Darijo Srna's international retirement

My entire life can be summarized in this 15 years that I've played for Croatia. Therefore, I will never be able to find the proper words to say goodbye. All I know is that nothing is forever, neither is any of us, but something has to be said and anything I say will not be enough to explain the honour and the pride I've felt representing my country. It's not easy... a part of me knows this has to be done, the other part wants to stay, and both parts knows what is right and are true to their word.

When someone leaves, things get added, subtracted, measured... Matches become numbers, competitions become years, and I'm a stranger to this, I'm not one of those people. Numbers are cold, achievable, and that is rightfully so. However, I would like to try transform these lines into emotions, even though that is not always possible in life, let alone in football. The greatest of poets are not able to tell the stories told by a second of a football match, and I have experienced an eternity of these moments in my 15 years with Vatreni.

To emphasize a single match would not be fair to some of my teammates if they weren't lucky enough to play it, and it would not be fair to sports achievements to say they were all alike. What is fair, is to say that I've started every match with a full heart, as did all of my Croatia teammates. And that is the single truth.

In France, listening to Croatian anthem for the last time as a grown man, a parent, a captain - who remembers listening it for the first time as a boy - it feels the same. Absolutely nothing has changed. Throughout my playing career, from GOŠK Gabela, Neretva, Hajduk, and Shakhtar, to leave for international duty was my passion and pride. The last time was difficult since I was aware that it could be the last time... and because of my father. I owe everything to him.

I can't express enough gratitude to all people who have helped throughout the years to become what I am now. Naming them, I would certainly skip someone and make a bigger mistake than just saying that I am eternally grateful for the least of efforts that helped me live my dreams, as the happiest person alive. Moreover, the same applies to my family, they mean everything to me. Without my parents, my brothers, my wife, and my children, I would not be the same.

I leave the national team with pride, knowing I've gave all that I've could. Everything. If you ask me what would I rather be - a triple world champion with any other national team or what I am now with Croatia - I do not have to answer. Playing for Croatia was dreaming awake.

Thus, this is the greatest and saddest day in my life. To part forever with something you love so much breaks the soul, holds the breath, fills the eyes with tears, searches for the right words that aren't coming. There are none, there can be none... How could there be, I was the captain of Croatia national football team. The captain of the Vatreni. The first among excellent people, giants, the best of the best. It was worth it, every second...

Forever, as long as I breathe, I will be one of you!

Darijo Srna

Foto: Arhiva HNS

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