Croatia will be playing two friendlies in the United States March of 2026, per Dalić. Numerous Brazilian outlets have mentioned the CBF has been chatting with the HNS. Can we assume one of the matches will be versus Brazil with that information? I would say it is 90%.
The other assumption is for Croatia to play another already qualified South American side due to travel. My prediction: Columbia, Ecuador or Uruguay.
New York, Miami and Chicago are the predicted sites for the two friendlies. Let’s see how the schedule officially pans out with the World Cup draw taking place December 5th. I would imagine the HNS will officially name the friendlies sometime in January.
Told you the Belinho representing Croatia was way too premature
He’s already tried to escape Croatia w/ his dad and go back to Brazil – but Andy Bara isn’t letting him leave lol
x.com/TheCroatianLad/status/1979126518098935963
Not sure why Bara is putting this out in the media – the relationship must be so strained and unrepairable – that’s he’s trying to come clean/get it out (before Belinho actually leaves) so he doesn’t look bad later
Which article says this about Belinho because I cannot find anything when trying to search for this suggestion you made.
If it is the case then let him leave. But it should be a lesson then to stop developing talent that are not Croatian, maybe start looking at your diaspora.
This looks more like a Robert Muric situation.
Croatia (unlike many countries) has a law that prevents having young players signed to professional contracts and allows these kids to terminate their contracts when they hit a certain age (16 or 18?).
Robert Muric did this and took off to Ajax, and it pissed off Mamic.
From what I am reading, it sounds like Belinho and his father are being impatient and want him on Dinamo’s main squad, but Boban wants to develop him more slowly.
We’ll see what happens, but guys with these types of mentality like Muric, Halilovic, and (now) Belinho rarely work out.
The problem with Belinho is his physical stature too.
He has the body of a child, despite being 16 years old.
They don’t want him to start playing with 30 year old Croatian dudes, and want to bring him in more slowly.
Andy Bara even said that he doesn’t want him even playing at NK Kustosija just yet…and this guy stands to make a lot of money off Belinho too.
Anyone else see the article pumping up Budimir today ?
Not big ears – but the coach of the u17 – saying they haven’t lost a match under him recently, etc
Guess he’s on the short list should Dalic not be successful at the WC
Hopefully not.
No more “former players” or “youth coaches” with zero club coaching experience.
This is why I have a lot of respect for guys like Biscan, Tudor, Juric and Prosinecki, over guys like Olic, Simunic or Corluka.
At least Biscan and Prosinecki tried their hand at club football. They were both mostly failures, but at least they took that risk (and we now know not to hire them).
Tudor and Juric were in the same boat career-wise, but were more successful and have earned themselves some great coaching positions with Juve and Atalanta. If they continue to succeed, we will have a couple of quality options for head coach one day.
Anonymous predicted Mr. T would use the WC games in negotiations – and Anonymous was right as ALWAYS ! (to be 100% Anonymous predicted he’d boot Mexico and Canada out, and take it all for the US)
So hold off booking flights, tickets, etc
***.youtube.com/watch?v=R-qje2nJA8Q
Mr. T said today he’s asking Infantino to move matches from radical-left democratic cities (citing Boston) to other cities
I guess the entire “EAST” is out the window now and will be moved lol – hopefully even closer to the Croatian diaspora congregations like Chicago
Stay tuned
😂 who is mr T? Another one of Jeffrey’s best friends? Absolute clown and pathological liar
@ Crotown & Kromiza
I’m still pissed at the lineup and decision making against the Czech’s.
To Bunker for 80mins then attack was beyond stupid. I know many on here will be butt hurt because I’ve questioned Dalic.
I can’t praise him enough, his record stands the test of time but I will never back down on his insane policy of unbridled loyalty to aging players and the exhausting task of playing players out of position.
We’ve been begging for 3 years for youth yet we still sit here with our hands in the air as we watch Buck Tooth Budimir having his rookie season at the prime age of 34.
