Croatian national team coach Zlatko Dalić recently commented on the 26-player squad he will lead at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico. Dalić explained some of his toughest decisions, notably the exclusion of Dinamo's Dion Belje and Luke Stojković. He also shared his expectations for the upcoming tournament.

Belje's Exclusion

"Dion Belje had an excellent season, scoring 38 goals, 31 of which were in the SHNL. He was part of the squad three years ago and played two matches as far as I recall. This time, I chose Musa and Matanović over him, as they have had strong seasons and are performing well in their clubs," Dalić explained. "Matanović is the leading scorer of his club, playing in the UEFA Europa League final and the Bundesliga. Musa has scored 12 goals in 13 appearances, which is also impressive. Both performed excellently during the tour in America and have improved further since then."

Intrigued by Stojković

"Luka Stojković has been playing brilliantly, especially towards the end of the season, contributing significantly to Dinamo's double title with his goals and assists," Dalić added. "He is a player with great potential, which intrigues me. It's a shame I couldn't include him in the squad. However, we have players who have been with us for two years, and I consider their continuity, camaraderie, and the atmosphere we had in America important for this decision. If Stojković continues to perform like this, he will soon be close to joining the national team."

Coverage of All Positions

Regarding the squad's balance, Dalić stated that the team is well-covered in all positions. "We might be among the best in terms of strikers and young, promising players. We can play with three strikers in some matches, so it won't be an excess. On the left side, we have Gvardiol and Perišić, potentially Stanišić, while on the right side, we have Stanišić, Jakić, and Marco Pašalić, depending on the system we play. I believe we are well-covered, with no excess of strikers and enough defenders."

Dalić confirmed that he hasn’t talked with the young Dinamo player and mentioned Lovro Majer, who had been part of the USA squad but hasn’t played a match since. "It's difficult to make such decisions. The final squad will be announced on June 1st, and we will consider players if anyone gets injured."