Croatia Coach Hints at Eduardo Return

Former Arsenal and current Shakhtar striker Eduardo Alves da Silva, who retired from international football last year, could well make a return to the Croatian national team…

Eduardo, who with 29 goals for Croatia is the nation’s second most prolific striker in history behind Davor Šuker, called time on his international career the 2014 World Cup in Brazil – the country of his birth.

The 32-year-old affectionately knows as Dudu, who was capped 64 times after making his debut against Ireland in 2004, is a favourite of current Croatia coach Ante Čačić.

Speaking to daily Sportske Novosti ahead of Croatia’s friendly against Russia on 17 November, Čačić revealed that a comeback is not out of the question.

“I spoke with Eduardo, I told him that for me he retired from the national team too early. He told me his reasons for retiring and said that now he did not see him self in the national team. If he attracts attention with his play and if he has the desire to play for Croatia then why not? If he is playing well, and he wants to return, there is no reason not to call him up! After Davor Šuker he is Croatia’s best ever striker. He knows how to score, he has a great feeling for what is going on, I know him well because I was his coach,” said Čačić.

Čačić has made it clear that those players not playing regular football for their clubs will find it hard to make his squad for Euro 2016 in France.