By Matija Šerić
Croatia was not well-prepared for Euro 2021 because it lacked a recognizable style of play, tactical clarity, and connection between the lines, even though Zlatko Dalić firmly stuck to the 4-3-3 formation. The players often looked insecure, with no clear plan in the attacking phase (a lack of a trained striker after Mandžukić’s departure), and defensively they were vulnerable and not well-coordinated. The mix of older and new players didn’t function well. Dalić gave in to media pressure and started 19-year-old Gvardiol at left-back. In the first match, he was destroyed by Kyle Walker and Raheem Sterling, and England won 1-0. Against the Czech Republic, Croatia scraped a 1-1 draw thanks to a piece of brilliance from Perišić, and then the Vatreni beat a weak Scotland side 3-1, which was enough to advance.
Dalić survives Euro 2021
The match against Spain in the Round of 16 was supposed to be Dalić’s last. Croatia took the lead through an own goal by Pedri, even though they hadn’t registered a single shot on target in the first half. Spain turned it around to 3-1 by the 77th minute. Had they kept their focus, that would have been it. With a 3-1 loss, Dalić would likely have been sacked. However, it turned out the Croatian coach was a lucky man. Even when he loses, he loses in style. Oršić and Pašalić scored two late goals against a careless Spain, forcing extra time. Although La Furia Roja ultimately defeated Croatia 5-3, it was enough for Dalić to remain at the helm.
Croatia managed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, although the qualifiers were unconvincing, with losses to Slovenia and draws against Russia and Slovakia. In the third edition of the Nations League, Croatia made progress, and players like Livaja, Stanišić, Šutalo, and Erlić were given chances. However, Dalić reluctantly accepted changes and introduced new players cautiously, all to maintain the concept with “senators” like Modrić, Kovačić, Lovren, and Perišić.
Spain – Croatia 5:3
The inexplicable success in Qatar
Croatia’s third place in Qatar is one of the greatest football miracles of all time. It came down to fortunate circumstances that only football can provide. By all accounts, Croatia should have been knocked out in the group stage, and Dalić would have left. The match against Morocco ended 0-0, played very cautiously with no real attacking attempts. Although Morocco is the strongest African team, Croatia needed to push for a win. The 4-1 win over Canada was praiseworthy. However, against Belgium, Croatia should have lost by all indicators. Anyone who watched the game knows it was just a matter of time before Belgium scored one goal, after which a second would surely follow. Croatia was toothless in attack. But the loss never came because Romelu Lukaku amateurishly missed four clear-cut chances, and Gvardiol and Livaković had an inspired day. Croatia was followed by lucky circumstances not just in their matches but in other groups as well.
In the Round of 16, Croatia beat Japan (who had previously defeated Germany and Spain), but only on penalties, which exhausted the players. The quarterfinal against Brazil was defensively outstanding, even though the Brazilians could have scored a few goals had they been more composed in the final third. Croatia advanced to the semifinals on penalties. An over-fatigued Croatia could not challenge Argentina. Perhaps they could have, but Dalić needed to change tactics—and he didn’t, just like against France four years earlier. If someone else had been coach, Croatia could have played a 4-1-4-1 or 5-4-1 formation with an extra center-back or defensive midfielder as cover against Lionel Messi and Julián Álvarez. Messi could even have had a dedicated marker (like N’Golo Kanté for France or Casemiro for Real Madrid). In the third-place match, Dalić gave in to media pressure, adopted a 4-2-3-1, and Croatia played their most beautiful game of the tournament. It became clear that the coach was the main obstacle to Croatia’s creativity.
The Croatian team’s journey to third place at the 2022 FIFA World Cup
Unsuccessful Euro 2024 Shatters the Illusion
At Euro 2024, the same scenario repeated itself as three years earlier. Croatia was eliminated—but with style. Dalić was saved from dismissal by (mis)fortune. The Italians scored in the final moments to make it 1-1. Considering the performance, Croatia still came out relatively well result-wise. Although they woke up in the match against Italy, they could have been heavily beaten by Spain and even lost to Albania. Despite winning silver in the 2023 Nations League and being on the path to qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, it’s undeniable that Zlatko Dalić is the weakest link of the Croatian national team.
The coach achieved results thanks to quality players and lucky circumstances, but Croatia does not have a quality style of play, nor is the national squad developing optimally. In fact, Croatian football has stagnated in recent years as the older players continue to age, and the team hasn’t adapted to the rapidly evolving nature of modern football: high pressing, fast vertical transitions, direct attacking play, hybrid formations, and the development of wing-backs.
