have gone with Eduardo at the tournament)
Revenge beating Turkey 2011 Istanbul (and Turkey not making Euro 2012)
Before Bilic beating Germany in 1998 (“luck” after red card), Italy 2002 (fluky Rapaic goal and think one of Italy goal was wrongly overturned), etc
Marin Ljubicic posting on the Gram his marriage proposal
Perfect candidate for the NT given he plays no minutes at club, wedding in the pipeline, and we’re still trying out forward options
Winner
Meanwhile Pandur posted video of him doing squats and deadlifts in the gym
I think he needed to hear all those critics to make the decisions he’s done recently, and we shouldn’t regret making those critics. He really pushed too long with playing players out of position & sticking to veterans.
Rather than saying we were too harsh on him we can just congratulate him on some recent decisions he’s made which worked
Also, let’s remember that Broz retired, and that there have been injuries & suspensions (Luka Sucic namely), and players out of form/no play time. Not to take away merit from Dalic for the last year but he really didn’t have the choice
It’s tough to criticize a 7W-1D-0L record in qualifying right now, but we have to be careful not to have a false sense of security.
We had (by far) the easiest qualifying group, quite possibly in UEFA World Cup qualification history.
Every top seeded UEFA team had at least two ‘okay’ teams in their respective groups. Ours were Czech and Faroes. Our group was the only group that had no more than one team (Czech) that had previously qualified for a tournament. That’s a massive dropoff to what teams like Italy, Spain, Denmark, and Portugal drew in their groups.
We were very, very bad at Euro2024 and Dalic did not have a clue what to do during that tournament. We were also bad during UNL (except for the one home game against France) and were very lucky VAR bailed us out against Scotland (as they were the ones who should have progressed).
On one hand, I’m glad the HNS chose to wait before extending his contract. However, it could be much worse (especially if we plan to promote Ivica Olic as coach).
So, we’ll have to wait and see what Dalic is able to do at the World Cup itself when we’re not stat-stuffing against teams ranked outside the top-50.
Wow Ante, does your tongue know no bounds?
Bilić was the best coach we ever had. This is not to take away from Zlatko obviously and his amazing achievements, but Slaven didn’t ever have the roster that Zlatko had in 2018:
Zlatko’s been very lucky and most of the criticism has been legit. Let me pick ONLY a few…and this is coming from one of his own fans:
1) Who else starts a teenager at Central Defense in your most important game of the match, which leads to an own goal.
2) What other manager would go to a 3-man backline at this point when we all know we are not suited for it, and then admit it was an utter failure afterwards?
3) We had 2 MLS guys finally starting and both contributed. We all were calling for this a LONG time ago since we have not had a right winger for almost forever.
4) Puts a scrub like Pivarić in the game vs Russia who proceeds to draw a senseless hand ball that leads to a free kick goal.
5) In that same match vs Russia, he has Badelj and Pivarić shooting and both predictably miss. If Subašić wasn’t playing out of his mind in that WC we are done in this game.
6) Left us exposed on that corner kick counter-attack vs Argentina in WC 2022. They mocked us in the post-game press conferences saying they knew it was our biggest weakness. To this day, he’s done nothing to fix it.
Yes, he deserves a statue when his coaching career is over. However, most of the criticism over the years has been absolutely legit and lucked out many times over poor tactics and strategical decisons.
Bilic c’mon man, Bilic years for players weren’t bad nothing close to Jozic or Baric the players bilic had were very underrated. R.Kovac ,srna., corluka simunic, Modric , Da silva before injury, basically scored us to euros i can go on. Also prime Modric , that game in 2012 against spain was the best game modric ever played. I think people forget how much Modric ran up and down the pitch and dictated everything guy was unbelievable. 2008-2012 modric was like a cheat code just as gvardiol is today. Bilic was ok but the greatest?
For me i criticized Dalic the most in euros 2024, i thought at the time Perisic and brozo should not have started, and overall had a big youth movement i probably was right at the time for Perisic as he came back from injury and Brozo and wrong on the massive youth movement. I agree with Ante in this post and i usually never agree with Ante.
People are so hung up on tactics. International soccer is all about motivation. Cacic in euro 2016 had the boys playing beautiful soccer, but it didn’t last long lost the dressing room and fired. Dalic has the secret sauce which is the most important thing. You can call it luck all you want and all teams need it to be successful but the most important job as a coach is having the boys ready and wanting to perform. And yes vatreni has had great culture during years but never has it been as strong during Dalic reign. I think people will miss him when he’s gone.
I just say Dalic has represented the nation well with good character and dignity not perfectly maybe, and within Croatia’s acceptable salary scale.
Looking back, unfortunately rolling stone Bilic left on his own desire and accord for a better opportunity, he was not pushed out, who knows he might still be here today. He definitely appeared to have good chemistry with the players. He was 7 years from being a player himself.
Moving forward though, he has never stayed more than a year or 2 years at any post regarding any future acceptable well to do employer from Russia to Arabia, which might not be a good sign. Maybe Bilic might be able to see to a reduction in pay, and comeback and lead us to the promised land, but again he won’t have Modric.
With that said , which coach after Bilic, who actually desired the job at the salary rate would have executed better than Dalic : Kovac, Stimac, or Cacic.
Were they let go prematurely, and would we have been better off it we stuck with any of the prior coaches, or was there an opportunity of picking Kek or others in the past that we did not grab on to, based on Croatia’s available salary range?
Croatia had a few bad questionable penalties of beating France in 2018.
If Bilic wants the job post 2026 it might be there for his taking.
I think losing Bilic forced them to finally raise the pay.
