who is Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, the president who loves football so much?

She presides over Croatia since 2015. Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic was such an exemplary head of state this Sunday, July 15 during the defeat of the football team of his country against World Cup winners Bleus

After comforting its players at the closing ceremony, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic celebrated France's victory alongside Emmanuel Macron, then cuddling the leader of the World Cup. French state as well as Kylian MBappé and Antoine Griezmann on the lawn of the Luzhniki stadium, Moscow, Russia.

In the locker room, the first woman to preside Croatia congratulated in a loud voice (and in French if you pleases) the players of the France team: "Congratulations and long live France!" exclaimed with applause.

A great supporter of football, herself a follower of this sport, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic would have missed this international competition for nothing in the world. To attend her team's matches, the 50-year-old Croatian president took a leave of absence without pay and paid herself her plane ticket to go to Russia and thus be able to encourage Croatian players , Reports West France . An example to follow for the next World Cup?

Football and politics in Croatia: close ties

If the images of the final have been around the world, Le Monde reminds that Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, one of the most powerful women in the world according to prestigious magazines Forbes, is a champion in the art of mastering her communication.

When she flew to Russia, the one who was the first woman in her country to be appointed Foreign Minister (in 2005) favors a "clbadic business line" rather than a private flight or a first clbad seat. In the round of 16, as Croatia play Denmark, the president turns her back on the presidential stand to watch the match in the middle of the crowd

This well-staged staging 'then inscribed in a tradition of this country of the former Yugoslavia where football has become a Mecca of the local mafia, as recalled Le Monde . Since 1991, football has been used by politicians to forge the national narrative of Croatia.

Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic does not depart from this tradition and continues to maintain close ties with powerful men from the world of Croatian football, such as Danir Vrbanovic, director general of the federation, convicted this year for fraud by the Union of European Football Associations. A detail that seems to forget the general public with regard to these videos and photos of a final could not be more historical for Croatia.

Read More