August 14, 2024 – Marcelo Brozović officially announced the end of his national team career.
The Saudi Al Nassr player has decided he will not help Croatia in the upcoming World Cup qualifiers and Nations League campaign. Brozović ends his national team career with 99 appearances and seven goals. His goodbye letter is transmitted in its entirety:
“You know me well enough to know that I’m not one for many words, so actually just one number would be enough for this farewell letter.
99.
I had the honor of playing for the Croatia national football team so many times, and I will end my national team career with that number.
I always gave one hundred percent effort, energy, strength, and passion for Croatia. It is the standard set by many great players before me, the standard to which we have all aspired in this unforgettable generation, and the standard to which all those to come must aspire.
I feel that with Croatia I have gone through and achieved everything I could ever wish for and that it is time for new forces to give that one hundred percent because that is the only thing good enough when you perform for Croatia.
99 matches.
Competitive debut against Brazil at the opening of the World Cup in Brazil. Silver medal in Russia. Bronze medal in Qatar. Silver in Rotterdam. Welcome receptions after the World Cup medals. Many sweet, big and dramatic victories, but also some painful defeats. Many sliding starts and even more kilometers covered. These are the most memorable, dearest and most special memories of my football life and I am infinitely grateful that I had the privilege of being a part of this team.
It is impossible to thank everyone individually in a letter like this, because in football you have to be lucky to be surrounded by many quality people to succeed, from coaches to teammates to doctors, physios, economists and everyone else.
And with the Croatia national team, they are the best of the best.
It was a pleasure to work with all the coaches, from Niko Kovač, who first gave me the opportunity, through Ante Čačić, with whom we played excellent football in France, to Zlatko Dalić, with whom we achieved unprecedented and extraordinary successes. I thank them and all the members of the staff, as well as the team from the Federation, because they all helped create that winning, pleasant, and family atmosphere in the national team.
A big thank you goes to my family and the people closest to me because they have always been my most important support. I am happy that I was able to share those greatest moments in the history of Croatian football with them, as well as with the fans who lived, celebrated, and mourned with us – thank you for your support, especially when it was difficult.
It’s hard to say goodbye to the national team for many reasons, but for one reason I’ve been struggling for so long.
It’s hard to say goodbye to the team.
It’s hard to say goodbye to Luka and Kova, with whom I’ve been through so much, knew by heart on the pitch, and with whom it was an incredible pleasure to play with. And to everyone else, young and old, because we knew how to give 100% on the field and have fun off the field. I know how much I will miss it all: every meal, preparation for training, tension before the game, pride when Lijepa naša plays, emotion when we celebrate great victories with the fans, and that ordinary Monday when we get together, see each other for the first time in a month or two, hug and continue where we left off last time.
But the caravan must go on, and those of us who are leaving remain the biggest fans. Croatia has and will continue to have a great team, The older ones will lead as before and the younger ones are hungry, quality, and eager to continue a series of great successes.
99.
Someone will ask, “so, who is so crazy to say goodbye with exactly 99 performances”?
It’s more than I could have ever wished for, and it was better and more successful than I could have ever dreamed. And that’s why those ninety-nine are epic!
Love you, Broz”
