"We fully respect Šime’s decision to retire from the national team because he believes he is no longer able to give the national team all that he wants. On behalf of the Croatian Football Federation (HNS), I want to thank him for his contribution to the many successes of the Croatian national team. Šime was truly a vital part of building up the good team spirit within our national team – he was and is an optimistic, emotional player that has always lifted the spirits of everyone around him, as well as being a gifted, hard-working footballer," said HNS president Marijan Kustić.

"That photo of Šime lying on and hugging the Croatian flag after our semi-final win against England will always remain the best possible symbol of the joy, patriotism, and pride with which he represented Croatia. I told Šime how much we all admire his positive energy and that the doors of Croatian football will always remain open for him. We wish him the best of luck in both his football career and his personal life," Kustić concluded.