Ivan Rakitic Reveals He Still Avoids Watching Croatia’s 2018 World Cup Final Loss to France

Ivan Rakitic has confessed that he still cannot bring himself to watch any footage from Croatia's heartbreaking 2018 World Cup final loss to France. The former midfielder, who played the entire match, described the lingering pain as too raw to revisit even years later.

The Final That Left a Mark

The 2018 final, held at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium, saw Croatia fall 4-2 to France. Despite the defeat, Croatia’s run to their first-ever final captured the world's attention, with three dramatic knockout-stage comebacks along the way. Rakitic was a key figure in this historic campaign but admitted the disappointment of not winning the trophy left a lasting scar.

"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 told Spanish outlet MARCA during an event in Seville before Croatia's match against Spain.

Pride Amid the Pain

Though the sting of defeat remains, Rakitic highlighted the pride the team felt immediately after the match. For a small country with fewer than four million people, reaching the final was an extraordinary achievement that earned global respect.

"Ten minutes after losing it, 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 said.

He added that despite receiving messages from around the world, nothing could replace the dream of lifting the trophy.

Looking Ahead: Nations League Challenge

Croatia now prepare for a tough UEFA Nations League Group A3 match against Spain at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan stadium. After a 2-1 victory over Czechia in their opening game, the Vatreni aim to claim all three points to top the group ahead of La Roja. This test in Andalusia will be crucial before their remaining fixtures in the international window.

Upcoming 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)