Nikola Kalinić is a Croatian professional football player born on 5th of January 1988. He played for the Croatia national team as a striker.
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On May 21st 2018, less than a month before the start of the 2018 world cup, Croatia, one of the countries that represented Europe named a 23 man squad for the world cup. Nikola Kalinić was also part of the 23 players named for the world cup.
Name of players that made the list were:
Goalkeepers:
- Subasic
- Kalinic
- Livakovic
Defenders:
- Corluka
- Vida
- Strinic
- Lovren
- Vrsaljko
- Pivaric
- Jedvaj
- Mitrovic
- Caleta-Car.
Midfielders:
- Modric
- Rakitic
- Kovacic
- Badelj
- Brozovic
- Bradaric.
Attacker:
- Mandzukic
- Perisic
- Kalinic
- Kramaric
- Pjaca
- Rebic.
Croatia was drawn to play against Nigeria, Argentina and Iceland in Group D of the tournament. They played their first match against Nigeria on Saturday 16th of June 2018 which they won 2 - 0
As we all know, only 11 players can play with maximum substitute of 3 then, while others will be on bench as reserve for substitute. Among the players that were on bench for this particular match was Kalinic.
Later during the match, the coach wanted to bring in Kalinic as substitute but he refused to be substituted. He believed he should be in the first 11 players that started the match. He believed he was good enough and even better than many of the players that started the match.
Manager Zlatko Dalic said that Kalinic’s reluctance to enter matches and participate in training was a recurring issue, so he needed players who were fit for World Cup action.
His ego, pride and disobedience made the coach to send him back home out of the tournament.
The same Croatian team made to the final of the tournament without Kalinic after defeating England in the semi finals by 2 goals to 1. They played against France in the final but lost France. They did not win the tournament but they did well and won the Silver medal without Kalinić.
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While all the Croatian players that played in the 2018 world cup are be called a world cup silver medal winners, Kalinic name is not in the list of silver medal winners.
This is exactly what will happen to people that are proud and disobey God. Their name will not enter into the book of life.
When God gives you instructions, don't feel too big to do what He ask you to do, else you will be sent out of His presence.
Learn from Kalinic