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Nikola Kalinic Refuses 2018 World Cup Medal After Being Sent Home by Croatia

Croatia striker Nikola Kalinic refused a 2018 FIFA World Cup runners-up medal after being sent home from the tournament for declining to come on in the team's Group D opener against Nigeria.

Kalinic failed to figure in Croatia's World Cup campaign, which ended when they were beat 4-2 by France in the final. He was offered a second-place medal but told Sportske Novosti (h/t Independent): "Thanks for the medal, but I did not play in Russia."

The 30-year-old was believed to have feigned a back injury when asked to come off the bench against Nigeria and was sent home by manager Zlatko Dalic shortly after.