Croatia's female president won despite her team losing!
France beat Croatia to become the new World Cup champions, but the Croatian President was certainly the one who attracted the most attention in the VIP seats last night.
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| The most unforgettable sad image of the 2018 FIFA World Cup final was when Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic wiped away tears for Luka Modric on the podium to receive his medal. Croatia lost 4-2 to France, but Modric still received the Golden Ball award for the best player of the tournament (which probably doesn't mean much to him anymore) and the Croatian president was clearly the most eye-catching figure in the VIP seats at the final. Photo:Reuters. |
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| Ms Grabar-Kitarovic became the subject of discussion not only because of her appearance but also because of the sportsmanship she showed in the moment her team lost. The Croatian President shook hands and hugged players from both teams and shared the joy with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, who was described as "about to explode with joy of victory". Photo:AFP. |
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| That attitude probably represents the spirit of Croatian fans before the match, because for them, reaching the final for the first time is a dream achievement. "I go to the final not as a politician or a president... but as a passionate fan of Croatian football and someone who played football as a child," she said before the final. "Regardless of the result, even if I believe it is a victory, we are already winners." Photo:Reuters. |
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| Unlike some leaders who still dress neatly when attending matches with their home team, Ms. Grabar-Kitarovic appeared in the VIP area with a bright smile and a typical Croatian red and white checkered shirt, an image that could make her blend into any crowd of fans. When the home team scored, the president also celebrated enthusiastically like any other fan. Photo:Getty. |
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| Contrary to her usual image at international events, Ms. Grabar-Kitarovic also flew economy class to Russia to watch her team's matches and took pictures with her country's fans on the plane. Photo:Reuters. |
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| Before flying to Moscow to watch the final, Ms. Grabar-Kitarovic attended a NATO meeting in Brussels, Belgium. While NATO member state leaders just had a "brain-teasing" meeting with US President Donald Trump, the Croatian president had a very successful meeting simply because the national football team reached the final. Photo:Reuters. |
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| She entered the NATO reception smiling after her team's 2-1 win over England in extra time. President Donald Trump, who had rattled allies during the meeting, failed to overshadow Grabar-Kitarovic's NATO meeting. According toTotal Croatia News, the national football team's historic achievement has plunged the whole country of Croatia into a festive atmosphere. Photo:Reuters. |
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| President Grabar-Kitarovic, 50, has been Croatia's president since February 2015. She is the first woman to hold the position since Croatia had multi-party elections in 1990. She took office at the age of 46, making her the youngest person to hold the position in Croatia. Before becoming president, she held positions such as Minister of European Affairs, Foreign Minister and Croatian Ambassador to the United States. Photo:AFP. |
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| The President of Croatia can speak Croatian, English, Spanish, Portuguese and knows German, French and Italian. Photo:AFP. |
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| Her husband is Jakov Kitarović, 50. They have two children. In 2010, Mr. Kitarović was at the center of a controversy when he used a car belonging to the Croatian Embassy in Washington DC for personal purposes. Ms. Grabar-Kitarović later had to pay back the expenses incurred due to the use of her husband's car. Photo:Reuters. |
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| She is known to be a football fan. The Croatian President once gave Pope Francis a football shirt with the name "Father Franjo" printed on it during their meeting in 2015. Photo:AFP. |
