Domagoj Vida retires for Croatia with emotional letter

Domagoj Vida (Photo credit: Анна Нэсси/Soccer.ru/CC BY-SA 3.0)

The vice-captain of the Croatian national team, Domagoj Vida, has announced his retirement from international football today, HNS confirmed.

He informed the president of the Croatian Football Federation, Marijan Kustić, and the head coach, Zlatko Dalić, before addressing the public and fans with the following letter below:

On the 23rd of May, 2010, when I made my debut for the Croatian national team in front of my family, friends, and fellow Slavonians, I thought I had achieved my footballing dream.

Over 14 years later, I now know that it was merely the beginning of the most beautiful journey in my footballing career. As difficult as it is to say, write, or articulate these words, because it’s hard to part with something so meaningful, it is easier knowing how enriched I am by all the experiences I’ve had.

It is an honour to wear the most beautiful jersey in the world and represent your country even once in your career.

When you do it 105 times, compete in seven major tournaments, and win three major medals with Croatia, you can only feel endlessly grateful for such a privilege.

Victories and successes are recorded in the books, but in my memories, there is so much more. All the tough moments are just as valuable and important because they strengthen the unity, character, and relationships within the team.

In recent years, we have grown accustomed to magnificent successes, but we veterans have also faced disappointments, changes in coaching, defeats, and harsh criticism. We emerged stronger, and the successes were all the sweeter.

I have enjoyed fighting for Croatia on the pitch and am honoured to have been a part of that unforgettable silver team from Russia. However, I have been just as passionate over the past few years when I haven’t played as much, understanding that for success, everyone is crucial, from the first to the last.

Give your all in training, support and uplift your teammates, shout, comfort, hug, make the team laugh, lead the singing—there are many ways to contribute to the national team’s success, and I am proud that as vice-captain, I could contribute in this way.

(Photo credit: Fanny Schertzer/CC BY-SA 3.0)

After 14 years with this family, how do I thank everyone without forgetting someone?

Thank you to all my coaches, from Slaven, who gave me my first opportunity, to Igor, Niko, Ante, and Zlatko, with whom we achieved unprecedented and incredible successes, and to all the staff members.

It has been an honour to share the dressing room with some of the best players Croatia has ever had, led by the greatest of the greats. Thank you for always giving your all for Croatia, for treating the national team as sacred, which made every gathering a joy, to see each other, bond, and then fight for the same jersey.

Thank you to the entire support team, who also have great merit in every success, to all our physiotherapists, doctors, and equipment managers, and the people from the Federation, led by “aunt” Iva. Thanks to the presidents, the late Vlatko, Davor, and now Marijan, for the great support the Federation has always given to the national team.

Thank you to our brilliant fans, whom we especially regret not achieving more for this year in Germany, where we had the greatest support in history.

Your support means a lot to us even in such moments, showing that you are always with us and recognise that we give our all.

I will never forget the celebrations in 2018 and 2022; the unity and love we felt then were the greatest rewards for all the effort we put into the success of the national team.

From his first #Croatia appearance, in his city of Osijek on 23 May 2010, Domagoj Vida had plenty to enjoy in the national team shirt! 🥈🥉🥈 #HvalaDomi #Family #Vatreni❤️‍🔥 pic.twitter.com/ZQmoxw4Ykf

— HNS (@HNS_CFF) July 21, 2024