I’m also a proponent of facing the worlds best, not beer league players that decided to create a country from beer caps.
Anyway, I pray Dalic gets it right.
Well we’re going to have to pray a krunicu because it looks like he’s prematurely being extended to take us to the Euros as well.
“Premature” sums it nicely. I always thought he would step down after the wc.
Coach Dalic deserves our support. And throwing in this phrase of praying a krunicu is way out place. His record may not be as good as other Croatia coaches but the results will make him remembered as one of our best. If you were French, you would probably complain about a legendary like Coach Deschamps tying Iceland the other day. Viva Zlatko!
Deschamps is not a legendary coach
Say what !!!!!!!!! Didier Deschamps resume consists of a World Cup champion in 2018 and a World Cup runner up in 2022 losing on PK brother your futbol acumen is seriously lacking man
He’s a good coach, but to call him “legendary” is an overstatement.
France is the most talented team in the World.
It’s still commendable that he won a World Cup with them, but let’s leave the ‘legend’ status to those who overachieve or win multiple trophies across various clubs/countries.
Brother mister deschamps will go down as the greatest national coach in futbol history and if he wins in 2026 canonization will follow man
I say let’s hire maminjo as head coach and let’s what the boi can do
Kromiza- 100% . I don’t think we really know what we have when we’re playing U10 teams from no where land
I am still impressed, that an Island of 60,000 people is holding their own. Amazing.
Love it. We need a big name friendly with guys that actually play soccer. No more Fairy Island, Gibulators, Monte Casinos etc , add the Checkie Cheeses that can’t even beat Fairy Island. It’s obscene how bad the opposition is in this group. Hey, we play who is in front of us, but we need some challenge and playing higher caliber in prep games.
Until then we walk with our Hubris as the big man on campus, not really knowing.
I sure the line up provided for the Czech game would not see us to a tie, with a top tiered team.
Luckily for the people of the world, they are not defined by your poor knowledge of geography and football. People were saying we’d beat morocco easily in the group stage last World Cup. Why? Because they have never watched them play and they have preconceived ideas about Africa being a lower level. I watch morocco. They are very good. But people prefer their own ignorance as a little comfort blanket. Ask modric if the group we are in is easy. Our players were exhausted after the Czech game. The maxim for success is simple: respect EVERYONE, fear NO ONE
Sorry, No doubt, like I said there is no room for Hubris with anyone or team. I am impressed especially by Faroe Islands. We need to really get serious in trying to determine how to get goals in back of the net, and I agree with many peoples thoughts on possibly improving our results.
We beat Japan and Brazil last time, by the skin of our teeth. Even, Canada gave us a scare in the first few minutes.
It usually becomes more of a high scoring game, when the other team is forced to press and the game opens up.
SN saying Dalic staying till Euro 2028
Given this, someone please do a wellness check on Maminjo, suspect he’s not taking the news very well
If Dalic is actually willing to shake up from line with fast and speedy players – and integrate Vuskovic and other next generation – it wouldn’t be terrible
Question: can Lisica and his right foot also play on the LW (and be our Anthony Gordon) while Marco Pasalic plays RW ? If so, that’s our wingers situation sorted
My only worry about Dalić leaving, is him being replaced by Olić.
But if someone like Terzić were to throw his hat into the ring, then I will personally drive Dalić to Bosna.
If Kek, potentially does not push Slovenia through to the world cup I think currently @ 3 ties and 1 loss, maybe he’ll be on the Market. Sesko has not been producing.
Still think they can do it. They just need to win out, beat Kosovo and Sweden there last two games. Kosovo, needs to beat SLO, and Switzerland the best team in the group.
I personally like Kek, but I am biased because I like the way he’s able to incorporate a high octane offense with his teams overnight.
However, he’s the type of coach that would bench or kick off a player like Perišić from the team. Him being Croatian would also hurt him a bit too.
