"Ninety minutes of play, and the Croatian lads held their ground firmly—they've finally secured their first World Cup victory."
"And as the most anticipated star of the match, Šuker bagged two goals, giving himself a perfect start to the tournament."
"The Croatian team has finally completed their first World Cup match, and their performance was extremely composed. Yes! That's exactly the kind of composure we need."
Kraushević shouted with excitement. Deep down, he was genuinely pleased.
Although they didn't display the same fiery aggression they had during the Euros, this was the World Cup! A little composure never hurt.
To be frank, during the Euros, Croatia charged forward with all their might to chase the title.
If anything had gone wrong midway, they might not have made it to the end.
But this composed style of play allows them to store up strength and potentially go even further.
Two years later, compared to the Euros, this Croatian team had matured significantly.
As the match ended, players from both sides gathered to chat.
For example, Pjanić was talking with Vukojević.
Šuker, Modrić, Sterk, and Boame were also chatting together.
"You punk, when did you start copying my passes?" Šuker asked suspiciously.
"What do you mean copying? You trained those passes so much on the pitch—I just kept practicing the same way. Boame also gave me some tips on how it feels to receive them. I trained with that in mind," Skolk shrugged. "Besides, that wasn't even a rainbow pass."
In fact, compared to Šuker's style, Skolk's passes had a slight delay to them—there were subtle differences.
Still, Šuker looked at Boame and said, "I should never have trained with you."
Boame retorted, "I trained with you for so long, and when the season ended, you just packed your bags and left. I never even got one of those passes during a real match. Luckily Skolk figured it out on his own—otherwise, I'd have wasted my time."
He sounded bitter.
Šuker and Modrić had left decisively for Dinamo Zagreb, barely glancing back.
This passing-receiving system was something they had figured out together after 1–2 seasons of playing.
"Doesn't matter now. We lost this match. The next one is a do-or-die battle," Skolk sighed.
Yes—they had lost.
To qualify, they would at least need a draw in their next game against Argentina.
"What's your stance on Argentina?" Skolk asked in a hushed tone. "Come on, give me a hint."
Modrić didn't dare respond.
Šuker covered his mouth and said, "If you guys can hold Argentina to a draw and beat Korea in your third match, then we'll go all out in our third match and fight Argentina to the death."
Of course, Croatia would love to eliminate Argentina in the group stage.
After all, getting rid of such a threatening team before the knockout stages would be a massive advantage.
But that hinged on Bosnia managing to hold Argentina and then beating Korea.
Then Croatia could go full throttle and knock Argentina out of the World Cup.
"Don't be messing with me," Skolk's eyes lit up. "If you're serious, I'll go tell the coaching staff—we'll park the bus against Argentina and not give up a single point."
Šuker nodded. "If you can manage that, we won't give Argentina any goal difference in the third match. How many goals you get against Korea is up to you."
Skolk and Boame exchanged looks, then turned and left without another word.
They were clearly taking this seriously.
As long as there was hope of qualifying, they'd chase it.
Besides, Bosnia and Croatia shared deep cultural ties and wartime camaraderie. Cooperating to take down Argentina wasn't so far-fetched.
"You're not kidding?" Modrić asked on the way back.
Šuker replied, "If you were the coach and had a chance to eliminate Argentina, would you pass it up?"
Modrić thought for a moment and shook his head firmly.
Argentina, with all their World Cup pedigree, only grew stronger as the tournament progressed.
Taking them out early, when they might be off-form or complacent, was the smartest move.
But could Bosnia really hold Argentina to a draw?
Back in the locker room, the Croatian players were still celebrating.
Winning their World Cup opener was a great start.
Of course, they needed to keep winning their next two matches.
While the players were celebrating, Šuker approached Bilic and Van Stojak.
"Bosnia to hold Argentina to a draw?" Bilic said in surprise.
Van Stojak stroked his chin and began thinking.
If Bosnia really could do it, Croatia wouldn't mind going all-out in the third game to take down Argentina.
Just like they did with England before—this could be another chance.
"Let's not give an answer yet. If Bosnia actually holds Argentina tomorrow, then we'll talk." Bilic suggested.
Šuker turned to Van Stojak.
