Croatia may have sensationally secured a silver medal at the World Cup in Russia, but there’s one member of their team who turned down the silverware. Nikola Kalinic has admitted that he doesn’t deserve the runners-up medal after his dramatic exit from the tournament.
Graciously, Kalinic’s team-mates and back-room staff awarded the 30-year-old with the medal despite him not even featuring during the tournament. The Croatian striker and head coach Zlatko Dalic entered into an argument on the touchline during their side’s opening match of the World Cup.Which was reportedly over the striker’s reluctance to come on as a substitute against Nigeria- he was subsequently sent packing.
The AC Milan player is reported to have said: “Thanks for the medal, but I did not play in Russia.” Kalinic’s refusal to come on as a substitute was put down to a back injury, despite the fact that the striker had already been warming up in the second half. Head coach Dalic eventually lost patience with the ex-Blackburn player having experienced a similar disagreement with him in a training session and in a World Cup warm-up game against Brazil.The dramatic end to the Croatian’s World Cup campaign reportedly started over his frustration at finding himself warming the bench for the fourth successive international fixture. Lack of game time during the World Cup and a well-publicised exit could well impact Kalinic’s future with AC Milan.
As reported earlier, the 30-year old was sent home by his national team at the very start of the 2018 FIFA World cup after he allegedly refused to come on as a substitute in Croatia’s opening game against Nigeria.While initial reports indicated Kalinic was gutted to be starting at the bench, rumors were also ripe that the Italy-based player did not want to be fielded against an African team Regardless, his decision to decline to play severely dented not only his character, but Croatia’s credentials as a genuine World Cup threat, at least initially.
Kalinic was reportedly furious with his coach for putting him on the bench for a fourth consecutive international. It remains to be seen if a lack of game-time during the World Cup and a well-publicised exit could well impact Kalinic’s future with AC Milan.Zlatko .
Kalinic, according to the reports, said “thank you but I did not play in Russia”.Technical director Zlatko Dalic threw out Kalinic after a 2-1 victory over Nigeria in the first game.Dalic said he wanted to use Kalinic as a substitute in the second half but the AC Milan striker, who was already warming up, told him he could not play because of a back problem.Dalic said that Kalinic did the same in a duel in preparation for the World Cup against Brazil and during a training session. Croatia lost 4-2 to France in the Final.
Kalinic, according to the reports, said “thank you but I did not play in Russia”.
Technical director Zlatko Dalic threw out Kalinic after a 2-1 victory over Nigeria in the first game.
Kalinic will arguably be the only Croatian who is somehow gutted to see the team in the World cup final because of behavior in Russia, and the whole world is not letting him forget the fact that he potentially missed out on one of the most historic World Cup campaigns by Croatia. The internet, for the better part of Wednesday and Thursday, July 12, took the opportunity to troll the forward while urging players to desist such tendencies. Needless to say, the trolling were as sad as they were hilarious.