August 19, 2021 - Josip Brekalo responds to critics on Instagram about being dropped from the Croatia squad for the upcoming 2022 World Cup qualifiers.
Croatia coach Zlatko Dalić did not invite Josip Brekalo to the national team gathering for the September 2022 World Cup qualifying matches, which shocked many after the young football star has been a standard on the squad after the 2018 World Cup.
After Dalić released the latest player list, speculation followed that Brekalo might have been dropped for not respecting his senior teammates. However, the Wolfsberg winger responded to critics on social networks to clear the air.
Brekalo primarily wanted to deny the stories that he is "a disobedient team member who does not respect his older teammates and undermines the cohesion in the team."
You can read Brekalo's statement transmitted below:
"I use this opportunity to announce my representative status and various media stories and speculations related to it.
The worst stories that prompted me to publish this are those where I am portrayed as a disobedient who disrespects older teammates and undermines team cohesion.
These are gross fabrications and absolute untruths, and as such, I have to deny them because, in these three years that I have been in the national team, I have never had a single problem, not with a single teammate. On the contrary and the only possible one, I respect them all, and I have a very good relationship with everyone.
The Croatia national team is sacred to my other family and me.
I am proud to have played 27 of 28 possible matches in these three years, and in the last year, I also scored four goals with assists.
Why I was not invited this time is not a question for me, but I know that every time I am invited, I will give my maximum. I believe in myself and look forward to the next opportunity and the call again.
I wish the national team, staff, and all players good luck in these 3 games, and I hope that we will record all three victories and pave the way to the World Cup," wrote Brekalo with a photo in which he celebrates a goal in the Croatia jersey with Ivan Perišić.
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