According to Italian journalist Lorenzo Lepore and corroborated by Caracol’s Julian Capera, Dalic has surfaced as a primary target for the Colombian Football Federation (FCF) if they decide to move on from current manager Nestor Lorenzo.

“A member of the Executive Committee of the Colombian Football Federation has once again expressed interest to Zlatko Dalic‘s entourage,” Capera reported on his X account.

Following disappointing 2026 World Cup exits for both Colombia and Croatia, the FCF is looking ahead even as the tournament moves into the quarterfinals, with the final bracket confirmed. Landing Dalic will be no easy task for the Colombian side, however, as several other international programs are already vying for the veteran tactician’s services.

Colombia reportedly faces stiff competition for Dalic

As detailed by Lepore and Capera, Colombia are far from being the only suitor trying to lure Dalic back to the technical area for the upcoming international cycle. “The United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Mexico, and South Korea also have him on their radar,” Capera added.

Dalic’s ultimate destination could be hinged on the financial packages offered and the FCF’s final decision regarding Lorenzo, whose current contract is set to expire on July 30.

Political uncertainty looming over the FCF

Beyond the financial negotiations and competing international bids, Colombia’s pursuit of Dalic face a massive internal hurdle. “In Colombia, everything depends on the continuity of Ramon Jesurun [FCF President] and a potential legal dispute that could arise in the coming days regarding his re-election,“ Capera noted.

Dalic became one of the market’s most coveted free agents after stepping down following Croatia’s World Cup exit, added to the list of head coaches that left their teams following tournament’s elimination. He boasts an elite international resume, having famously guided Croatia to a runner-up finish at Russia 2018 and a third-place podium finish at Qatar 2022.

Since taking over in 2017, he has guided the Vatreni to a FIFA World Cup final, a third-place finish four years later, and a UEFA Nations League final, cementing his reputation as one of the game’s top international coaches.

Before earning worldwide recognition with Croatia, he built his coaching résumé across the Middle East, winning domestic honors with Al Ain and leading the Emirati club to the 2016 AFC Champions League final.

How old is Zlatko Dalic?

Zlatko Dalic is 59 years old. He was born on October 26, 1966, in Livno, then part of Yugoslavia and now located in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Although he was relatively unknown internationally when he was appointed Croatia’s head coach, he quickly established himself as one of the country’s most successful managers.

His greatest achievements have come with the Croatian national team, leading the Vatreni to the 2018 FIFA World Cup final, a third-place finish at the 2022 FIFA World Cup and the 2023 UEFA Nations League final.

How tall is Zlatko Dalic?

Zlatko Dalic is 1.79 meters (5 feet 10 inches) tall. He spent most of his professional career in Croatia, representing clubs including Hajduk Split, Cibalia, Buducnost Podgorica and Varteks, where he finished his playing career.

Is Zlatko Dalic married?

Zlatko Dalic is married. He has been married to his wife Davorka Dalic for many years, and the couple has two sons, Bruno and Toni. Unlike many high-profile soccer coaches, he keeps his personal life largely out of the spotlight.

Throughout his managerial career in Croatia, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and with the Croatian national team, he has preferred to maintain a low public profile regarding his family.

He has occasionally spoken about the importance of his family’s support throughout his coaching journey, particularly during the pressure-filled runs at the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups.

Did Zlatko Dalic play as a professional soccer player?

Yes! Zlatko Dalic played professionally before becoming a coach. He spent roughly two decades as a defensive midfielder, retiring in 2000 after his final season with Varteks.

His playing career included spells with several clubs in the former Yugoslavia and Croatia, including Hajduk Split, Cibalia, Buducnost Podgorica, Velez Mostar and Varteks. While he was a respected professional, he never reached the international prominence as a player that he would later achieve as a manager.

After retiring, he immediately began preparing for a coaching career. He worked his way through Croatian club soccer before successful stints in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates eventually led to his appointment as Croatia’s national team manager.

When did Zlatko Dalic make his Croatia debut?

Zlatko Dalic made his debut as head coach on October 9, 2017, leading the national team to a 2-0 victory over Ukraine in a crucial 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier. The win, secured by a second-half brace from Andrej Kramaric in Kyiv, allowed Croatia to finish second in its qualifying group and advance to the UEFA playoffs.

He had been appointed just two days earlier, on October 7, 2017, after the Croatian Football Federation dismissed Ante Cacic following a disappointing 1-1 draw against Finland that put the team’s World Cup hopes in jeopardy.

The former Al Ain manager accepted the role on short notice, taking charge with only one match remaining in the qualifying campaign. The victory over Ukraine proved to be the turning point of his tenure.

