Blazevic, who coached Croatia to third place at the 1998 FIFA World Cup, was first diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2011, but fought off the disease, as reported by Total Croatia News.

In 2012, he was diagnosed with melanoma, a form of skin cancer, before the prostate cancer returned in 2019.

Speaking about the illness a few days before his death Blazevic said the cancer was "destroying my body slowly and surely."

Blazevic also coached the national teams of Switzerland in 1976, Iran in 2001, Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2008 and 2009 and China’s under-23s in 2010 and 2011.

Blazevic was a player until the age of 31, which included a four-year spell with Croatian club Rijeka, including four goals in 48 appearances.

After retiring from playing, Blazevic moved into coaching with the highlight of this period coming during a six-year stint with the Croatian national team between 1994 to 2000.

He led Croatia to a bronze medal at the 1998 World Cup, where they were defeated 2-1 in the semi-finals by eventual winners France.

In the third place playoff Croatia defeated the Netherlands, also by a 2-1 scoreline.