Zagreb, Croatia – Croatian media reports indicate that Zlatko Dalić, the coach of the Croatian national team, has received a lucrative offer from the UAE Football Association to take over as manager of the UAE national team.
According to the Croatian newspaper “Votarnji List,” the UAE Football Association has entered into serious negotiations with Dalic, offering him a formal contract worth five million euros annually. This comes in an attempt to persuade him to coach the UAE national team after the 2026 World Cup.
These developments coincided with growing uncertainty surrounding the Croatian coach’s future. He preferred to postpone discussing his future with the national team until after the upcoming World Cup, scheduled to be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
During the press conference announcing Croatia’s World Cup squad, Dalic avoided revealing his final decision. This came despite growing speculation about his possible departure after the tournament.
The Croatian coach has a successful track record in Emirati football. He led Al Ain FC and achieved remarkable results with them before embarking on his historic journey with the Croatian national team.
Dalic achieved remarkable success with the Croatian national team, most notably leading them to the 2018 World Cup final and then securing third place in the 2022 World Cup.
The report indicated that the coach is considering the Emirati offer. He prefers to focus on Croatia’s World Cup campaign before making any decisions regarding his future.
Dalic’s position is also linked to the future of several Croatian national team stars, most notably Luka Modric, who has yet to decide whether to continue playing internationally after the upcoming World Cup.
It is worth noting that the UAE national team is currently led by Romanian coach Cosmin Olăroiu, who took over the job in April 2025.