Dalić’s Imaginary Authority
Although Dalić initially had no authority as coach, he eventually earned it—but didn’t know how to use it, and thus lost it. It’s often said that the team is picked by untouchables like Modrić and the other “senators,” with Dalić merely giving his blessing. On several occasions at the Euros, it was clear that Modrić overruled some of Dalić’s substitutions. All changes the coach made seemed to be accepted as a necessary evil and under media pressure, rather than out of genuine belief in new players like Petar Sučić or Marin Pongračić. His substitutions didn’t change matches, and the starting lineup and bench often appeared to be chosen based on populist logic or the match location. While Modrić and Perišić can still play, they should appear in the later stages of matches. Moreover, the coach failed to protect and acknowledge the contributions of Ivan Rakitić and Marko Livaja, leading both to retire from international football prematurely.
Interestingly, despite all his success, not a single major European club has offered Dalić a coaching position. This indicates that influential football circles are well aware that he is not the architect of Croatia’s achievements—the players are. These successes would likely have occurred even if someone else had been coach. Similarly, Lino Červar wasn’t offered coaching positions in elite European handball clubs because they knew he wasn’t the mastermind behind Croatia’s handball success.
Bilić – The Visionary Behind Croatia’s Success
The architect of Croatia’s football success from 2018 to 2023 is none other than Slaven Bilić, who today is rarely mentioned. Bilić created the core of the national team during his tenure from 2006 to 2012 and helped key players develop into top-class footballers. It was Bilić’s vision and courage to introduce young talents like Modrić, Rakitić, and Perišić, as well as his attacking style of play, that laid the foundations for Croatia’s later accomplishments on the world stage. Bilić didn’t achieve results on Dalić’s level due to unlucky draws and his players’ inexperience. Still, his contributions were recognized in the football world, which is why he later coached Beşiktaş, West Ham, West Bromwich Albion, and Watford. Dalić, on the other hand, receives lucrative offers only from the Middle East and Far East. That says it all.
The Coach Who Lives in 2018 Russia
Dalić took over in 2017 and inherited an established setup, which he failed to improve in line with the changes that followed. Instead, he remained stuck in the “Russia of Our Dreams”—the title of his book. Although Croatia experienced record-breaking results during his tenure, in terms of play style, tactics, formations, and the discovery of new players, the team has stagnated. Dalić is like Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev, who oversaw the USSR’s greatest successes in the 1970s but fiercely resisted the profound changes that the times demanded. About a decade after Brezhnev left, the USSR collapsed—and the Croatian national team could face a similar collapse after Dalić’s departure. That might happen after the next World Cup. It could take years for the team to get back on the right developmental path.
From Argentine to Greek Football Style
Zlatko Dalić has transformed Croatia’s style of play in the completely wrong direction. From a team once defined by talent, solid defense, creativity, and attractive football—so much so that many called it the “European Argentina”—Croatia over the past seven years has become the new Greece, guided by the motto: “Let’s keep a clean sheet and wait for penalties—maybe luck will strike.” Statistics never lie. As of mid-summer 2025, Dalić has managed Croatia in 97 matches: 48 wins, 25 draws, and 24 losses. His win rate stands at just 49.48%. The goal difference is 164 scored to 112 conceded. That is quite poor. On average, Croatia concedes more than one goal per match while scoring fewer than two.
For comparison, Slaven Bilić, during his 65 matches as head coach, achieved 42 wins, 14 draws, and only 9 losses. His win rate was 64.4%. The goal difference stood at 122:59. Croatia under Bilić conceded fewer than one goal per match on average and scored nearly two.
Dalić is great in a commercials
Humility Worth €4,109 a Day
Despite his poor statistics, Dalić still remains the national team coach. Although he intended to step down after the 2018 World Cup in Russia, he stayed on—and his salary steadily increased. Granted, few Croatians would reject a salary of €4,109 per day, an amount the average Croatian citizen has to work three or four months to earn. Add to that the lucrative endorsement deals—Dalić promotes Lino Lada Gold, Vegeta, and the PBZ Premium Visa Gold card. It’s easy to be “humble” under such circumstances.
With all due respect to Dalić, for the good of the Croatian national team, it would be best if he continued doing commercials and accepted one of the offers from Asia or Africa. With a new head coach who follows modern football trends, the national team could finally live in the present—meaning it could show its full potential and build for the future. However, we’ll be waiting quite a while for that scenario—much to our own detriment.
Featured image: X-BaykaluW
