Dani Olmo was just 16 when, in 2014, he took the kind of decision that can define a career. As a teenager, he left La Masia, Barcelona’s famed academy and one of world football’s great talent factories, for Dinamo Zagreb. “Other La Masia products had left very young for different countries, but none for . I was surprised that he decided to come here,” Nenad Bjelica, who would later coach Olmo in Dinamo’s first team, told FIFA. For Marko Vukelic, Dinamo’s sporting director at the time, the logic behind the move soon became clear. “They discussed it with his agents and decided it was a good option. At that time, Barcelona had a different strategy and boys were making their debuts at 22 or 23, whereas we had to raise money every year through player sales. We also usually compete in Europe every season. We need to produce players, but we also need results, so the best ones were making their debuts at 17 or 18.”
Bjelica remembers a young player who had to overcome rough patches before his decision was fully vindicated. “In the end, the family made the decision and I know he had some difficult moments. I’m sure not everything went as they expected, but ultimately it worked out well and everyone can be happy.” Vukelic remembers the same resilience. “He was a boy, so of course it wasn’t easy, especially at certain times when he wasn’t playing as much. It was a challenge, but he has that personality and that quality… in the end, he overcame everything.” Throughout that journey, family support proved crucial. Olmo’s father, himself an experienced coach at high-level teams in Catalonia, understood the demands and doubts that came with such a bold step. “They were brave, but they also understood it was the best thing for their son. And Dani's got a big personality,” said Vukelic. Just as important were the coaches who recognised his potential and opened the door at the right moments, according to the former Dinamo sporting director. “Zoran Mamic, Mario Cvitanovic and Nenad Bjelica were very important because they gave him opportunities.”
For a 16-year-old arriving in a new country, learning a demanding language and adapting to unfamiliar surroundings, Zagreb represented a major leap into the unknown. “He was very young when he arrived, and our language is very different from Spanish or English, so communicating with his teammates must have been tricky. Croatians are welcoming, just as Spaniards are with Croatians when they go to Spain, but it is still a big adjustment,” recalled Dinamo's former head coach. Bjelica was well-placed to understand what it felt like to be far from home. Having spent six years as a player in Spain and become fluent in the language, he was able to build a close connection with Olmo and his family.
“He felt very comfortable with me because I could speak to him in his own language, and converse with his father. We shared a few things he could improve and change. We always had a very open relationship, as friends, but also as coach and player,” explained Bjelica. Before making his senior debut, Olmo already spoke Croatian, but being able to express himself in his native language gave the young attacking midfielder another layer of confidence. Bjelica joined Dinamo at the business end of that season and got his first close look at the Spanish player. “He was coming back from an injury. We had the final league match to play, having already won the title, and we rested him because we had the cup final coming up. Four days later, we played Hajduk and with Dani on the pitch we won 1-0.” That performance proved a sign of things to come. The more Bjelica worked with Olmo, the clearer it became that Dinamo had an exceptional talent in their ranks. “Dani is the best player I have coached. I've worked with important players such as Marek Hamsik and Leonardo Bonucci, and young Dinamo players like Josko Gvardiol, but Dani is the best. I can only say good things about him and his family.”
Asked to describe him, Bjelica does not settle on one quality. Olmo, in his eyes, is the full package. “He is eight years older now and has much more experience, but he has always done very well. He positions himself brilliantly between the lines, perhaps better than anyone in the world, waiting for the ball in that area and linking with his teammates. He has excellent ball control, great vision, the ability to time his run in the box, goals, assists, and he attacks space as well. He is a really well-rounded player,” explained the coach. Olmo’s years in Croatia also created a bond strong enough to spark repeated speculation that he might one day represent the country of Luka Modric, Ivan Rakitic and Ivan Perisic. “There was a lot of talk about it. The possibility was there, but he always said that if Spain called him, he would choose Spain, which is normal and understandable. Once he made his debut for La Roja's U-21 side, that debate was over,” said Bjelica.
Years later, watching their former pupil flourish on the game’s biggest stages, Bjelica and Vukelic can reflect with pride. They helped nurture a special footballer, but they remember just as clearly the young man behind the talent. The coach summed it up simply.
“He is a very normal, super down-to-earth guy. When you give him advice, he doesn’t take it as criticism. If one day I tell him he hasn’t trained well, the next day he is ready to give everything on the pitch. He is very humble.” Spain boss Luis de la Fuente has often stressed the importance of surrounding himself with good people, not just good footballers. Those who have known Olmo since his teenage years would say he fits that description perfectly.
Sources: FIFA Official
