Former Croatia national football coach Zlatko Dalić criticized FIFA during his appearance on Croatian national television, accusing the organization of treating Croatia unfairly compared to other nations. Following Croatia's defeat against Portugal (1:2) at the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, Dalić claimed that FIFA has imposed an unequal standard on Croatia, preventing it from achieving success akin to previous tournaments where it reached the top tiers. He argued that FIFA and the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system applied double standards, particularly in handling controversial decisions involving Croatian players like Ante Budimir. Dalić emphasized that he has consistently protested FIFA's decisions by refusing to vote in their elections, yet feels his concerns have been ignored.
Bias read (Progressive): The article frames FIFA's treatment of Croatia as unjust and biased, using strong language such as 'moteči dejavnik' (troubling factor) and 'neenakopraven status' (unequal status), which imply a systemic unfairness. The emphasis on Dalić’s protests and perceived lack of support from FIFA suggests a左






