2026 World Cup controversy erupts as La Liga star refuses club duty to focus on FIFA tournament: ‘I’m very angry’
The World Cup is the most important tournament in soccer and arguably the most significant sporting event on the planet. It’s normal for players to focus on this goal in the months leading up to the tournament. However, one La Liga player has taken this to unusual levels, entering into a conflict with his club over the 2026 FIFA tournament.
Dominik Livakovic was one of the standout stars for Croatia at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. There, the goalkeeper was decisive in penalty shootouts against Japan and Brazil, helping the European side reach the semifinals, where they were eliminated by Lionel Messi’s Argentina.
That performance boosted Livakovic’s profile in European soccer, leading to a transfer from Dinamo Zagreb to Fenerbahce for approximately $8 million. After two years in Turkey, he was loaned to Girona in Spain at the start of the current season, but things have not gone as planned.
Livakovic has not played a single minute since arriving at Girona, neither in La Liga nor in the Copa del Rey, as head coach Michel has prioritized Paulo Gazzaniga in goal. As a result, the Croatian star decided to seek a move to another club during the January transfer window to ensure he maintains his place in the Croatia national team ahead of the World Cup.
The conflict came to a head last week when Gazzaniga came down with the flu and was unable to train normally. In that situation, coach Michel intended to play Livakovic in the Copa del Rey match against Ourense FC. However, the Croatian goalkeeper refused, saying he wanted to focus on securing a transfer during the winter window. With this scenario, Gazzaniga had to play anyway, and Girona lost 2-1 to their third-division opponents, resulting in elimination from the tournament.
Coach Michel speaks on Livakovic
The controversy in Girona has become public in recent days, and Michel addressed it during Thursday’s press conference. “Livakovic wants to leave. He doesn’t want to play here, his priority is the World Cup,” the coach said, according to Fabrizio Romano on X. “Gazzaniga had to play while he was ill… because Livakovic doesn’t want to play. I’m very angry about this situation.”
Regarding the Croatian goalkeeper, Michel was clear. “Livakovic has a different timeline than the team because he needs to play for the World Cup, not for Girona,” the coach explained. “He told me, and he’s honest. But so am I. We haven’t reached an agreement. In the last conversation, I already told him it’s not a problem; he didn’t have to decide.”
Finally, Michel acknowledged his frustration with the situation: “I don’t like to reveal private conversations, but sometimes it drives me crazy. I have a goalkeeper available, and Gazzaniga played the Copa with flu and a fever, but I’m the one paying for it. What if something happens to Gazzaniga? We need to find a solution in the winter transfer window.”
Livakovic is key for Croatia
While he has not found a place at Girona, Dominik Livakovic remains a key figure for the Croatia national team. He has played nearly every match for his country over the past three years, including the victorious European qualifiers campaign, where they dominated their group with seven wins and one draw.
Now Croatia are focused on the 2026 FIFA World Cup, aiming to improve on their last two performances, where they reached the final and semifinal stages. In last week’s draw, they were placed in Group L alongside England, Panama, and Ghana.