Slaven Bilic Named Croatia Head Coach

Overview

• The Croatian Football Federation announced Bilic's appointment was approved unanimously by its executive committee, a decision proposed by president Marijan Kustic and made public on Monday.
• Zlatko Dalic resigned after Croatia's round-of-16 defeat to Portugal at the 2026 World Cup, ending a near-nine-year spell that included a 2018 final and third place in 2022.
• Bilic said he will speak with 40-year-old Luka Modric and try to convince him to postpone the international retirement Modric announced after the tournament.
• This is Bilic's second spell as national coach after leading Croatia from 2006 to 2012, and his club career since then has included jobs in England, Russia, Turkey, China and Saudi Arabia with his most recent post at Al-Fateh in 2023/24.
• The HNS move favors continuity over a radical reset and creates an immediate timetable for squad talks, with Modric's decision set to shape selection, leadership and planning for upcoming qualifiers.