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Ivan Rakitic Still Avoids Watching 2018 World Cup Final Highlights After Croatia’s Defeat to France
Amir Azimi
Daily News

Ivan Rakitic Still Avoids Watching 2018 World Cup Final Highlights After Croatia’s Defeat to France

Rakitic Can't Watch Clips from 2018 World Cup Final

Ivan Rakitic has revealed that he still avoids watching any footage of Croatia's heartbreaking loss to France in the 2018 World Cup final. The former midfielder described the pain from that day as still too fresh to revisit, despite the pride the team feels for their historic run.

Recalling the Loss in Moscow

The final took place at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium, where Croatia fell 4-2 to France. Rakitic played all 90 minutes in midfield and was a key figure in the squad that reached their first-ever World Cup final. Their journey included three consecutive knockout-stage comebacks, but the defeat left a deep wound that he hasn’t been able to face again.

“It was tough. To this day, I haven’t watched a single clip of that final, and if you played it now, I’d turn away,” Rakitic said during a Meet, Greet & Table Football event in Seville before Croatia’s UEFA Nations League clash with Spain, as quoted by MARCA.

Pride Despite the Pain

Though missing out on the trophy stings, Rakitic emphasized the immense pride felt by a nation with fewer than four million people. Croatia earned global respect through their performance, winning admiration even from fans in France.

“Ten minutes after losing, we felt immense pride because Croatia isn’t Spain; it’s very small, with a population not even reaching four million, but we achieved something special: we even won over the hearts and respect of so many people in France,” he explained.

He added that messages came from all around the world, though lifting the trophy would have meant more to him personally.

Upcoming Nations League Challenge

Looking ahead, Croatia prepares to face Spain at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan stadium in Seville. The match on Tuesday night is part of UEFA Nations League Group A3. Slaven Bilic’s team aims to claim three points and move above Spain in the standings after a narrow 2-1 victory over Czechia in their opening match. This tough fixture will test Croatia’s resilience before they complete their international schedule for this window.

  • Next Matches:
  • Belgium vs France: 28 Sept 2026, 21:45 (UEFA Nations League A)
  • Spain vs Croatia: 29 Sept 2026, 21:45 (UEFA Nations League A)

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