Former Croatian international Dario Šimić was arrested on Tuesday in connection with a corruption case in the tourism sector, according to state media Hina.
Dario Šimić, 50, played 100 times for Croatia and participated in three FIFA World Cups: 1998 (where Croatia finished third), 2002, and 2006. He was arrested in Zagreb on suspicion of illegally obtaining an operating license for a camp on the Croatian Adriatic coast. Sources say this is one of the charges under investigation.
Neither the police nor the special prosecutor's office responsible for anti-corruption have yet confirmed the arrest, but several media outlets have published photos showing Šimić in handcuffs as he exited a police car. The case also involves two other individuals, a former tourism official and a local entrepreneur, who are accused of assisting Šimić and are currently in custody. At the heart of the case is a small 10-pitch campsite located in Tisno.
Two Champions League Titles
A former tourism official and four others were already indicted in 2025 on suspicion of issuing illegal permits for this campsite. The Tisno local authorities filed a lawsuit against Šimić in 2024, accusing him of suspected illegal construction in a protected coastal area.
Šimić came through the Dinamo Zagreb youth academy, where he played for 6 years. He then played in Italy for 10 years, first for Inter Milan and then for Milan, winning two Champions League trophies with Milan in 2003 and 2007. He then joined Monaco before returning briefly to his former club and retiring in 2010.
After retiring, the former defender founded a bottled water production company, with products sold in the Balkan region.
AF's PC site is now live! Browse full news, comments, match details and stats on your computer. Visit: www.allfootballapp.com