Is Thiago Alcântara poised to take the next big step in his career? The former FC Bayern midfield star could soon be on the sidelines as a head coach for the first time. After leaving FC Barcelona’s coaching staff in the summer of 2026, the 35-year-old is now being linked to a surprising opportunity in Croatia.

After retiring as a player, Thiago transitioned into coaching. At FC Barcelona, the Spaniard gained his first experience at the highest level as an assistant to Hansi Flick. However, he left the Catalan club last summer.

Although the former Bayern Munich pro was subsequently linked to several coaching jobs in Spain, he initially decided against taking on a new role. Now that could change.

Dinamo Zagreb is considering Thiago

According to the Croatian website Germanijak, Thiago is among the candidates being considered by the long-established Croatian club Dinamo Zagreb.

The club is currently in a difficult sporting situation. In the domestic league, Dinamo is sitting in second place in the standings. Recent results, in particular, have caused dissatisfaction.

They’ve lost two of their last four games, including the prestigious showdown against their archrival Hajduk Split.

This is increasing the pressure on head coach Mario Kovačević. Although the 51-year-old remains in charge, he urgently needs positive results to solidify his position.

If the team’s performance does not improve, Dinamo could consider a coaching change. According to the report, Thiago would be a possible alternative.

A link to Barcelona could help Thiago

The fact that Dinamo Zagreb is considering the former Bayern star comes as no complete surprise. The top Croatian club has maintained a special relationship with FC Barcelona for years. Furthermore, Albert Capellas, a former head of youth development for the Catalans, currently leads Dinamo’s youth academy.

This connection could play a role in a potential signing of Thiago.

However, one question remains: Does the Spaniard now hold the required coaching license to take over a professional team as head coach?

During his time at FC Barcelona, Thiago did not yet possess the necessary qualifications. It is not known whether this has changed in the meantime.

In principle, exceptions could apply under certain conditions—for example, if a coach completes the necessary training courses while continuing to work.

For Thiago, a position in Zagreb would mark the first head coaching role in his still-young coaching career.

During his playing career, the Spaniard was one of FC Bayern’s most influential players for many years. Between 2013 and 2020, he won numerous titles with the Munich club, including the historic treble in 2020.

It remains to be seen whether Thiago will soon be able to apply his experience from Munich and Barcelona as a head coach in Croatia. Kovačević is still under contract with Dinamo.

This article was translated into English by AI. You can read the original version here https://fcbinside.de/2026/10/27/ex-bayern-star-vor-neuem-trainerjob-traditionsklub-hat-thiago-auf-dem-zettel/.