In contrast, Croatia not only became a fixture at these events, but emerged as a real force within them, a team capable of – like the 1998 team – not only assembling a campaign impressive but also to return four years later, with a distinctly different set of players and a remake of it all. “We have 18 new players,” defender Sosa said of this year’s team. “Many of them are playing in the World Cup for the first time.” It made no difference at all.
It’s testament not only to the steady stream of players emerging from the country’s academies – “I don’t know if it’s genetic, environmental or geographical,” says Boban, “but we have a lot of talent. ability” – but also the culture that has also been created in the national team.
Almost every young player in Croatia spends some time early in their career at one of Croatia’s two big club teams, Dinamo Zagreb and Hajduk Split, meaning newcomers to the senior team are often greeted with a smile. friendly faces. The country’s slogan for the tournament, “family,” is more than a marketing ploy.
There is no solid hierarchy in the group; Even freshmen relatives are encouraged to speak up. Dalic, the coach, adopts a low-level deliberate discipline approach, trusting the likes of Modric and his veteran colleagues to set an example, to ensure that his personal standards they are answered, to pass on their wisdom, so that all may see justice. what to expect.
Sosa says those expectations are so high that the team has adopted a policy of “don’t celebrate goals, just celebrate wins”. This, Boban says, is the ultimate ingredient in Croatia’s success: Outside of its borders, the country may look and feel like an underdog, but that’s not quite how it sees itself. take.
“I talked to one of my friends, Prosinecki or Slaven Bilic, about this a few months ago,” says Boban. “When we play, we are always liked by everyone. When we played against Germany, everyone thought we had to win. ‘Of course we should beat Germany!’
“We play Italy? ‘Italy isn’t that talented’. We play Brazil? ‘Yes, but we are better than them.’ It is normal that they are very proud. I don’t know how this became our culture, but this is Croatia. You feel it, and that pressure makes you better. It makes you more ambitious.”
Now, for the second time in four years, Croatia is on the verge of doing the impossible. Victory over Argentina will send the country into the World Cup final for the second time in a row. Once again, at the World Cup, the team that doesn’t give up will be ready to go to the end.
Tariq Panja and James Wagner contributed reporting.
