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Croatian manager Zlatko Dalic has been named as coach of the UAE football team, UAEFA announced on Wednesday on social-media platform X.
Dalic relinquished his job as Croatian coach after their World Cup campaign ended in the round of 32 with a 2-1 defeat by Portugal.
“Welcome, Zlatko Dalic. The UAE Football Association is pleased to announce the appointment of the Croatian as the new Head Coach of the UAE National Team,” the UAEFA posted on X.
This is not for the first time Dalic will be working in the UAE. He has previously worked as the coach of Al Ain in the UAE Pro League. He led Al Ain to the league title during his stint. He replaced decorated coach Cosmin Olaroiu, who parted ways with the national team after they failed to qualify for the recently-concluded World Cup in USA, Canda and Mexico.
During his nine years in charge of Croatia, Dalic guided the team to the 2018 World Cup final, a third-place finish in 2022 and the 2023 Nations League final.
The UAE will face South Korea, Vietnam and Yemen in Group E of the 2027 AFC Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia.
Dalic’s main responsibility will be to guide UAE to the 2030 World Cup. UAE failed to qualify for the 2022 and 2026 FIFA World Cups after coming agonizingly close.
UAE were on the verge of qualification, needing just a draw against neighbours Qatar. After finishing third in their group behind Iran and Uzbekistan, the UAE moved forward to the fourth round of Asian qualifiers.
Needing a positive result in October 2025, the UAE beat Oman 2–1 but suffered a narrow 2–1 defeat to Qatar, which handed Qatar the direct group qualification spot and pushed the UAE into the fifth and final Asian playoff round.
In the final hurdle, the UAE drew 1–1 in the first leg against Iraq and then lost the second leg 2–1 in the away match which ended
their hopes of reaching the soccer extravaganza for the second time.
Dalic replaces Olaroiu, who was sacked after failing to salvage the nation’s World Cup qualification campaign. The Romanian took over from Paulo Bento midway through the cycle that culminated in the summer World Cup.
The UAE sacked the then Portuguese manager Bento the morning after his team kept alive their hopes of direct qualification to the World Cup. The top two from each of three Asian groups qualify automatically for the 2026 finals. Bento was removed in the mid-way.
Bento, who guided Portugal to the semi-finals of Euro 2012 and South Korea to the last 16 of the 2022 World Cup, had led the Emirates to 14 wins, six draws and six losses since he took over in July 2023.
