Croatia, in contrast, has not solely change into a fixture at these occasions, however has emerged as a real pressure inside them, a squad succesful — as the 1998 group was — of not simply mustering a single spectacular marketing campaign however returning 4 years later, with a markedly totally different set of gamers, and doing all of it once more. “We have 18 new players,” Sosa, the defender, mentioned of this 12 months’s group. “Many of them are playing in the World Cup for the first time.” It has made no distinction in any respect.
That is testomony not simply to the regular stream of gamers rising from the nation’s academies — “I don’t know if it is genetics, environment or geography,” Boban mentioned, “but we just have so much talent” — however to the tradition that has been created inside the nationwide group, too.
Almost each younger participant in Croatia spends time early of their profession at one in every of Croatia’s two nice membership groups, Dinamo Zagreb and Hajduk Split, which means new arrivals to the senior squad are typically greeted by pleasant faces. The nation’s slogan for the event, “family,” is greater than only a bit of selling spiel.
There is not any agency hierarchy amongst the group; even relative neophytes are inspired to make their voices heard. Dalic, the coach, takes a intentionally low-key method to self-discipline, trusting the likes of Modric and his fellow veterans to lead by instance, to be sure that their private requirements are met, to go on their knowledge, to clarify to everybody simply what is predicted.
Those expectations are so excessive, Sosa mentioned, that the group has adopted a coverage of “not celebrating goals, just celebrating wins.” It is that this, Boban mentioned, that’s the remaining ingredient in Croatia’s success: Outside its borders, it could appear and feel like an underdog, however that’s not fairly the way it sees itself.
“I was speaking with one of my friends, Prosinecki or Slaven Bilic, about this a few months ago,” Boban mentioned. “When we played, we were always favorites for our people. When we play Germany, the people think we have to win. ‘Of course we should beat Germany!’
“We play Italy? ‘Italy is not so talented.’ We play Brazil? ‘Yes, but we are better than them.’ It is normal that they are so proud. I don’t know how this became in 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 4 years, Croatia stands on the brink of doing the unimaginable. Victory over Argentina would take the nation to a second straight World Cup remaining. Once once more, at the World Cup, the group that refuses to be crushed stands prepared to make all of it the method to the finish.
Tariq Panja and James Wagner contributed reporting.
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