Danijel Subašić Follows Ćorluka and Mandžukić, Retires from Croatia National Team

Daniela Rogulj

Croatia’s first goalkeeper and one of the heroes of the World Cup in Russia where Croatia won the silver medal, Danijel Subašić has reluctantly said goodbye to the national team. 

Subašić’s emotional address to the public in its entirety, published via HNS on August 15, 2018. 

“Dear Croatian fans,

The time has come that after 10 years on the national team, I will retire my favorite jersey. It was a long journey since the first call in 2008 and the fulfillment of the dream of a little goalkeeper from Zadar, followed by a lot of effort and work as well as years of patience on the bench to become number one – or my favorite, 23.

I want to thank all of the trainers from my heart – I’ve learned a lot from each of you! I would particularly like to mention Slaven Bilić who first invited me to the national team and Zlatko Dalić with whom we have come to this incredible silver. Thank you so much to all the people in HNS and around the team who were always there first hand for everything we needed, to make sure nothing was missing, and to make sure we were all satisfied, happy, and healthy. 

Thanks to my family and to all of my loved ones who have been with me since day one and who I could rely on in all the difficult moments. 

I made this decision long before the World Cup because I wanted to conclude my national team career with the World Cup, which was one of my dreams. Each of us has a period of time, and it is up to us to estimate how long we can play. Maybe I could have another cycle to play, but that might be too much. This is how I want my dear colleagues who are waiting for their chance to realize their dreams as I have done playing for Croatia – in the youth the world remains and they are the future of Croatia.

My journey has come to this, and to the world silver in the holy jersey for which I gave myself, honestly and proudly, every match. Even though there are not many, that is less important – the most important thing is that I am a full and happy man to have played for my homeland and the most beautiful jersey in the world. All of us were awakened by those unbelievable greetings in Zagreb, my Zadar, and Croatia. These were the happiest, most memorable moments of my career that, together with those months in Russia, marked and defined my story on the national team.

Thanks to all the teammates, without you nothing would make any sense. We had a lot of hard times together but spent equally as many beautiful times together. This communion, modesty, and friendship from Russia I will remember for the rest of my life. I will not talk about the games; we talked on the field together, one for the other, banged our heads, cried from joy, played with injections, ate tablets like candy, all for us, for our jersey, for our people, for our historic silver medal.

All club competitions cannot be compared even close to playing for the Croatia national team, and the feelings and emotions of hearing the national anthem before each game.

Thank you all from the heart for your unconditional support!

She is a love that you cannot overcome.

I am always one of you,

Your Suba

Above all VATRENI 2018!”

Dragi navijači hrvatske reprezentacije, došlo je vrime da se i ja nakon 10 godina u reprezentaciji oprostim od najdražeg nam dresa ??. Bilo je ovo dugo putovanje, još od prvog poziva 2008. i ispunjenja sna jednog ‘golmančića’ iz Zadra, a potom puno truda i rada, kao i godine strpljenja na klupi da postanem broj jedan – odnosno meni omiljeni 23 ?? Želim zahvaliti svim trenerima od srca – od svakoga od vas sam puno naučio! Hvala puno svim ljudima u HNS-u što su nam uvik bili tu pri ruci za sve što nam je tribalo, što su činili sve da nam ništa ne fali i da budemo svi zadovoljni, sritni i zdravi ❤ Ovu odluku donija sam puno prije SP-a jer sam htio zaključiti reprezentativnu karijeru s nastupom na Svjetskom, što je bio jedan od mojih snova. Svatko od nas ima neki rok trajanja, i na nama je procijeniti koliko dugo možemo igrati. Možda sam mogao još jedan ciklus odigrati, ali to bi možda bilo previše. Ovako želim da moji dragi kolege koji čekaju svoju priliku ostvare svoje snove kao što sam i ja ostvario igrajući za Hrvatsku – na mladima svijet ostaje i oni su hrvatska budućnost. Moj put je došao do tu, i do svjetskog srebra ? u svetom dresu za kojeg sam davao cilog sebe, časno i ponosno svaku utakmicu. Iako ih, doduše, nema puno, to je manje bitno – najvažnije od svega je da sam ispunjen i sritan čovik što sam moga igrati za moju domovinu i najlipši dres na svitu ?? Hvala svim suigračima, bez vas ništa ne bi imalo smisla. Proživljavali smo teške trenutke skupa, ali proveli isto tako zajedno puno lipih. Ovo zajedništvo, skromnost i prijateljstvo iz Rusije pamtit ću cili svoj život. O utakmicama neću pričati; pričali smo na terenu skupa, jedan za drugoga, bacali se na glavu, plakali od sriće, igrali pod injekcijama, gutali tablete k'o bombone, sve za nas, za naš dres, za naš narod, za našu povijesnu svjetsku srebrnu medalju ? Sva klupska natjecanja ne mogu se usporediti ni blizu igranju za hrvatsku reprezentaciju, osjećaju i emocijama pri intoniranju Lijepe naše prije svake utakmice. Hvala vam svima od srca na bezuvjetnoj podršci ?? Ona je ljubav koja ne može proć ❤ Zauvik jedan od Vas Vaš Suba Iznad svih VATRENI 2018??

A post shared by Danijel Subasic (@danijel.subasic) on

 

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