Niko Kovac Against the Past

NEW JERSEY, MONDAY — As a coach, Niko Kovac once encountered the World Cup while managing Croatia in 2014. Niko ultimately did not succeed.

The twists of fate brought him back to lead a team, but this time in the Club World Cup, managing Borussia Dortmund. The inaugural match between Dortmund and Fluminense at Metlife Stadium, New Jersey, United States, on Tuesday (17/6/2025) at 23:00 WIB, is no different from Niko's struggle against the past.

The failure to lead Croatia far in the 2014 World Cup has not been forgotten by Niko. Competing against Brazil, Mexico, and Cameroon, Croatia's progress was halted in the group stage after only managing to secure third place. Croatia was defeated by Brazil and Mexico. The victory over Cameroon was not enough to advance Croatia to the knockout stage.

Eleven years later, Niko returns to the World Cup as a coach. Not the inter-country World Cup, but the inter-club one. Niko, who was appointed to replace Nuri Sahin as the coach of Dortmund, reunites with his past.

Bad memories of failing to take Croatia far are to be cast aside. Niko is trying to overcome that dark past by accumulating points in the Group F qualifying phase.

The situation in the Club World Cup is almost similar to when Niko managed Croatia. In Group F, Dortmund is competing with Fluminense, which is a Brazilian club. The other two competitors are Ulsan Hyundai (South Korea) and Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa). Just like when coaching Croatia, Dortmund must also face the Brazilian club, Fluminense, in the opening match of the group.

Niko's memories surged back to the past when Croatia was defeated by Brazil in the opening match. He certainly does not want to repeat a similar failure. The loss to Brazil made Niko increasingly aware of how important it is to win the first match. He has set a target to secure full points against Fluminense.

"The first match is always important because, depending on the result, you will be under pressure in the second and third matches, or you can take a more relaxed approach," said Niko as quoted from the FIFA website.

Although more favored, Niko still considers Fluminense a dangerous opponent. In the 2013 Club World Cup edition, Fluminense advanced to the final but was defeated by Manchester City. In their last five matches, Fluminense remains unbeaten, achieving four victories and one draw.

"In my opinion, Fluminense is in fifth place in the Brazilian League. This means they are a very strong and dangerous opponent. We respect the three teams in our group, but I believe that we and Fluminense are the favorites in the group at this time," said Niko.

When he failed with Croatia in the World Cup, Niko was still in the early stages of his coaching career. Over time, Niko's ability to manage the team has developed rapidly.

Niko performed wonders by leading Dortmund to break into the top four or the UEFA Champions League zone at the end of the Bundesliga season. Prior to Niko's appointment, Dortmund was still in eleventh place. Many were surprised that Dortmund ultimately earned the right to compete in the Champions League next season.

Unlike Nuri Sahin, who is more compromising with the players, Niko is much tougher and demanding. He wants his players to run more. Under Şahin, Dortmund conceded nine goals after losing possession of the ball.

Under Niko's guidance, conceding a goal in such a manner only happened once. This is because Niko instructed the players to immediately retreat upon losing the ball, then reorganize their strength, and defend against the attack.

From an attacking aspect, Niko is not the type of coach who relies on ball possession. He changed Dortmund's playing style to be more direct and with lightning transitions. This approach makes Dortmund more efficient in attacking.

"The coach told us that we have to run. It doesn't matter who we are up against. At first, it was indeed very difficult. However, to be honest, it helped me. I feel fitter," said Dortmund forward, Karim Adeyemi.

Dortmund's struggle is somewhat hindered by the absence of captain Emre Can, Nico Schlotterbeck, and Salih Ozcan due to injuries. Meanwhile, Fluminense will also not be fielding a full-strength team due to the injuries of German Kano and Facundo Bernal. The winner of this match will have a clearer path to the knockout stage.