Van Stojak shook his head. "If we don't give Bosnia a clear answer now, they won't be able to go all-out on defense."
Šuker agreed: "Exactly. If we reassure them, it'll boost their morale."
Van Stojak and Bilic exchanged a glance.
Van Stojak nodded. "I'll talk with the team leadership and coaching staff. You focus on preparing for the second match."
Šuker nodded and left.
He had done his part by passing the message. The final decision was up to the coaching team.
Šuker was a player—his job was to play well.
Taking out Argentina early would be ideal, but there were too many moving parts. It required careful planning.
That night, the Croatian coaching staff and team leaders held a meeting.
They decided to give Bosnia a clear answer regarding the potential joint effort to take down Argentina.
For Croatia, every match was a must-win. They were already playing at full tilt.
If Bosnia could hold Argentina, it simply gave them a better excuse to go after them in the third match.
The next day, after finishing their opening match, Croatia left Johannesburg and traveled to Durban, South Africa's second-largest city, to prepare for their second match.
Durban, a coastal city with long beaches and a cityscape just a road away, had a laid-back vibe.
Well, that was until Croatian and Korean fans flooded the area. Then, it became wild.
The beaches were packed, and the streets buzzed with rowdy fan groups.
In Group B's first round, Argentina had beaten South Korea 2–1.
Currently, Croatia topped the group on goal difference, Argentina was second, Korea third, and Bosnia—due to goal difference—sat in fourth.
The situation was still unclear.
But after the second round, things could shift dramatically.
What if Korea beat Croatia?
What if Bosnia upset Argentina?
Unlikely, but this was the World Cup. Anything was possible.
Groups A and B had already completed their first round.
The results:
South Africa 1–1 Mexico
Uruguay 0–0 France
Croatia 3–1 Bosnia
Argentina 2–1 Korea
Of course, the World Cup still had many big names left to play: England, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Portugal, Brazil, Spain...
Even if not all were headline matchups, there was plenty of excitement.
The teams that finished early were scouting, watching games, collecting info, and preparing for their own matches.
Croatia did the same. After arriving in Durban, they trained and also analyzed other teams.
But Van Stojak was nowhere to be seen.
Meanwhile, back in Johannesburg, the Bosnian manager and head coach anxiously waited for Croatia's response.
They didn't think Šuker would bluff.
From Skolk's message, they could tell Croatia was serious about taking down Argentina.
Bosnia needed Croatia's help if they were to escape the group.
Their tactics hinged on Croatia's answer—should they park the bus and play for a draw, or go all in?
After two days of waiting, they finally got the call on the evening of the 14th.
That night, Bosnia's team leader Stokčić and Croatia's assistant coach Van Stojak met discreetly in a third-party room.
"Hello, I'm Stokčić," the Bosnian greeted with excitement.
Van Stojak pulled down his hood and nodded. "Let's skip the pleasantries and get to the point."
"We want to eliminate Argentina. But at the very least, you guys have to hold them to a draw. My suggestion: go full defensive, park the bus. We'll provide detailed data on Argentina's players, even their subs."
Van Stojak spoke sternly: "Even though this is our proposal, success depends on your performance."
Bosnia had to save themselves.
If they couldn't even draw with Argentina, there was nothing Croatia could do.
Stokčić nodded eagerly. "Understood. But what about your next game?"
He was worried.
What if Croatia lost to or drew with Korea? Then Bosnia's efforts would be in vain.
Van Stojak fought the urge to snap.
Who did this guy think they were? Croatia were Euro champions. Korea played rough, but they weren't strong enough to threaten Croatia.
"Relax. After the next match, everything will be clear," Van Stojak said, pulling his hood back up. "Our cooperation only lasts through the group stage."
"Understood!"
Stokčić watched him leave, full of hope.
Compared to beating Argentina, holding them to a draw seemed much more doable.
It gave Bosnia new hope for advancing.
Of course, holding Argentina was just step one.
Next, they'd need to beat Korea, and Croatia would have to take down Argentina.
But Bosnia had no choice now—they were all-in with Croatia.
The next day, Van Stojak appeared on Croatia's training ground.
Šuker saw him and knew that the deal with Bosnia had gone through.
The two teams were officially allies—for now—joined in a mission to eliminate Argentina.
