"The Hardest Decision of My Career, But It's the Right Moment for It"

After 106 matches and 15 goals for the Croatian national team, Ivan Rakitić has made the decision to retire as a Croatia international. The vice-captain of the Vatreni was a key player in Croatia’s silver-medal run at the 2018 World Cup and will always be remembered for his match-deciding penalty shots in the matches against Denmark and Russia.

"Saying goodbye to the Croatian national team has been the hardest decision of my career, but I sensed that this was the right moment to make this decision. I’ve enjoyed every single match that I’ve ever played for my homeland, and the unforgettable moments from the 2018 World Cup will forever remain some of my dearest memories. I am certain that Croatia has another excellent team on its hands and that there’s a bright future ahead of the Vatreni. I wish the best of luck to my friends and teammates in the national team – I’ll be following them every step of the way and will forever be their biggest fan,” said Ivan Rakitić of his retirement.

Ahead of publicizing his decision to retire, Rakitić has discussed it with head coach Zlatko Dalić, HNS president Davor Šuker, and team captain Luka Modrić. He will be giving a more comprehensive statement in the near future.

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