Croatia's golden moment is current World Cup
(8 years ago)Croatia faces Denmark on Sunday, exactly 20 years after Croatia's best moment in football. In the 1998 World, Croatia's first appearance as an independent state, Croats faced Germany in the quarterfinals in Lyon. They defeated Japan and Jamaica to end up in second place [...]
In the 1998 World, Croatia's first appearance as an independent state, Croats faced Germany in the quarterfinals in Lyon. They defeated Japan and Jamaica to end up in second place in the group behind Argentina, and then crossing Rome in the 1/8th phase due to the Davor Suker penalty.
Their adventure was expected to stop at that time, the European champion. Instead, Croatia reached the top. Goals by Robert Jarni, Goran Valovic, and by the incomparable Suker, sent Ardian Koznik's Croatia among the four best teams with 3-0 victories.
Their adventure was expected to stop at that time, the European champion. Instead, Croatia reached the top. Goals by Robert Jarni, Goran Valovic, and by the incomparable Suker, sent Ardian Koznik's Croatia among the four best teams with 3-0 victories.
Their adventure was expected to stop at that time, the European champion. Instead, Croatia reached the top. Goals by Robert Jarni, Goran Valovic, and by the incomparable Suker, sent Ardian Koznik's Croatia among the four best teams with 3-0 victories.
The bad shadow given to Zdravko Mitzt's court case, with which Modric and Dejan Lovren have been linked, has caused great grief among Croatian fans and the Croatian Football Federation, which has now been successfully ignored. Even Nikola Kalinic's return home, officially “due to the injury” but believed to be due to disciplinary causes, did not affect this compact team.
In short and Albanian, in this World Champions, where none of the favourites are shining, is Croatia's top pedestal. Croatians compare with a good but defeated team like Denmark at Nizhny Novgorod, where the famous victory over Argentina was accomplished and they meet with a non-stable Spain or limited Russia, which of these two will be qualified in the quarterfinals.
This, according to all likelihood, will be the World of Fire for Modric, Rakic, Mandzukicin and Perisic, and perhaps for Lovren, Badelj and Subasic as well. If they want to copy their 1998 heroes, or outdo their successes, then it's in the hands of these players to accept the challenge and move on.
They look ready for this...