# Zlatko Dalić leadership of UAE national football team

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/zlatko-dali-leadership-of-uae-national-football-team
> Updated: 2026-09-24T17:58:00.000Z. Sources: 7. Developments: 2.

Following his appointment as head coach, Zlatko Dalić released his first 26-player squad for the United Arab Emirates national football team. The selection strategy focuses on combining local talent with naturalized players, including 13 citizens not born in the UAE, such as defender Saša Ivković. 

In his coaching debut at the 27th Arab Gulf Cup in Jeddah, Dalić led the UAE to a 4-0 victory over Yemen. The win, featuring goals from Nicolas Gimenez, Luan Pereira, and an own goal, ended an eight-match winless streak for the team in the competition. Dalić is under contract until 2030 with the objective of qualifying for the 2030 World Cup.

## Timeline

### 2026-09-24: Zlatko Dalić debuts with 4-0 UAE victory over Yemen

Zlatko Dalić debuted as UAE head coach with a dominant 4-0 victory over Yemen in the Gulf Cup, ending the team's eight-match winless streak in the tournament.

5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/zlatko-dali-debuts-with-4-0-uae-victory-over-yemen

### 2026-09-16: Zlatko Dalić names first UAE national team squad

UAE national team coach Zlatko Dalić has named his first 26-man squad, featuring naturalized defender Saša Ivković as part of a strategy to combine local and international talent.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/zlatko-dali-names-first-uae-national-team-squad

---
Cite as: Zlatko Dalić leadership of UAE national football team. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/zlatko-dali-leadership-of-uae-national-football-team