Overview
- The Croatian Football Federation announced Bilic’s appointment on Monday, July 13, 2026, after its Professional Commission and Executive Board approved him.
- Bilic succeeds Zlatko Dalic, who resigned after Croatia’s 2-1 World Cup last-32 defeat to Portugal that featured contested VAR and refereeing decisions.
- Bilic returns to the role he held from 2006 to 2012, when he won 42 of 65 matches, and he has been out of club management since leaving Al‑Fateh in 2024.
- His immediate responsibilities include naming a backroom staff, beginning a squad renewal to manage ageing veterans, and preparing for Nations League fixtures and Euro 2028 qualifying.
- Media reports say Bilic accepted a much smaller reported salary of about €1 million a year compared with Dalic’s reported €180,000 gross per month, a change that signals tighter federation finances and different expectations for the job.