Croatia's Nikola Kalinic was sent home from the 2018 World Cup after refusing to come on as a substitute, ending his international career with 41 caps and 15 goals. The former Blackburn Rovers striker, who retired from football last year, was banished from the squad by then-boss Zlatko Dalic during the tournament.
Refusal to Come On
Dalic said Kalinic was supposed to come on in Croatia's opening match of the competition against Nigeria, but the striker explained he couldn't because he wasn't fit. The former boss said at the time: "During the Nigeria encounter, Kalinic was warming up and was supposed to come on in the second half."
"However, he then stated he wasn’t ready to come on due to a back issue. The same thing happened during the Brazil friendly in England, as well as before the practice session on Sunday. I have calmly accepted that, and since I need my players fit and ready to play, I have made this decision." The Croatian Football Association confirmed that Dalic had consulted his coaching staff before making the decision.
Impact on Croatia's Squad
The departure of the ex-Atletico Madrid forward meant Croatia had to play the rest of the tournament with 22 players, leaving Dalic unable to call up a replacement. However, being a man short didn't hamper Croatia's progress as they stunningly reached the final for the first time in their history. They topped Group D after beating Nigeria, Argentina and Iceland before toppling Denmark, Russia and England in the knockout stages to set up their finale against France.
Their 4-2 defeat to Les Bleus did nothing to quell the national pride in what was a sensational tournament. Kalinic was eligible for a runners-up medal despite not playing a minute, but surprised fans by declining it. He explained after the competition: "What happened at the World Cup happened. The coach did not want to count on me and I accepted that. I did not want the medal as I did not contribute during the tournament, did not share in the achievement of the team. We can leave it behind now."
Croatia and England both have one win each heading into their Group A3 clash, which will mark their first meeting since the Three Lions defeated them 4-2 in the World Cup 2026 this past summer.
