Journalists asked the Croatian president at Zagreb’s Franjo Tuđman Airport whether she expected the Croatian national football team to reach the World Cup final, to which she replied that she had not thought about it at all, only hoped.
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“I didn’t think about it at all, I just hoped. And here we are, it’s excellent that we are going to the final. Whatever happens today – we are proud of our ‘Blazers’, but I believe in victory. I believe that all of Croatia will cheer with all their hearts. I think there will be tremors in Zagreb, Split, Rijeka, and other cities when fans jump, and we especially look forward to the return,” emphasized President Grabar-Kitarović.
In response to a journalist’s assertion that the final match and the huge publicity raise the question of whether Croatia can capitalize on it, the president said that it must be utilized to initiate other positive processes.
We really must, today I will try to send messages. We have a lot of requests for interviews from various media outlets from all over the world, from America to Russia. Unfortunately, we will not have time to give interviews to everyone, but we must send messages that we are a nation talented not only in sports but also in many other fields and activities. I hope we will take advantage of this positive momentum, initiate processes in Croatia that lead to better-paid jobs, a better economy, and a better standard of living, but also attract not only a larger number of tourists but also investors to Croatia, emphasized Grabar-Kitarović.
In response to a journalist’s claim that she is also one of the more sought-after people on Google, the president confirmed this and added that she was surprised by all the attention.
“I was actually surprised by all this attention and I see that most of it is really positive, that people like it when politicians, or statesmen, behave normally like other fans, that it is endearing to them and that it has somehow branded our red-and-white ‘squares’. And I think that generally, that red-and-white color, the smile on the face, conveys a sense of optimism, an optimistic, cheerful nation. And that is the impression we want to leave not only in the world but also to achieve in the country,” stated the President of the Republic.
Grabar-Kitarović emphasized that today in Moscow she will have an official meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and she will, of course, see French President Emmanuel Macron at the stadium, but probably also before the match starts although, she says, they have already talked quite a bit in Brussels.
“So, we go with faith in victory, but with no conviction that it will be easy. It will not be easy. And therefore, we really must be wholeheartedly with our Blazers,” said the Croatian president.
