Ivan Rakitic Still Avoids Watching 2018 World Cup Final Highlights After Croatia's Loss to France

Ivan Rakitic has revealed he still cannot watch any highlights from Croatia's 2018 World Cup final loss to France. The former midfielder, who played the entire match in Moscow, said the heartbreak remains too fresh for him to revisit those moments.

Recalling the Moscow Defeat

During the final at Luzhniki Stadium, Croatia lost 4-2 to France despite a historic run featuring three consecutive knockout-stage comebacks. Rakitic, a key player for the Vatreni, admitted the defeat left a lasting wound.

"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 at a promotional event in Seville ahead of Croatia’s UEFA Nations League match against Spain.

Underdogs with Pride

Even though the team missed out on football's biggest prize, Rakitic emphasized how proud the squad is of their achievement, especially given Croatia's small population of under four million people.

"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 added.

He also mentioned receiving messages of support from around the world, even though lifting the trophy would have been preferred.

Upcoming Nations League Challenge

Now, Croatia prepares to face Spain at Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan stadium in their UEFA Nations League Group A3 fixture. Managed by Slaven Bilic, the team aims to claim all three points to move above La Roja at the top of the group, following a 2-1 victory against Czechia in their opening match.