Ivan Rakitic: With Croatia in the final, but a fan of Switzerland – 2018 World Cup

Moscow. Schwyzerdütsch is also spoken at the World Cup final. If Ivan Rakitic appears today in front of the microphones, one could ask: is Switzerland not already gone? But the midfielder of Croatia is defending the transformation of a now multicultural Europe – with all its difficulties.

The 30-year-old American is cheered by the international community before the "game of our lives" and electrified: "I have the feeling that hundreds of millions Rakitic has played for a young Swiss [19659010] Born in Rheinfelden, son of Croatian parents, he also has Swiss nationality, Played once for junior selection of the Confederates, later in the Bundesliga at Schalke 04, is now a star at FC Barcelona – and now s & # 39; seize Croatia for the first time after the World Cup.

According to the Swiss news agency Keystone-SDA, Rakitic would be the first player with a Swiss passport to play in a World Cup final. His 99th international match Sunday (17:00 CEST / ZDF) against France at Luzhniki stadium in Moscow should lead to a career of many stations.

"There are no words to describe feelings" Rakitic already after the semifinal of triumph against England. "For that, you have to look very long at Duden – or invent something new."

At FC Basel with 17 years in first division

His first club was FC Möhlin -Riburg on the German-Swiss border. Already at the age of 17, the blond boy played for FC Basel in the first division. In the midst of his U21 time, he changed the Confederate jersey to that of his Croatian ancestors – and was involved in vicious insults. "I do not wish anyone else my situation at the time," he said in an interview "Blick" nowadays.

The subject was boiling again at the World Cup, from all places. The secretary general of the Swiss Football Federation (SFV), Alex Miescher, had requested that he hand over his second passport playing for the junior national team and asked in an interview: "Do we want the double nationality?"

The occasion was controversial Torjubel Swiss players Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri in a 2-1 victory in the World Cup qualifier against Serbia. The pros with Kosovo Albanian roots showed the so-called double eagle with their arms and hands and provoked the Serbian opponents. For Miescher 's statements, the SFV apologized on Friday: "Errors have occurred and an external effect has been achieved, which has never been desired," said the president of the company. Association, Gilliéron. He, too, was familiar with a difficult political and sporting terrain during the transition from SFV to the Croatian Federation. Today, he would be happy if the rules of a change would have been simpler at that time and that someone would have made the decision at that time – "without the pressure of the public so that they can only enjoy football. "

Rakitic shines 19659020] In Russia, Rakitic shines not only on the side of Real Madrid captain Luka Modric, but also as the winner of a scary match: in the penalty shootout of the playoffs against the Denmark and the quarter-final against Russia, it is decisive. only his first goal in the 2015 Champions League final against Juventus, when Barcelona won 3-1. Rakitic has long been a sovereign commuter between all football worlds. Nobody should blame him for his lack of attachment to his homeland: "I'm still a Swiss fan if we do not play against the Nati," he said in the interview "Blick". (dpa)

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