Croatia national team coach Zlatko Dalić presented his new book "Russia of Our Dreams" to a packed Cinema Europa in Zagreb on Wednesday, which reveals what happened behind the scenes of his magnificent show through Russia and how the Croatia team reached the silver at the World Cup, reports Gol.hr on December 12, 2018. 

“I am proud of this book which is a gift to our fans, not only in Croatia and BiH, but also those around the world because it is proof that with unity and humility you can do great things,” Dalić said and thanked the players who are most valued for Croatia’s historic success at the World Cup in Russia, stressing that he was honored to be the coach of such a great team. 

"Dalić's book is intended for Croatians who enjoyed life more than ever from June 16 to July 15, 2018. The book reaches deep into the heart of Dalić, who honestly describes many key events and reveals many secrets - among them, whether or not someone was intrusive or attempting to obstruct him,” the famous sports journalist Anton Samovojska at the presentation. 

In the words of the long-time Sports News journalist Drazen Antolić, who wrote the book on Dalić’s account, it wasn’t too difficult to find the words. 

"The book has seven chapters and it was easy to write because Dalić was honest as he prepared the team, made decisions and led Croatia to this historic venture. In only nine months, Dalić made the playoffs for the World Cup in Russia and defeated Greece, and led Croatia into the crazy Russian summer where they won the silver,” Antolić said.

The former Croatia coach and leader of the ‘Bronze Generation’ at the 1998 World Cup, Miroslav Blažević, said that the players and the coach are indeed the most deserving of the historical success of Croatia, but the role of the HNS president, Davor Šuker, is unfairly neglected in this success.

"Šuker had the instinct of the best goalscorer at the World Cup in France when he put Zlatko Dalić at the helm of the Croatia national team; thus he became the most successful president in HNS history."

"I hope that the book ‘Russia of Our Dreams’ will help the World Cup silver live eternally for us and this is the main reason I have agreed to issue the book, which I asked that the subheading be 'How we made Croatia the happiest country in the world’,” said Dalić, who revealed that all the money earned from the book published in the edition of Sports News will be used for humanitarian purposes, or be given to the Vatreno Srce Foundation to help children in need. 

The presentation of the book was attended by President of the Republic of Croatia Kolinda Grabar Kitarović, Ministers Zdravko Marić and Goran Marić, as well as numerous representatives from the economy and sport, especially football.

To read more about Zlatko Dalić, follow TCN's dedicated page. 

The Union of European Football Associations, known better as UEFA, will select the best 11 footballers of 2018. Luka Modrić and Ivan Rakitić are among the 50 nominees. 

The Croatian Football Federation and Croatia national team will receive $28 million from FIFA for their World Cup journey. For successfully qualifying for the World Cup, HNS will receive $8 million, while an additional $20 million will be awarded to Croatia for winning the silver in Russia, reports Goal.hr on December 10, 2018. 

Just for placing in the World Cup, Croatia will receive $8 million, and another $1.5 million for travel and accommodation costs, intended exclusively for HNS. By advancing to the final, an additional $20 million was collected, bringing the total prize money to $28 million. 

The $8 million reward will also be given to former Croatia coach Ante Čačić, who led Croatia in nine games. After his team drew at Rujevica against Finland, Čačić was sacked. The last qualifier, not counting the additional qualifications, was led by Zlatko Dalić. For these nine games, Čačić is entitled to $240,000. The remaining $240,000 should be given to Čačić's staff, which included Josip Šimunić, Ante Miše, Marijan Mrmić, Leonard Sovina, and so on. 

The national team players will receive 40 percent of the $8 million for the qualifiers, which is $3.2 million, while $640,000 of that amount will go to Dalić and Čačić's staff. Čačić can now thank Dalić for getting the team to Russia at all, because if he hadn’t, Čačic would not be eligible for any compensation. Thus, of the $640,000, Dalić’s staff will receive $480,000, of which, as we have already said, $240,000 will go to Čačić. 

The remaining $2.6 million will be split between players depending on playing time. It is estimated that the players who played for the most minutes, like Modrić, Rakitić, and Mandžukić, could get about $150,000. Dalić and his staff should receive $160,000 for three qualifying matches.

