Dani Olmo, the Spanish international midfielder, recently revealed in an interview with GQ that, despite being trained in La Roja’s youth teams, he was close to representing Croatia instead of Spain. After moving to Dinamo Zagreb at the age of 16, the Croatian club tried to naturalize him to play for their national team, but Olmo ultimately chose to follow his dream of playing for Spain.

His Career Start in Croatia and the Vatreni’s Interest

At 16, Dani Olmo decided to leave FC Barcelona after struggling to find a spot in a star-studded team with players like Xavi, Andrés Iniesta, Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, and Neymar. Seeking more opportunities, he signed with Dinamo Zagreb in 2014. Over time, his skills caught attention, and by 2016, at 18 years old, he made his debut for the Croatian first team, quickly becoming a key player. His talent didn’t go unnoticed, and the Croatian Football Federation approached him to offer the chance to play for their national team at the 2018 World Cup. However, Olmo turned down the offer.

Despite the Croatian offer, Olmo was always clear that his dream was to represent Spain. "I’m Spanish and have always felt that way," he confessed. Although the Croatian proposal seemed more secure, the midfielder believed Spain would give him the opportunity he desired. Even when Croatia reached the final of the 2018 World Cup, Olmo never regretted his decision. At that time, he was playing for Spain's Under-21 team, and his goal was still to represent the senior side.

Success with La Roja

Olmo’s decision turned out to be the right one, as he was called up to the senior Spain team for the first time in November 2019. In his debut, he scored a goal in Spain's 7-0 win over Malta. Since then, he has become a key player under Luis de la Fuente, contributing decisively in Euro 2024, where he scored three crucial goals.

Tonight, Dani Olmo will play his 42nd match for La Roja in the Nations League quarterfinals, facing Netherlands in Rotterdam. This match could lead to a potential reunion with Croatia in the next round, should they manage to defeat France.