Vukojević: "The team needs peace ahead of the semi-finals"

"I understand and respect the decision of the Croatian Football Federation. I would never want to be a burden to the national team, especially not ahead of a match as monumental as the World Cup semi-final, when the team is most in need of a peaceful atmosphere. My statements were truly not intended to have any political connotations, and my only intention was to thank my friends in Ukraine for their support, and to thank my club, Dynamo Kyiv, for permitting me to participate at the World Cup.

However, I understand that my statements unfortunately could have been interpreted differently, for which I am sorry. I apologize to the Russian public if they have understood my statements in such a way. I am extremely proud of what Croatia has done in Russia so far, and I wish the boys the best of luck for the rest of the tournament. I will be their biggest fan until the very end!"

Ognjen Vukojević

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