The vice-captain of the Croatian national team, Ivan Rakitic announced at the age of 32 that he would no longer play for Croatia, for which he made his debut in 2007 and played 106 scoring 15 goals.
“Saying goodbye to the Croatian national team is the most difficult decision in my career, but I felt that this was the moment when I had to break and make that decision. I enjoyed every game I played for my homeland, and unforgettable moments from the World Cup will remain among my favorites. “I am convinced that we still have a great team with a bright future ahead of me. I wish my friends and teammates all the world’s sports luck in the upcoming challenges, and they will have the biggest fan in me,” Rakitic said on Twitter.
Rakitic chose Croatia ahead of the senior national team of his native Switzerland, for whose youth teams he previously played. After making the most crucial choice in his professional career, he became a legend of the Croatian national team and Croatian sports in general.
In the national team jersey Rakitic reached the peak at the 2018 World Cup. According to many, he was the best player in Croatia on the way to world silver, which the national team reached so that Rakitic scored the winning goal in two knockout stages in the penalty shootout.