Šuker licked his lips. He was already excited for the second match.
But before that, he had more important business.
He locked himself in the bathroom and opened his system panel.
[Name: Šuker]
[Height: 184 cm]
[Weight: 81 kg]
[Speed: 94]
[Agility: 90]
[Explosiveness: 95]
[Strength: 88]
After a long injury layoff, his stats had finally returned to peak form.
He had used his seasonal rewards to boost agility back to 90, prepping for the World Cup.
[Diamond Card (Special): Inzaghi's Awareness]
[Diamond Card (Special): Ronaldo's Shooting]
[Diamond Card (Special): Ronaldo's Dribbling]
[Diamond Card (Special): Maldini's Will]
There were other diamond cards in his backpack, but they weren't as useful.
With Maldini's Will, Šuker was less dependent on stamina-recovery cards.
That last injury had shaken him. He couldn't afford another major one.
The recovery card was now an emergency-only item.
With his current stamina and Maldini's Will, Šuker could easily sprint for 120 minutes.
The recovery card was now only for off-day state management—or crucial moments in matches.
Next, Šuker went to the card-draw screen.
World Cup pulls!He had been waiting for this!
He started the draw.
Familiar slicing sounds echoed in his ears. Soon, five cards appeared.
He flipped them one by one:
[Platinum Card (Skill): Ramos's Slide Tackle]
[Attribute Card]
[Platinum Card (Skill): Dujmović's Long Shot]
[Attribute Card]
[Attribute Card]
Šuker was thrilled.
Three attribute cards!
Just one group match and he pulled three—extremely generous rewards.
He usually only got these during Champions League knockouts.
Even at the Euros, he got three total attribute cards from all three group matches.
And now, the World Cup gave him three in one game.
At this rate, the World Cup was a super dungeon for farming attribute cards.
And with knockout stages ahead, diamond cards were almost guaranteed.
He was elated.
Šuker walked out of the bathroom satisfied.
Training was over. He showered and headed to the team dining hall.
Croatia had the place to themselves. For safety, it was closed to outsiders while they ate.
Players sat in groups, eating and watching the matches on TV.
Germany vs Australia was on.
In just 20 minutes, Germany was already up 2–0.
"Germany's counterattack is insane!" Srna frowned.
This German squad looked reborn. Ballack was gone, replaced by a new generation around Lahm and Schweinsteiger.
They also noticed many unfamiliar faces:
Thomas Müller, Mesut Ozil....
"That number 13!" Modrić pointed at Müller. "He's not that fast, and his footwork isn't amazing—but his awareness is top-tier. His runs constantly rip apart Australia's defense. Every move he makes has purpose!"
Šuker nodded.
Modrić had Müller nailed. The guy played with his brain.
Then there was Özil.
Setting aside everything else, he was a classic No. 10—like Zidane.
Elegant footwork, brilliant midfield vision.
Özil and Schweinsteiger were the engines of Germany's attack.
Up front, they had the sharp Podolski and clinical finisher Klose.
This wasn't Germany at their final form, but they were already terrifying.
After 90 minutes, Germany's offense was in full bloom.
Klose, Podolski, Müller, and sub Cacau all scored.
Germany cruised to a 4–0 win over Australia—a dominant World Cup opener.
So far, this was the most one-sided game of the tournament.
Germany completely suppressed Australia.
Every time Australia tried to counter, Germany responded with an even more lethal counterattack.
By the end, Australia was turtling in the box, trembling.
Germany had officially unveiled their first post-reform youth generation—and signaled to the world: the mighty German machine was back.
Germany's performance served as a loud warning to every team in the tournament.
Not just Croatia—but all the giants had to be wary.
This wasn't the same slow, clunky Germany from before. This Germany had found both balance and speed.
Šuker narrowed his eyes.
Germany was their old enemy.
Back in the Euros, Croatia had beaten Germany to win the title, and Germany had never forgotten that loss.
They would definitely want revenge—perhaps in the knockout stages.
Šuker had a hunch…
If they met again, it would be a fierce battle.
But he didn't fear them.
In fact, he was excited.
The stronger the opponent, the more rewarding the victory.
Šuker grinned and stabbed another bite of steak.
"Let's take care of Korea first," he muttered.
Then, onto the rest of the world.