Hrvatsku javnost je u petak poslijepodne iznenadila vijest da je dugogodišnji desni bek Vatrenih, Šime Vrsaljko odlučio otići u reprezentativnu mirovinu svega tri mjeseca prije Svjetskog prvenstva. Vrsaljko se tom prilikom dirljivim pismom oprostio od navijača i najdražeg mu dresa. Velika karijera osebujnog i karizmatičnog Zadranina ostat će zlatnim slovima utkana u posljednje desetljeće hrvatskog nogometa, a mnogima će zauvijek u pamćenje ostati urezan njegov doprinos na putu prema svjetskom srebru Vatrenih. Netko će se prvo prisjetiti Vrsaljkovog ležanja na zastavi, drugima pak njegove nezaboravne konferencije za medije, kultni 'la pa-pa' ili pak milimetarski precizan centaršut za Perišićev gol Englezima no bez obzira koja vam slika prva padne na um jedno je nepobitno – Vrsaljko je ikona. "Neopisiv je osjećaj odjenuti na sebe taj crveno-bijeli dres, izaći pred hrvatske navijače, staviti ruku na srce i zapjevati Lijepu našu. Da, osjećaš ogroman teret u tom trenutku jer znaš da idućih 90 minuta cijeli jedan narod priželjkuje isto što i ti - pobjedu, trijumf, slavlje. No, prije svega osjećaš nemjerljiv ponos što baš ti - sa svojim suigračima - imaš privilegij predstavljati svoju zemlju. Zbog te emocije, nije lako donijeti odluku da je kraj. Prihvatiti da je vrijeme za mlađe i da ne možeš više dati ono što si prije mogao. Da više nećeš staviti na sebe sveti dres, da više nećeš slaviti s Hrvatskom važne golove i pobjede, ili se zagrliti sa svima uoči velike utakmice i na kapetanovo "Iznad svih" iz petnih žila viknuti: "HRVATSKA!', napisao je Vrsaljko u svom emotivnom istupu. S Vrsaljkom još jedan 'srebrni' ratnik odlazi u reprezentativnu mirovinu, nedostajat će Šime, ali sad je na 'nekim novim klincima' red da preuzmu štafetu kao što je to Vrsaljko učinio nakon Srnine mirovine.
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