Zvonimir Boban is back home.
Almost 34 years after leaving Dinamo Zagreb to commence a glittering career with AC Milan, Boban has returned to his beloved Croatian club.
The former FIFA, UEFA and AC Milan executive will assume the role as Chairman.
“I usually speak from the heart and in the moment, but tonight I had to write things down because I wanted to be precise,” Boban said at his unveiling press conference.
“I want to thank my idol, our legendary captain from 1982, Velimir Zajec, our president, for the trust he’s shown me. Zeko, I hope to justify it.
“A big thanks as well to the Executive Board – true Dinamo men – who brought this club back to its people along with Bad Blue Boys, through their reforms via the group ‘Dinamovo Proljeće’.
“The other day I was talking about our ‘blue’ club, which is so unique. So naturally my memories came flooding back.
“I first walked into Maksimir from the old barracks on 1 September 1982. The desire is still the same today.
“I know you journalists won’t make it easy for me – but I won’t make it easy for you either.
“To our players, I wish a dream end to the season.”
Boban officially starts his new role on June 1.
Less than a day earlier, Zajec posted on social media.
“Love for a single club knows no borders… Today, I invited our ‘Blue Legend’ to actively return to Croatian football, to our ‘Dinamo’.”
Dinamo and AC Milan are where loyal Boban played the bulk of his 300-plus club games.
DINAMO’S FAVOURITE SON
Dinamo’s pantheon of greats is world-class, and includes Ballon d’Or winner Luka Modrić, FIFA World Cup golden boot winner Davor Šuker, Champions League winners Mateo Kovačić and Mario Madžukić, current stars Joško Gvardiol and Croatia’s first manager post Independence, Dražen Jerković.
But Boban’s impact was immense, on and off the field.
Signing for Dinamo’s youth team in 1983 (age 14) from Hajduk Split, he broke into the first team within two years.
Named captain at age 19, Boban scored 45 goals in 109 games.
In 1990, he entered Dinamo and Croatian folklor, by bravely defending his teammates as a riot broke out mid-match against Red Star Belgrade.
Boban, then 21, famously flykicked a Yugoslav police officer in the centre of the Maksimir Stadium, as tensions built ahead of the war which officially started the following year.
Boban was consequently banned from representing Yugoslavia for six months, which included missing the the 1990 World Cup.
However, he became a national icon as a result, and a symbol of Croatia’s resistance.
He also became a hero of the Bad Blue Boys, Dinamo’s supporters group, after defending them as chaos erupted in the terraces and spilled onto the pitch.
Thereafter, he captained Croatia, leading them into their first major tournament (Euro ’96) and to third-place at the 1998 FIFA World Cup.
BOBAN’S WORLD-CLASS EXECUTIVE CAREER
After retiring as a player, he completed a history degree at Zagreb University and became a sports journalist, becoming the president of Croatian sports proper Sportske Novosti.
He was also a regular pundit on Croatian TV and Sky Italia, where he still regularly features.
Boban has held senior roles at football’s biggest organisations, including Deputy Secretary General at FIFA and UEFA’s Head of the Football Department.
He was one of Gianni Infantino’s key football advisors.
Boban also served as Chief Football Officer of AC Milan from 2019-20, alongside ex-teammate Paolo Maldini.
BOBAN WISHES DINAMO WELL IN PURSUIT OF HAJDUK AND RIJEKA
Dinamo’s official statement underlined Boban’s leadership in shaping Croatian football’s future.
With Dinamo playing second fiddle to Hajduk Split and Rijeka in this season’s title race, Boban’s priority will be sliding the club’s foundations on the domestic front.
However, Dinamo’s international strategy will also become a key focus with Boban’s appointment.
Dinamo, which has won a record 25 Croatian league titles, last reached the knockout phase of European competition in 2020/21, reaching the quarterfinals of the Europa League.