Miguel Olmo: Dinamo Means Everything to My Son!
The father of world champion Dani Olmo praises Dinamo's academy in an interview with Sportske novosti, but also criticizes the weak opposition in the HNL. He also commented on Boban and Gvardiol.
The father of world champion Dani Olmo praises Dinamo's academy in an interview with Sportske novosti, but also criticizes the weak opposition in the HNL. He also commented on Boban and Gvardiol.
Miguel Olmo, father of Spain's world champion Dani Olmo, gave an extensive interview to Sportske novosti journalist Davorin Olivari, in which he spoke about Dinamo's importance in his son's career, the state of the Croatian league, and the role of Zvonimir Boban. The interview was published on Thursday, August 7, 2026.
Dani Olmo, who became world champion with the Spanish national team in 2026, is currently taking a break from football, and his return to the pitch in Barcelona's colors is expected soon.
Miguel Olmo did not spare words of praise for the Zagreb club. "Dinamo means everything to Dani! It's the club where he was forged, where he learned to compete under pressure, where he was shaped into the footballer he is today," Olmo told Sportske novosti. He added that his son dreamed of Barcelona and the Spanish national team, and it was precisely Dinamo that made that possible.
"He learned that football, like life, doesn't always begin and end where you dream. Everyone chooses their own path to achieving their dreams, and for him, that path went through Dinamo," 24sata reports his words.
The father of the former Dinamo jewel highlighted what his son particularly liked about Croatia. "He especially liked how not only Dinamo players, but Croatian athletes in general, compete. He was thrilled by that competitive spirit, that attitude of 'never give up, no surrender.' That Croatian fighting spirit, resilience, and persistence," he said.
As a coach, Miguel Olmo has only words of praise for the club's infrastructure. "Dinamo is the biggest club in Croatia. It has everything. It dominates the player market and domestic competitions, and it has a fantastic youth academy that is among the best in Europe. The Croatian league is an excellent stage for young talents, a competition where they can be discovered and developed," he stated.
However, he also found one flaw. He sees the key shortcoming of Croatian football as "the lack of greater opposition to Dinamo's dominance" and the fact that other clubs do not fight more consistently and decisively for the title.
Miguel Olmo also commented on Croatia's performance at the 2026 World Cup. "I wish Croatia had gone further. They gave their all," he said. He particularly found it hard, he says, to watch Joško Gvardiol on the bench. He described him as "one of the best defensive players in the world" and expressed surprise that he wasn't playing for his country at that moment.
When asked about Dinamo's reliance on Barcelona's football school following the arrival of Zvonimir Boban, Miguel Olmo answered in the negative. "I don't believe Dinamo is dependent on Barcelona. Zvonimir Boban is a legend of Croatian and world football, a great expert in how elite high-performance clubs function, and he is laying the foundations for an even brighter future for Dinamo," Olmo concluded.