I don’t think he would be considered, and (sadly) I would guess that the HNS would push the more likeable Olić or even Ćorluka ahead of Kek (which is a frightening thought).
Him not* being Croatian
I don’t know about that, he is still plays Josip Ilicic 37 years old over Sporar.
I meant that Kek isn’t afraid of butting heads with guys like Livaja, Lovren or Perišić.
Dalić generally panders to these types of guys. Kek is a lot more alpha and would send these guys into early retirement if they got upset over not starting.
Iličić doesn’t seem like a difficult personality.
#OlicOut
Who has a better coaching record then Dalic since 2018?
Dalic no doubt, he has done well. We really had some bad luck in 2018 regarding some calls otherwise would have won the whole thing. Griezmann total dive, and Perisic questionable handball, change our fortunes.
We are all hopeful he is going in the right direction regarding finding the best line up in 2026.
Well, since you asked…
We’ve had three coaches with better records than Dalic. 😉
Bilic (65 Matches): 42W 15D 8L – 64.6%
Stimac (15 Matches): 8W 2D 5L – 53.3%
Kovac (19 Matches): 10W 5D 4L – 52.6%
Dalic (101 Matches): 51W 26D 24L – 50.5%
Jozic (18 Matches): 9W 6D 3L – 50.0%
Blazevic (73 Matches): 36W 22D 15L – 49.3%
Baric (24 Matches): 11W 8D 5L – 45.8%
thanks, Pretty impressed with all your data at will. Did not know Bilic was so high.
Bilic kept us in the top-10 for a very long time.
But I don’t consider him to be any better than Dalic. They are both in the same ballpark. They actually have similar strengths and weaknesses.
Bilic is good at picking new players when starting a team (and begins very strong), but he also fizzles out and tends to play it a little too safe (Dalic’s Czech game last week reminded me a lot of Bilic’s Greece game when we played for the draw and lost 0-2).
Just to note…
These percentages above are actually “winning” percentages only, so they actually exclude the draws.
If we include the draws (as one point) and make them worth one-third of a win…then Dalic’s ranking actually drops to second last (below Blazevic and only ahead of Baric).
Cacic, if correct was 60%, So number 5.
I can’t believe I forgot him.
Yes, he was 15W 6D 4L (good for a 60% win percentage).
And how did we do at the Euros and WC under Bilic, Stimac and Kovac? Here is a look from our neighbors about Dalic. Also those win percentages are prior to Nations League play where we played nobodies and not Portugal, France, Spain etc….
https://youtu.be/0oYv5rr6b_8?si=o6ggZENfL-QzAAhD
We need a solid and offensive capable defense, a dominating middle field, and a speedy, creative, and agile offense. We know we have the right tools, can me put victory on equal footing with old alliances, and have the courage to pull the right tool out of the box, for each match especially against south American teams. The old alliances indeed have their role. It will be a team effort if we are successful. We can.
I hope we don’t lose Luka Sucic forever, and hope that an Ante Rebic/Nikola Kalinic situation is not developing between him and Dalic. Based on the body language of the last game as some have noted on this site, the situation is still not normal.
I still think if there are no more knees injuries, “big if”, he could play a big role. Praying for the betterment of the situation at hand.
‘’Vrlo simptomatičan trenutak dogodio se nakon utakmice, rijetki su ga uočili. Naime, Sučić je poput djeteta razdragano zagrlio predsjednika HNS-a Marijana Kustića i nešto mu šapnuo na uho. U tom trenutku suze su poletjele niz lice 23-godišnjem veznjaku Real Sociedada.’’
Gol dnevnik.hr
Thanks, Pretty cryptic though , ………but okay, what am I suppose to read into this?
“I know it was you, Marijane. You’ve broken my heart.”
Someone should check the Jadransko more for Kustic’s body.
Okay, I am glad you were in ear shot LOL. Still think I am missing some background knowledge