A huge chapter closes
Croatia has turned a major page in its history. After almost nine years in charge of the national team, Zlatko Dalic has decided to leave his post. The round-of-16 exit at the 2026 World Cup against Portugal will go down as his final match on the Croatia bench.
It is a painful exit, naturally. But it cannot wipe out what Dalic built. Arriving in 2017 with little fuss, he leaves with a status all his own: the man who guided the greatest spell in modern Croatian football.
World Cup runners-up in 2018, third place in 2022, Nations League finalists in 2023. Few managers can boast that kind of record with a country of Croatia’s size.
From low-key arrival to national icon
When Dalic took over in 2017, nobody could yet grasp the scale of the journey ahead. Croatia already had talent, of course, with Luka Modric, Ivan Rakitic, Mario Mandzukic and Ivan Perisic. But turning that group into a tournament team – one that could suffer, last, and handle pressure – was the real job.
A year later, Croatia reached the World Cup final in Russia. They beat Denmark, Russia and England, carrying an entire nation into a giant dream before falling to France in the final.
That defeat never felt like the end. If anything, it was the start of global recognition.
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A team in his image
Dalic’s Croatia was never the most dazzling side in the world. It often found a different way to win: through grind, courage, emotional control, and that almost uncanny knack for surviving extra time, penalty shootouts and absurd scenarios.
Under his guidance, the Vatreni developed a strong identity. Patient, mentally tough, driven by trusted leaders and a group that always seemed to believe a little longer than everyone else.
Even as it aged, even as people kept calling time on the cycle, Croatia kept coming back. In 2022, it finished third at the World Cup in Qatar. In 2023, it reached the Nations League final. Dalic stretched Croatia’s golden spell far beyond what many had expected.
An exit that signals the end of the cycle
The 2026 World Cup ultimately brought that story to a halt. Beaten by Portugal in the round of 16, Croatia leaves the tournament earlier than expected. It is also a sign of a group running out of road, with senior players reaching the end of a long international journey.
Dalic has chosen not to cling on. No soap opera, no endless suspense. He is walking away at the point where the team probably needs a reset.
His departure comes in the same summer as Didier Deschamps’s expected exit with France. Two managers linked by that 2018 final, two pillars of stability, two long reigns now drawing to a close.
The Croatian federation pays tribute
In its statement, the Croatian federation praised a “humble arrival”, an “unforgettable journey” and a “proud farewell”. Strong words, but fair ones.
It also stressed what Dalic brought beyond results: unity, respect, commitment, and the fight to represent Croatia properly on and off the pitch.
That is probably where his real success lies. The medals tell part of the story. The respect of his players, staff and even his opponents tells the rest.
A humble arrival. An unforgettable journey. A proud farewell.
Following nearly nine years, head coach Zlatko Dalić has decided to close his incredibly successful chapter with #Croatia. 🥈🥉🥈
Head coach, thank you for everything – the victories, the achievements, the qualifying… pic.twitter.com/LHLzoe0JVj
— HNS (@HNS_CFF) July 8, 2026
A tricky succession awaits
Croatia now has to find a new face. And that will not be easy. Replacing Dalic is not just about hiring another coach. It means taking over a team used to the biggest stages, but one that now probably has to start a new cycle.
The next generation will have to carry the legacy without living in its shadow. The next manager will need to handle the transition carefully: keep Croatia’s core identity, bring in fresh blood, fresh ideas and maybe a different way of playing.
After Dalic, the bar is high.
A farewell without bitterness
Zlatko Dalic leaves Croatia after a defeat, but he is not slipping out the back door. He goes as one of the greatest managers in his country’s history. He gave Croatia wild nights, finals, medals, an identity and a lasting place among football’s respected nations.
Every cycle ends.
This one was special.
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