Croatia went on to defeat Greece 4-1 on aggregate in the qualification playoffs, securing a place at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. Less than a year after his debut, he guided the Vatreni to their first-ever World Cup final.

Zlatko Dalic’s career highlights

2018 FIFA World Cup runner-up: Less than a year after being appointed, Dalic led Croatia to its first-ever World Cup final. His team defeated Denmark, host nation Russia, and England in the knockout stage before falling 4-2 to France in the championship match. The run remains one of the greatest achievements in Croatian soccer history.

Third place at the 2022 FIFA World Cup: Four years later, Dalic proved Croatia’s success was no fluke. The Vatreni eliminated tournament favorite Brazil in the quarterfinals via a penalty shootout before finishing third after defeating Morocco in the third-place playoff, giving Croatia a second World Cup podium finish under his leadership.

Runner-up in the 2022-23 UEFA Nations League: Dalic guided Croatia to its first major European final, defeating the Netherlands in the semifinals before narrowly losing to Spain on penalties in the title match. It marked another milestone for the national team, which had never previously reached the final of a UEFA competition.

Success at club level in the Middle East: Before taking over Croatia, Dalic enjoyed a highly successful spell with Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates. He won the 2014-15 UAE Pro League title and led the club to the 2016 AFC Champions League final, performances that helped earn him the Croatia national team job. Earlier in his career, he also won the Saudi Crown Prince Cup with Al Hilal.

Croatia’s longest-serving and most successful national team coach: Since his appointment in October 2017, Dalic has qualified Croatia for every major tournament, including the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups and UEFA Euro 2020 and 2024. His sustained success over multiple tournament cycles has cemented his legacy as the greatest manager in the country’s history.

Karim Benzema seemed to disagree with the results, sharing on Instagram a post that showed all his achievements in 2022. Lionel Messi seemingly hit back by posting pictures of himself with the World Cup trophy.

Many other personalities in world soccer looked unhappy withthe awards, though Zlatko Dalic took it to the next level. The Croatian national team coach decided not to cast votes after feeling his team was disrespected.

Zlatko Dalic boycotted FIFA The Best Awards by not voting

Croatia made a surprising run to the Qatar 2022 semifinals, claiming the bronze medal in the third-place match against Morocco. Only a few months before, theyhad secured a place in the UEFA Nations League final four. Even so, most of their members were overlooked at The Best awards. Therefore, Dalic didn’t feel like participating in the vote.

“I am disappointed with FIFA’s attitude towards the Croatian team. I believe that, based on everything we have achieved, we deserve more respect from the governing body of world football than what we have received,” Dalic said in a statement, as quoted by As. He backed up his argument by mentioning Croatia’s results in the last few years, including their shocking wins over Brazil or Belgium in 2022. Far from done, he also felt the likes of Mateo Kovacić, Joško Gvardiol and Dominik Livaković should have been nominated.

“Look at the list of the 14 players nominated for The Best FIFA Men’s Player Award. Apart from Luka Modrić, where are the other Croatian players? I don’t want to say any of the others don’t deserve it because I have tremendous respect for each player or coach that has been dominated. But is there really no room for Mateo Kovacić? Where is Gvardiol?And doesn’t Livaković deserve to be one of the five finalists for Best Goalkeeper after everything he did in Qatar?,” he added.

Dalic also believes he should have made the cut for The Best Coach award, suggesting his job was underrated by the governing body. Croatia’s coach added he had already feltdisrespected at the World Cup, citing “controversial” refereeingsto prove his point. In the end, Dalic didn’t mean to disrespect any of the winners or nominees but he still believes Croatia deserved better.

“Taking all of that into consideration, I have decided not to vote in this year’s awards. Still, I want to congratulate all the winners on their well-deserved awards,” Dalic said.

Argentina ended up winning by three, but it all started with a penaltythat in Zlatko Dalic’s eyes was controversial. Daniele Orsato gave Argentina a spot-kick as Dominik Livakovic struck Julian Alvarez in the box, and Messi found the net with a powerful shot.

From then on, Lionel Scaloni‘s side took control of the game and went on to score more goals to qualify for the final. In his postgame interview, theCroatian national team coach felt that penalty shouldn’t have been awarded in the first place.

Croatia manager questionspenalty given to Argentina

“The first goal was very suspicious to be honest,” Dalic said, via Dan Kilpatrick of the Evening Standard. “First we had the situation with the corner. Apparently it was a corner, according to the reaction of our players. Then we had the situation with the penalty… It was a little bit too cheap and easy.”

Dalic was not the only one to complain about the penalty, though, as Luka Modric had strong words for Orsato. Either way, the dream is over for Croatia, who will now have to play in the third-place game against France or Morocco.Using this World Cup Predictor, you can see every potential outcome of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.