Bilic returns as Croatia manager 14 years on after Dalic's World Cup exit

Slaven Bilic has been appointed Croatia head coach for the second time, returning to a role he vacated 14 years ago after the Croatian Football Federation parted ways with Zlatko Dalic following the national team’s early World Cup exit.

Croatia were eliminated in the round of 32 after a 2-1 defeat to Portugal, a result made all the more contentious by a last-minute equaliser that was ruled out after a ball sensor detected the faintest of touches, sparking widespread controversy. Dalic, who had been in charge for nine years, resigned shortly after. The federation described him as the “greatest Croatian coach of all time” — a tribute that underscores the scale of the task now facing his successor.

Bilic’s first stint as Croatia manager ran from 2006 to 2012, during which he oversaw 65 matches, winning 42 and losing just nine. His most celebrated moment in that period came in October 2007, when Croatia defeated England 3-2 at Wembley in the rain, eliminating the Three Lions from Euro 2008 qualification and prompting the immediate resignation of England manager Steve McClaren.

Since leaving the Croatia job, Bilic has accumulated considerable club experience, managing West Ham and West Bromwich Albion in the Premier League, as well as spells in Turkey and Saudi Arabia. His most recent position was with Saudi club Al Fateh, a role he held from July 2023 to August 2024.

“I am genuinely happy to start this challenge and I feel fully prepared for it — as a more mature and experienced coach than in 2006, yet with the same motivation and desire to see Croatia stay powerful, bold, and successful,” Bilic said in a statement released by the federation.

Bilic also has deep roots in the national team as a player, having been a standout defender in the Croatia side that finished third at the 1998 World Cup — a historic result for the then-newly independent nation.

His immediate task will be to rebuild a squad that has lost its most successful modern-era coach, with Euro 2028, to be held across the UK and Republic of Ireland, serving as the primary target on the horizon.