The Executive Committee of the Croatian Football Federation (HNS) unanimously appointed Slaven Bilić as head coach of the Croatia national football team on Monday. The decision was made on the proposal of Federation President Marijan Kustić, with Bilić succeeding Zlatko Dalić, who stepped down after nine years on the Croatia bench.
The return of the 57-year-old manager was previously endorsed by the HNS Technical Commission. The Executive Committee meeting began at 13:00, with the new coach set to present himself to the public at a press conference scheduled for around 14:00.
Bilić’s contract is valid until 2028. According to reports from Sportske novosti, his salary should be approximately one million euros gross per year, roughly half of Dalić’s, which exceeded two million euros.
Bilić brings in assistant coaches Dean Računica and Danilo Butorović, as well as goalkeeping coach Vatroslav Mihačić, to his technical staff. Vedran Ćorluka remains from Dalić’s team. The first competitive challenge for the new setup will be the Nations League.
Bilić previously managed Croatia from 2006 to 2012. He led them to the quarter-finals at Euro 2008, and during the qualifying campaign for that tournament, Croatia defeated England twice. His tenure saw the introduction of a generation of players who would later win the silver medal at the World Cup in Russia.
After leaving the national team bench following Euro 2012, he managed Lokomotiv Moscow and Beşiktaş, followed by West Ham from 2015 to 2017, and West Bromwich Albion, with whom he secured promotion to the Premier League in 2020. He also worked in China and the Middle East, managing Beijing Guoan, Al-Ittihad and Al-Fateh, and he managed Watford in the Championship.
