KOR
▲ Head Coach Slaven Bilić
The Croatian national football team, which was eliminated in the Round of 32 at the 2026 North and Central America World Cup, has brought back a coach who left the team 14 years ago.
The Croatian Football Federation (HNS) announced on July 13 (local time) that it has appointed Slaven Bilić (57) as the successor to Zlatko Dalić (59).
Bilić first took the helm of the Croatian national team 20 years ago in 2006 and led the squad until 2012.
As a player, Bilić was a national team defender and a member of the squad that finished third at the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France. He gained coaching experience with the Croatian club Hajduk Split and the U-21 national team before taking charge of the senior national team.
During his first tenure as head coach, he led the team to the UEFA Euro 2008 tournament with an impressive performance, including a victory over England in the qualifiers, and reached the quarterfinals in the final tournament.
Regarded as the coach who led the generational shift and revival of Croatian football, Bilić stepped down after the group stage exit at Euro 2012. Since then, he has managed clubs in Russia, England, Saudi Arabia, and China.
His most recent club was Al-Fateh in Saudi Arabia, which he managed until 2024.
Through the HNS, Bilić stated, "I am grateful for the opportunity to lead the Croatian national team once again. I am well aware that I must meet high expectations following the incredible achievements during the Dalić era, and any coach of Croatia should be prepared for that."
He emphasized, "I have great faith in the squad, and it is my responsibility to instill energy, ambition, and fighting spirit to ensure Croatia maintains its status as a football powerhouse," adding, "I am more mature and experienced than I was in 2006, but I am fully prepared with the same passion and determination to make Croatia a successful team."
Meanwhile, Dalić, who led the national team from 2017 until this World Cup and oversaw a golden era for Croatia, stepped down after a 1-2 loss to Portugal in the World Cup Round of 32 match held on July 11.
During his nine-year tenure, Dalić led the Croatian national team to a golden age, including a runner-up finish at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia and a third-place finish at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
(Photo: Getty Images)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.
