Croatian Footballer Explains Why He Passed Up Putin Handshake at 2018 World Cup

Dynamo Kiev and Croatia defenseman Josip Pivaric said that he failed to shake President Putin’s hand during this summer’s World Cup in Russia because he just did not want to hold up the ceremony of awarding the participants of the final showdown, online sports newspaper Dynamo.Kiev.UA reported.

“I was the third or fourth in line after our captain Modric. I also wanted to shake Putin’s hand, but just as I was going to do that Putin turned back and I moved on. I didn’t want to stall the whole thing,” Pivaric explained.

He also mentioned the driving rain that was pouring down during the award ceremony.

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On July 15, Croatia and France faced off in the much-awaited final game of the 2018 World Cup in Moscow’s Luzhniki stadium.

Twenty years after its first World Cup triumph, France powered its way to its second World Cup title, defeating Croatia in a dominant 4-2 triumph.