Ivan Rakitic Reveals He Still Can't Watch Croatia's 2018 World Cup Final Loss to France

Ivan Rakitic, the former Croatian midfielder, admitted he still cannot bring himself to watch any footage from the 2018 World Cup final where Croatia lost 4-2 to France. The defeat in Moscow remains a painful memory for him, even years later.

The Heartbreak in Moscow

Rakitic was central to Croatia’s historic run at the 2018 tournament, playing every minute of the final match held at Luzhniki Stadium. Despite their impressive journey that included three comeback victories in the knockout rounds, falling short in the final left a wound he is reluctant to revisit.

"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 ahead of Croatia’s upcoming match against Spain.

Pride Amid the Pain

Though the loss still stings, Rakitic emphasized the immense pride he and his teammates felt for representing a small country with less than four million people on football’s biggest stage. The team's unexpected achievement won them respect worldwide, including from many 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 reflected. "I received messages from all over the world, even though I would have much preferred to lift the trophy."

Upcoming Challenge: Nations League Clash Against Spain

Now, Croatia prepares to face Spain at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan stadium in their UEFA Nations League Group A3 match on Tuesday night. Under coach Slaven Bilic, they aim to claim all three points to move ahead of La Roja after their narrow 2-1 victory over Czechia in their opening game. This tough fixture will test Croatia’s resilience before they play their remaining matches in this international window.

• Upcoming UEFA Nations League Matches:
• Belgium vs France: 28 Sept 2026, 21:45
• Spain vs Croatia: 29 Sept 2026, 21:45