Dani Olmo Explains Why He Left Barcelona for Dinamo Zagreb: ‘Everyone Has Their Own Story’
Dani Olmo is preparing for a particularly emotional international fixture as Spain face Croatia, the country that played a major role in shaping his career.
Before establishing himself at RB Leipzig and eventually returning to Barcelona, Olmo spent six formative years at Dinamo Zagreb after leaving La Masia as a teenager.
That decision proved to be one of the most important of his career, giving him the opportunity to play senior football and develop into the midfielder he is today.
Now, as he prepares to face Croatia with Spain, Olmo has explained why he made the bold decision to leave Barcelona's famous academy.
Why Olmo Chose Dinamo Zagreb
Olmo left Barcelona's youth setup as a teenager and moved abroad to join Dinamo Zagreb.
Rather than seeing the move as a setback, he viewed it as an opportunity to accelerate his development by playing regularly against senior opposition.
Reflecting on the decision, Olmo explained that Dinamo's belief in him was a major factor.
“Everyone has their own story and their own reasons. What led me to make the decision to come to Dinamo was their interest in having me, the vision they had for me,” Olmo said.
“It was one of the best moments I’ve experienced in my career.”
The move ultimately transformed his career.
Dinamo gave Olmo the platform to establish himself professionally, while his performances in Croatia eventually attracted attention from clubs across Europe.
His success there led to his move to RB Leipzig before Barcelona eventually brought him back to Catalonia.
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‘Croatia Has Given Me Almost Everything’
Despite leaving Spain at a young age, Olmo has never forgotten the role Croatia played in his development.
He spent six years in the country, making his upcoming meeting with Croatia particularly meaningful.
“It’s going to be a very special game for me,” Olmo said.
“I spent six years of my life here, and it’s a country that has given me almost everything as a footballer and as a person. These are wonderful feelings.”
His time in Zagreb helped transform him from an academy prospect into an established professional and eventually a full Spain international.
Olmo Could Have Represented Croatia
Given his lengthy stay in the country and familiarity with Croatian football, Olmo could potentially have represented Croatia internationally.
However, despite that possibility, the Barcelona midfielder always had another ambition.
“It was a possibility, but my dream was always to play with Spain,” he explained.
That dream eventually became reality, with Olmo becoming an important member of Spain's senior team.
His journey also makes the Croatia fixture especially unique: he will now face the country where he spent a crucial six years of his footballing development while wearing the Spain shirt he always wanted to represent.
Olmo Praises Lamine Yamal
Olmo also took the opportunity to discuss his Barcelona teammate Lamine Yamal and the remarkable progress the young forward continues to make.
The midfielder believes Yamal is becoming increasingly mature and influential with every match.
“After each match, he looks better and more mature. At the start of this season, he’s helping us both with our play and scoring goals,” Olmo said.
“He’s a very important player for both Barça and the Spanish national team.”
For Olmo, the Croatia match therefore represents more than another international fixture.
It is a reunion with the country that helped shape his career, while also providing another opportunity to represent Spain alongside teammates such as Yamal.
His journey from La Masia to Dinamo Zagreb, RB Leipzig and eventually back to Barcelona shows just how dramatically a young player's career can change after taking a different path.
And as he prepares to face Croatia, Olmo can look back on that decision as one that ultimately helped shape the player he became.