But that’s not all - Croatia will also receive a decent sum for their Russia campaign. The Croatian Football Federation will receive $20 million, which will be shared 50:50, so, $10 million to the Federation, and $10 million to the players. However, unlike the qualifications, the players have decided to share this money evenly, regardless of minutes. Thus, Modrić and Livaković, who did not play one second in Russia, will receive an equal gross amount of $454,545. Naturally, part of the share will also be given to Zlatko Dalić and his staff. Dalić's share is $2,160,000,000, though this money will not be divided into equal parts.

Zlatko Dalić, as the head of staff and coach, will receive the most, meaning half of that amount, or about a million dollars. Dalić’s staff will divide the rest, but not in equal parts. This money will be allocated to assistants Ivica Olić and Dražen Ladić, goalkeeper coach Marjan Mrmić, video analyst Marc Rochon and others. 

Just how much each member of the staff will receive will be known on Monday after the HNS Executive Committee's meeting. 

To read more about the Croatia national team, follow TCN's dedicated page. 

After the draw for the Euro 2020 qualifiers was held last week, the Croatian Football Federation (HNS) sent a letter to Hajduk asking if they wanted to organize one qualifying match of the Croatia national football team, reports Gol.hr on December 7, 2018. 

Hajduk confirmed their interest and expressed their desire to host the national team at Poljud in October or November next year in the games against Hungary or Slovakia. Though the Split club has four requests for HNS.

Hajduk’s statement reads:

"Simultaneously, HNS requested a meeting in Split, where HNK Hajduk presented their proposals with the aim of improving the work of the Federation, and what should be in the interest of all stakeholders. 

In the memo, among other things, it is stated that for the active entry of HNK Hajduk to create other activities, it is necessary to accept the following four points:

1. Implementing all provisions of the Sports Act in the work of HNS (at the county and national level) immediately and without delay

2. Professional engagement of a foreign trial commissioner (for at least 3 years, due to the need for independent reform of the judicial organization and re-evaluation of judges at all levels of competition)

3. Returning the Association of Clubs 1. HNL as the leader of the competition 1. HNL (or at least a meeting of the clubs with independent decision-making)

4. Transparent financial statements

Further requirements of HNK Hajduk are as follows:

5. Transparently defining the selection criteria for all HNS governing functions and operational bodies with the inclusion of regional representation criteria in the independent selection of regional level representatives (through the cooperation of county federations within a particular region)

6. Creating a football strategy by 31 December 2019

7. Implementing new elections for HNS governing bodies after drafting the strategy and implementation of all provisions of the Sports Act"

Schedule of all Croatia national team games in the Euro 2020 qualifiers:

March 21, 20:45 (Thursday): Croatia - Azerbaijan

March 24, 18:00 (Sunday): Hungary - Croatia

June 8, 15:00 (Saturday): Croatia - Wales

September 6, 20:45 (Friday): Slovakia - Croatia

September 9, 18:00 (Monday): Azerbaijan - Croatia

October 10, 20:45 (Thursday): Croatia - Hungary

October 13, 20:45 (Sunday): Wales - Croatia

November 16, 20:45 (Saturday): Croatia - Slovakia

To read more about Hajduk, follow TCN's dedicated page here. 

From March 21 to November 16, 2019, Croatia will play their qualifying matches for Euro 2020. 

Croatia national football team coach Zlatko Dalić was a guest of HRT ahead of the Champions League games on Wednesday. The respected coach reflected on his time at the helm of the national team through the World Cup in Russia and the Nations League against Spain and England. 

Three Croatian footballers entered the list of Champions League goalscorers on Tuesday, as part of the elite European club competition's fifth round.

Zlatko Dalić, one of the top three coaches in the world by FIFA, has also received a top honor from Croatia. 

The 15th round of the Croatian First League was played from November 23 to 25, 2018, which included the highly anticipated derby between Rijeka and Dinamo. 

Croatia will still be a top seed in the Euro 2020 qualifying draw despite being relegated from the Nations League on Sunday.