Šime Vrsaljko appointed Croatian football ambassador

Šiime Vrsaljko and Marijan Kustić (Photo:HNS)

Former Croatian international Šime Vrsaljko has taken up a role as an official ambassador for the national team. 

The President of the Croatian Football Federation, Marijan Kustić, has established a collaboration with Vrsaljko, making the beloved former national team player an ambassador for the Federation.

According to the agreement with President Kustić, Vrsaljko will be engaged as an ambassador for the Federation. In this role, he will represent the Croatian Football Federation (HNS) at events both in Croatia and abroad, and will support various HNS projects, programs, initiatives, and activities.

“I am extremely pleased that Šime will be joining our ranks, as I regard him as an outstanding footballer who has achieved a remarkable international career through hard work, making him an excellent role model for young footballers. 

Šime has captured the nation’s heart with his infectious optimism, cheerfulness, and positive energy, becoming one of the symbols of the legendary 2018 generation. He is internationally recognised, speaks several foreign languages, and possesses excellent communication skills. I am confident that he will excel in this role, and I wish him much success,” said HNS President Marijan Kustić.

Vrsaljko has played for Croatian youth teams since he was 15 years old and has made 52 appearances for the senior national team. He competed with the Vatreni in three European Championships and two World Cups, including the 2018 World Cup in Russia, where he was a key player in the team that won the silver medal.

Sime Vrsaljko (Photo credit: Антон Зайцев/soccer.ru)

He began his career at Dinamo Zagreb, winning four championship titles and two Cups. After successful stints at Genoa and Sassuolo, he spent six years at Atlético Madrid, where he won the UEFA Europa League and the Spanish Championship. He also played for Inter Milan and Olympiacos.

“I thank President Kustić for the proposal and trust, and I look forward to the agreed collaboration. I was proud to represent Croatia on the field, and now I will be equally motivated to represent our football off the field. The results show that HNS is among the most successful and best-organized federations in Europe and the world, and I am eager to contribute my knowledge, experience, and energy to this new role,” said Šime Vrsaljko.

Vrsaljko will join the Federation starting with UEFA Euro 2024, where he will be part of the official HNS delegation and represent the Federation at UEFA’s official events alongside President Kustić.