Thank you for giving Coach Dalic the credit he deserves. In 2017, are WC possibility was bleak playing at the Ukraine having to win just to get to a playoff. And then whipping Greece. And then the memorable 2018 WC run. Then making the ‘22 WC and that memorable run, especially with the victory over the Samba Boys. I hope our coach has one more in him for ‘26. Viva Zlatko!
Bilić was the best coach in many ways, but he also cost us Euro 2008 by losing his cool and letting the players lose their cool after Klasnić’s goal. He was tactically the best coach and knew how to use his players and get them fired up, but he also was a rollercoaster emotionally, which led to an unnecessary elimination from Euro 2008 and failure to qualify for WC 2010 (the qualifying group wasn’t that hard—Croatia just lost too many matches). Euro 2012 was bad luck because the team played really well but was grouped with the two best teams of the tournament and ended up as the odd one out.
I don’t think Bilić would have saved Euro 2021. Rebić, Petković, and Duje Ćaleta-Car were disgraceful at that tournament when they were supposed to be bringing their best game. Maybe Dalić’s reluctance to trust players with responsibility comes from that experience. In spite of the locker room issues there, Dalić’s substitutions and adjustments at the tournament worked pretty well. Croatia was close to winning the match against Spain. Euro 2024 was lost because of concentration lapses at the ends of two matches in which Croatia was far superior in every other respect (and even the Spain match was lost because of concentration lapses rather than overall poor play). Perhaps that can be blamed on the manager, but it’s also the weakness of the current crop of defenders and of certain players like Lovro Majer. That is Croatia’s main weakness at this point, but it does look like it’s being addressed.
What is astounding about our results in the WC, other than our small population, is how we are performing without the benefit of players from former colonies. France, Italy, Holland, Portugal, Belgium, England, all have key players who have roots other from the the country they represent internationally. If Croatia had double their population, 8 million, we would be among the favourites for all international tournaments.
I take that back, forgot about the host countries.
Are we now in Pot 1? We’re ranked 10th as per FIFA’s latest rankings today.
https://inside.fifa.com/fifa-world-ranking/men
I believe someone said we need to be 9th.
Makes sense. None of the host countries are in the top 12, so 3 hosts plus top 9 globally make for the 12 top seeds.
I think we’re culturally created to want more than we have. It’s part of being Croatian and why we succeed as a small European country in so many things. I like what Dalic did for the most part but hey , we want it all . World Champs and until we hit that mark, it’s only Croatian to say , we can do better. Samo nasi, neko drugo!!!
Croatians never want more than what they have. We are content with what we have, which is probably why we’ve never attempted to invade or colonize other nations.
The reason we succeed is because we have pride and faith.
People from a lot of bigger countries are broken. They have no pride or faith in anything, which is why they rarely punch above their own weight.
Lamine Yamal has pride in dwarfs at his birthday and faith in Milfy cougars – doesn’t that count?
Love the jacket! What’s the song playing in the background? Let’s go 2026!
“Jedna je Jedina”
Dalic has done a great job. If they continue to have success in the world cup with Modric, I would not mind if he continued to manage the team without Modric.
My appeal for him is just that he is a excellent man of great character, and a good representative of decent people in Croatian and Croats outside of croatian in BH. That alone is enough value.
Would like to give him a chance to stay and have the challenge to prove how great he really is with no superstars, excluding Josko Gvardiol.
A coach is like a good mortar, you still need the Genes of Stone to build a pantheon stanovanje.
Probably the most unsung heroes, where coaches have a chance at the biggest impact, are actually found on the youth level, where the kids are just learning between 6- 16 years.
It is not hyperbole though, to say build a statue in his home town in Bosnia where he was born.
I would also support building a statute of Petar Bogdanovic canning fishing mogul,John Martinis Nobel Prize , Jaska Fiamengo Oliver Dragojevic lyrics , in komiza, sitting on a bench on the riva , but there would be more statues than people in the dead of winter, but plenty of birds would enjoy it.
Some have been to harsh some havent been harsh enough.
“The man has done so much with so little” What ?? lol. We arent Kosovo.
He’s had the best midfielder in the world on his team for ever a decade.
He’s had championship winners and top players on top teams for decades.
Dalic has been fine and with a better coach I think we could have achived more.
But in all that time, no world class strikers, and an OK defense and goalie. We almost won the World Cup with a backline middle of Lovren and Vida. I would say Croatia has overachieved much more than not since Dalic took over. And everyone complaining about his choices last game? He is trying to see who to count on coming off the bench next year. And it was clear that guys like Ivanovic and Matanovic are not the answer, while Musa and Moro might be.
Pretty much this.
Dalić has been okay.
He’s had a set of generational talent in their prime (Modrić, Rakitić, Perišić) and some pretty amazing support players in Mandžo, Broz, Kova, Krama, etc.
Now he has some elite youth coming up in Gvardiol, Sučić, Vušković, etc.
He has done well, but let’s not pretend like he’s had Wales or Iceland caliber squads.
Yup. This right here.
lol. Stick to your Kek projections. Did Slovenia make it? Last decade we have to hear from you how good Kek is. lol.
Dalic has done an outstanding job and anyone who fails to recognize that is foolish. As for Bilic the man who made us miss 2010 WC. Pray he never coaches this team again.
Kek kek kek kek kek
Hopefully Slovenia let him go. Closer to the dream of an offensively charged Croatia.
Dear Ante, Im so jealous of that WC 98 player jacket. Seeing it just made me randomly remember reading that Dario Simic from the first golden generation actually played with Modric in the national team. Crazy to think. Well for me anyway.