Zagreb, Croatia – The Croatian Football Federation has announced the appointment of Slaven Bilic as the new head coach of the national team. He succeeds Zlatko Dalic, who left his post following Croatia’s elimination from the 2026 World Cup.
The decision marks Bilic’s return to managing the Croatian national team after a 14-year absence. He previously coached the team between 2006 and 2012. Following that, he had several coaching stints in Europe and the Middle East.
After leaving his national team, the Croatian coach managed several clubs, most notably West Ham United, West Bromwich Albion, and Watford in England. He also coached Al-Ittihad and Al-Fateh in the Saudi Professional League.
The Croatian Football Federation had announced a few days earlier the end of Zlatko Dalic’s journey with the national team, after their exit from the 2026 World Cup. This came in a statement entitled: “An unforgettable journey… and a proud farewell.”
Dalic ended his nine-year tenure as head coach of the national team, during which he achieved some of the most significant accomplishments in Croatian football history. He led the team to the runner-up position in the 2022 World Cup and third place in the 2018 edition. Additionally, he guided them to the runner-up position in the 2023 UEFA Nations League.
Dalic took over as Croatia’s coach in 2017. He led the national team in 111 matches, achieving 62 victories, 20 draws, and 29 defeats.
The Croatian national team was eliminated from the 2026 World Cup in the round of 32 after losing to Portugal 2-1. Following this, the Croatian Football Federation decided to make a change in the coaching staff and bring back Bilić to lead the national team.
