Croatia's early elimination from the 2026 World Cup has reopened the coaching file, as coach Zlatko Dalić is close to ending his tenure with the national team, with his contract expiring and an attractive offer to coach the United Arab Emirates national team.

Croatia bid farewell to the World Cup in the round of 32 after a 2-1 loss to Portugal, despite taking the lead early in the second half, before Cristiano Ronaldo led his side to equalize in the 69th minute, and substitute Gonçalo Ramos snatched the winning goal in stoppage time.

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According to Croatian newspaper Sportske, Dalić has already agreed to the offer to coach the UAE national team, worth about five million euros annually, and will announce his official decision in the coming days, no later than Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Croatian Football Federation has begun preparing for the post-Dalić era, drawing up a shortlist of two candidates to succeed him: Slaven Bilić and Ivica Olić, although Bilić is now the frontrunner. The report indicated that Croatian Federation President Marijan Kustić preferred not to take any official steps before giving Dalić the chance to announce his future himself, out of respect for his contributions to the national team, but has prepared a contingency plan to avoid any technical vacuum if he leaves. The federation also consulted with several team captains about the possibility of Bilić's return, and the feedback was positive, given the belief that he has the experience and personality to lead the next phase. Bilić holds a special place in Croatian football, credited with building the core of the generation that finished second at the 2018 World Cup and third in 2022, making him the top candidate to return to lead the national team after more than a decade away.