The Football Association of the United Arab Emirates has officially announced the appointment of Zlatko Dalić as the new head coach of the national team. The news of the Croatian manager’s arrival was shared on the social platform X on Wednesday afternoon.
The 59-year-old coach had been out of work since Croatia’s exit at the hands of Portugal (1-2) in the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup. Dalić previously achieved remarkable success with his home country, leading Croatia to consecutive World Cup semifinals and reaching the final in 2018, where they were defeated 2-4 by France.
The UAE represents familiar territory for Dalić. He previously managed Al-Ain, guiding the club to the league title in the 2014/2015 season. At the 2027 AFC Asian Cup, the Emirati national team will compete in Group E alongside South Korea, Vietnam, and Yemen.
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