He was 16 when he left Barcelona for Zagreb. More than a decade later, with Spain in Split for a Nations League fixture against Croatia at Stadion Poljud, Olmo was asked to explain the unconventional choice that shaped his career.
“Everyone has their own story and their own reasons, for me what led me to take the decision to come to Dinamo was the interest they had in having me, the vision they had with me,” he told reporters at the pre-match press conference.
“It was one of the best moments I have lived in my career.”
He arrived with his mother in a country whose language he did not speak, stayed six years at Dinamo, scored 34 goals in 124 appearances, then moved to RB Leipzig in 2020 before eventually returning to Barcelona.
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‘A country that gave me everything’
Olmo’s affection for Croatia ran through the press conference.
“It’s going to be a very special match for me,” he said. “I spent six years of my life here and it is a country that has given me almost everything as a footballer and as a person.”
The warmth is not only sentimental. Olmo confirmed he donates two percent of his gross annual salary to Vukovar and Slavonski Brod, channelled through Common Goal.
“I felt that when I left I was somewhat in debt,” he said of his departure.
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The donations began during his Leipzig years and have continued at Barcelona.
Why he turned down a Croatia call-up
Dinamo wanted him on the pitch. The Croatian federation also wanted him in a national-team shirt, an approach Olmo confirmed had been made during his time at the club.
“It was a possibility,” he said. “I was very grateful, but my dream is and always was to play for my national team.”
With Spain he has since collected a European Championship, a World Cup and a Nations League, a run he name-checked in Split when discussing the choice.
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Spain can seal the quarterfinals in Split
Kickoff at Stadion Poljud is at 8:45pm local time. Spain, top of Group A3 with a perfect nine points from three matches and on a 41-match unbeaten run, can confirm their place in the Nations League quarterfinals in March 2027 with a win.
Croatia sit third on three points after losing 7-0 to England in their previous group fixture, the heaviest defeat in the country’s international history. Olmo warned his Spain teammates not to misread the mood.
“I expect a more dangerous Croatia,” he said. “They aren’t coming off an easy match, but playing in front of their home crowd won’t be easy for us.”
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