Croatia Boss Zlatko Dalić Demands Improvement After England Set-Piece Punishment

• Zlatko Dalić criticised Croatia’s defending after a 4-2 defeat to England in their World Cup opener.
• Croatia conceded twice from set-pieces despite specifically preparing for England’s aerial threat.
• The head coach warned his side must improve significantly ahead of their crucial clash with Panama.

Croatia coach Zlatko Dalić admitted his side’s defending was “disastrous” after England punished a series of set-piece mistakes in Wednesday’s 4-2 defeat in their opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Dalić’s team made a competitive start to the Group L encounter and remained in the contest for long periods, but England’s effectiveness from dead-ball situations ultimately proved decisive as Croatia suffered an early setback in their campaign.

The Croatia manager was particularly frustrated because his players had spent significant time preparing for England’s strength from corners and free-kicks before the match.

“Allow me first to congratulate England on the win,” Dalić said after the game. “It was quite a strange game, quite a difficult game, as we expected it to be.

“In the first half, we played quite well. We really did good saves and we actually kept to everything we agreed on, but unfortunately we knew that the set-pieces were the greatest danger, and we conceded two goals after a corner.”

Croatia’s inability to deal with England’s aerial threat proved costly, with Dalić revealing his disappointment that the team failed to execute plans that had been worked on extensively during preparation.

“Until now we were quite good in the set-pieces,” he said. “We did not concede goals that easily and we practised for this opponent.

“We knew England’s way of play, we knew that they’re making a block and we failed to do what we practised. After the first corner, we concede a goal. After the second set-piece, a player just jumps in and scores again, so it was disastrous for us, specifically when it comes to a team such as England.”

Dalić highlighted England’s long-established reputation as one of the most dangerous teams in international football from dead-ball situations, insisting his players were fully aware of the challenge they faced.

“They are strongest when it comes to goals from set-pieces,” he added. “About 40% of their goals are from set-pieces. We analysed that game, we knew that.”

The defeat leaves Croatia under pressure heading into their second Group L fixture against Panama, a match that could have a major impact on their hopes of reaching the knockout rounds.

Dalić made it clear that a repeat of the defensive lapses shown against England will not be acceptable if Croatia are to remain competitive in the tournament.

“We made a lot of mistakes,” he said. “We must be much, much better than we were today in our performance.”

Croatia will now turn their attention to Panama knowing a positive result is likely to be essential if they are to keep their World Cup campaign on track.

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Hailey

Hailey Russell is a football journalist and former Division 1 collegiate athlete in the United States, bringing a unique blend of elite playing experience and professional insight to her work. Currently competing at the professional level in Europe, Hailey combines first-hand knowledge of the modern game with sharp analysis across match reports, player development, and tactical breakdowns.

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