Ice-cool Ivan’s heart beats for Croatia, but he’s Swiss-born

CROATIA are in today’s World Cup semifinal against England, in part thanks to Ivan Rakitic’s cool head in penalty shootouts.

Were it not for a decision of the heart in 2007 to switch allegiances from Switzerland, the country of his birth, the midfielder would never have played for Zlatko Dalic’s team at this tournament.

Rakitic’s parents fled to Switzerland from Bosnia before the Balkan conflicts began. He represented the Swiss at under17, U19 and U21 level but there was always a nagging doubt he was playing for the wrong side.

In an interview with the English newspaper The Independent in 2015 he spoke of his family’s move to Switzerland saying: “My father is Croatian but went to school in Bosnia. And my mother is also Croatian but lived in Bosnia.

“The tension was building and anyone who had the chance to get out did so.

“My father found a job in construction and shortly after that my mother and my brother joined him. In 1988 I was born in Switzerland.”

Far from the conflict which eventually started in 1991, Rakitic became one of Switzerland’s most promising footballers representing them at youth level.

That was until he played for Switzerland U-17s against their Croatian counterparts.

He told Spanish newspaper El Pais this week: “I have never enjoyed a game less in my life. That day I realised that something was not right.”

Rakitic went on playing for the Swiss through to U21 level but finally switched to play for the senior team of the country of his parents. “I let my heart decide,” he told El Pais. He called Switzerland coach at the time, Jakob Kuhn, to inform him. But his decision still provoked an angry reaction from some in Switzerland and he even received death-threats.

Rakitic has said that he does not regret the decision calling it one made “not against Switzerland” but “for Croatia”.

And if Croatian supporters were pleased then, they will have been even more grateful for his decision after those two match-winning penalties in shoot-outs against Denmark in the last-16 match and Russia in the quarter-finals.

He has been in excellent form in Russia and felt strong despite a draining tournament.

He told El Pais that when a recent health check revealed a gluten intolerance he changed his diet.

“I used to feel bloated after games but since I have changed what I eat I recover much more quickly and I have no stomach problems,” he said.

“At first I didn’t really think it was that important but when I tried these change I noticed the difference.”

His performances in the Russian heat have helped to take Croatia to within a game of the final and the chance to outdo the 1998 Croatia team, who finished third in France he watched from home in Switzerland.

“That generation were more than just idols,” he says. “And not just for footballers, but for everyone in Croatia.” – dpa