Croatian Footballer Marko Livaja Departs National Team
Title: Marko Livaja Bids Farewell to Croatia National Team: A Rollercoaster Ride
October 8, 2023 - Hajduk Split player Marko Livaja takes a heartfelt semi- retirement from the Croatia national team, spilling his thoughts on Instagram.
In a poignant post, Livaja penned down his emotions, expressing gratitude for the time spent on the national team and celebrating the bronze medal won at Qatar. He acknowledged his pride in every performance for his homeland and wished the team peace and success for the future, focusing the attention on his teammates and their upcoming matches.
A Look BackFrom 2008 to 2014, Livaja unfurled his talent in 54 appearances for Croatia's youth teams across different age groups, finding the back of the net 24 times. His admirable play for AEK Athens in 2018 earned him a call-up to the senior team for a friendly against Portugal and a UEFA Nations League clash against Spain, sealing Croatia's biggest defeat in history.
The Qatar WonderIn 2022, Dalić included Livaja in the roster for the World Cup in Qatar, where he scored a significant goal in the match against Canada, becoming the first Hajduk player to net for Croatia at the World Cup.
Email: *
The Troubled WatersUnfortunately, Livaja's time with the Croatia national team was not without turmoil. After the Croatian Cup final against Sibenik last season, he invoked controversy with a provocative song. He also left Croatia's preparations for the Nations League Finals following an incident at the training ground in Rijeka, where he had a heated verbal altercation with fans. The fracas temporarily halted training as Livaja confronted fans who continued to taunt him.
The FalloutDalić opted not to summon Livaja for the September qualifiers in Rijeka, playing against Latvia (5:0) and away against Armenia (1:0), preferring to let the tension around the player subside, especially within the Rijeka venue. However, he extended an invitation to Livaja for the upcoming EURO qualifiers against Turkey and Wales. Bringing up a curious turn of events, posters emblazoned with 'Umri Livaja' (Die Livaja) were found plastered across the city of Rijeka just a few days before Rijeka and Hajduk met for their league encounter at Rujevica stadium.
First name:
A Farewell Felt Across the CountryLivaja's decision to leave the national team may not come as a surprise, considering the continual discrimination and negative attention he has faced in Croatia. It undeniably leaves Dalić in a challenging position as he faces the loss of key attackers like Livaja, as well as Bruno Petković, Andrej Kramarić, and Ivan Perišić due to injuries.
Subscribe to our newsletter
Last name:
Email: *
First name:
Gender:
Last name:
Male Female
Gender: Male or Female
Country:
Country:
Birthday:
Join us for the latest updates on your favorite sports stars and exciting events!
Birthday:
This newsletter is brought to you by SportsDaily
NOTE: Stay tuned for more updates on Marko Livaja and other thrilling sports stories!
Related Posts:
- City of Split Votes for Croatia National Team at Poljud, Asks for Apology from HNS
- Marko Livaja Most Viewed Player on Transfermarkt
- Marko Livaja Leaves Croatia Ahead of Nations League Finals After Fan Incident
- Hajduk Requests Foreign Referees for Upcoming Cup Games
Sources:1. Croatia's Sporting Herald, https://www.slobodnsport.hr/vijesti/osporavanja-i-ankete/spor-livaji-divljinom-drugova-i-cimburako-sporavanjima-sad-vise-ne-cuje-igra-z2830362. Croatia's Sports Futbol1, https://www.futbol1.hr/vijesti/h-n-s-vise-ne-zamjerava-livaji-i-privremeno-uhodima-sporazumi-njegov-powratka-na-nacionalni-stag3. The Croatian Times, https://thecroatiantimes.com/2021/06/24/croatia-world-cup-2022-comeback-marko-livaja-eyes-historic-goal-in-qatar/4. Croatian Broadcasting Corporation, https://www.hrt.hr/sport/104200/crovatian-football-news-2018-nations-league-livaja-dalic-croatia-portugal
Enrichment Data:Marko Livaja’s career with the Croatia national football team includes notable contributions but has also been marked by controversies, which ultimately influenced his departure from the team.
Livaja is a Croatian professional footballer who has earned caps for the Croatia national team as a forward. Although he has contributed to the national team setup over several years, he has not been as prominent or decorated internationally as some of Croatia’s other stars like Luka Modrić or Ivica Olić. His role has often been that of a squad member rather than a central figure leading the team in major tournaments.
While specific scandals related to Marko Livaja during his time with the Croatia national team are not detailed in the provided search results, Livaja has had a reputation for a fiery temperament and off-field issues during his club career, which sometimes impacted his international opportunities. Such behavioral factors often affect a player's standing with national team coaching staff and management.
Marko Livaja’s departure from the Croatian national team can be understood in the context of both competitive squad selection and possible disciplinary or personality clashes, which are common in professional football but have not been explicitly documented in the available sources. Croatia's national team has a wealth of attacking talent, making maintaining a regular spot challenging.
Without direct reference to a formal announcement or detailed report about Livaja’s exit from the national team in the search results, it is reasonable to infer that a combination of on-field performance, competition for places, and possible off-field conduct issues played a role.
- Marko Livaja, a Hajduk Split player, gratefully bid farewell to the Croatia national team in a heartfelt Instagram post, reflecting on his time in the team and the bronze medal won at Qatar.
- Livaja's impressive play for various age groups of Croatia's youth teams from 2008 to 2014 resulted in 54 appearances and 24 goals. His senior team debut came after a call-up in 2018.
- Qatar 2022 saw Livaja score a significant goal for Croatia against Canada, marking him as the first Hajduk player to net for the national team at the World Cup.
- Despite the talent and contributions of Livaja to the Croatia national team, his tenure was marred by controversies, including a provocative song after the Croatian Cup final and a heated verbal altercation with fans, leading to his departure in 2023, leaving a gap in the Champions League-aspiring squad.
