The camera shook, slowly shifting from blurry to clear.
A young man in an outdoor jacket and a baseball cap appeared on screen.
"Long time no see! I took a break due to some personal matters, but I'm sure you don't mind, haha!"
"From Zagreb, Šuker and Modrić started a brand-new journey. Sadly, they couldn't stay together forever, but it's precisely because of that they each created their own legends!"
"Two boys from Eastern Europe walked out from the shadow of war, crossed the Alps — one headed to the Apennine Peninsula, the other to the British Isles!"
"Those four years in Milan were a precious period of growth for Šuker. In earlier interviews, he's also spoken positively about his time at Milan."
"They joked and messed around like friends — Gattuso, Kaká, Pirlo, Inzaghi, and of course, the respected Maldini!"
"During those four years, Šuker earned many honors and ultimately moved to the La Liga stage."
"Looking back now, Šuker made the right decision. Since he left, Milan hasn't been a competitive force anymore."
Screech!
The sound of brakes. The young blogger stepped out of the car and turned the camera.
"Look where I am!"
"This is Soccer City Stadium in Soweto, southwest of Johannesburg — the stage of the opening match of the 2010 South Africa World Cup."
As the camera panned, the surroundings appeared desolate.
The stadium stood in the middle of a vast, empty area, with almost no buildings nearby.
Trash littered the ground. Weeds grew wildly. Clearly, it had long been neglected.
The walls were cracked.
The young blogger touched the wall, a nostalgic tone in his voice.
"I don't know why, but the 2010 World Cup holds such a special place in my heart!"
"Maybe because it was just that unforgettable — the passion of African fans, Shakira's Waka Waka, all of it reminds me of those cherished days."
"I remember it was during evening study sessions, just before college entrance exams. Our homeroom teacher gave us an hour to relax, and we all watched a Croatia match in the media room!"
"That was also the first time I discovered Šuker and Modrić. I thought, wow! These guys are incredible!"
Suddenly, the young man crouched down and picked up an old, tattered pamphlet from the ground.
It had the 2010 World Cup logo on the front.
Though torn on the edges, covered in dirt, yellowed and wrinkled from water stains, the blogger showed no disgust — instead, he excitedly flipped through it.
The first page featured the Croatian national team.
And the first player listed was...
Croatia — Šuker — Number 9!
A gust of wind came, rustling the pages.
One sheet flew into the air, fluttering as it rose.
Everything began to spin — time seemed to reverse.
Cracked roads glistened like new.
Weeds shrank back into the pavement.
Cracks in the walls receded before the eye.
Suddenly, a noisy crowd could be heard.
Cheers, chants, and songs echoed together.
"The pressure's on, you feel it
But you got it all, believe it
When you fall get up, oh-oh
And if you fall get up, eh-eh
Zamina-mina, zangalewa?
'Cause this is Africa"
"Zamina-mina, hé-hé
Waka, waka, hé-hé
Zamina-mina, zangalewa?
This time for Africa"
Shakira's Waka Waka blasted from speakers across the area. In a nearby plaza, men and women in African grass skirts danced joyfully to the beat.
On the street, people filled the roads.
Fans wearing different national team jerseys gathered in small groups, excitedly discussing the upcoming World Cup.
On a grassy lawn, children of all skin colors — Asian, white, Black — played barefoot, chasing after a ball with pure joy.
This was South Africa in 2010 — the host of the World Cup.
As June approached, the World Cup fever spread worldwide with its anthem.
South Africa had become the center of global attention.
Teams from around the world were arriving.
Each arrival was met with enthusiasm from local fans.
Johannesburg International Airport
Journalists and live broadcast vans from all over the world crowded the terminal.
In the morning, Argentina — led by Maradona — arrived, sending the whole city into a frenzy.
Messi was the center of attention.
But even more thrilling was the news that the reigning Euro 2008 champions, Croatia, would arrive at 3:00 p.m.
That sent the media into a frenzy.
Messi and Šuker arriving on the same day — what a treat.
Everyone readied their cameras and microphones, focusing on the exit.
Suddenly, someone shouted—
"They're here!"
The crowd erupted.
Turning the corner, the Croatian team appeared after security checks.
Leading the group was head coach Slaven Bilić, dressed in a black suit with the Croatian flag on his chest.
Behind him, the players appeared one by one.
Modrić, Rakitić, Srna, Vukojević, and others — all familiar stars.
This was the team that had stunned the world at Euro 2008 — they had arrived!
"Modrić! Over here!""Srna, quick interview?""Mandžukić! How do you feel?""Rakitić!"
Journalists jostled forward with their microphones. The players smiled politely but didn't stop.
Then the crowd erupted in wild cheers.
"ŠUKER! HE'S HERE!"
Fans and reporters lost control.
Some South African fans screamed in disbelief.
They couldn't believe their idol was this close.
The entire airport echoed with unified chants—
ŠUKER!!!!!!!ŠUKER!!!!!!!ŠUKER!!!!!!!
These fans had come just to see him.
Šuker, in a Croatian-style suit, looked tall and sharp, his hair neatly styled, a Louis Vuitton backpack on his back.
He smiled and waved but didn't stop for interviews.
He followed the security staff through the corridor to the team bus.
More fans poured in, surrounding the bus completely.
They pounded on the bus and chanted his name.
Though they couldn't see inside, they knew Šuker was looking at them.
Now, they were only separated by a thin metal wall.
"Whose fans are these? Someone take care of them?"Duimović said jealously.
Šuker turned to him: "Why don't you go deal with them?"
Duimović: "They're not mine, why should I?"
But Šuker gestured outside.
Duimović looked out — surprised to see a fan holding his poster.
"What? A fan of mine?"
"Is that really his fan?"
"He has a fan?!"
Mandžukić, Rakitić, and Vukojević all leaned in, even more shocked than Duimović.
"A fan from the Russian league? People actually watch that?"
"Probably just a Croatia fan," Srna said.
Mandžukić joked: "Terrible eyesight. Šuker's right there and they picked Duimović. Even Pranjić is better."
Pranjić narrowed his eyes: "What's that supposed to mean?"
Duimović shouted: "Don't insult my fan!"
My fan — I'll protect them myself!
Then, the fan outside dropped the poster and removed their jacket — revealing a #9 Croatia jersey underneath.
"Beautiful!"
"Reasonable!"
"They're not blind!"
Duimović lunged: "I'm gonna fight all of you!"
Finally, with security help, the Croatian team's bus pulled out and headed for their hotel.
Johannesburg — "City of Gold"
South Africa, once a prosperous "rainbow nation," overthrew white rule in 1996 and gained self-governance.
But from that moment, the economy began to stagnate — even regress.
Now it ranks among the most dangerous countries in the world — highest rates of robbery, murder, rape, and HIV/AIDS. No exaggeration.
On the road into the city, traffic was light — Šuker suspected a lockdown.
Only upon reaching the city center did it get crowded and festive.
At the hotel, Croatian fans gathered in large numbers.
After the Euro 2008 victory, Croatians were fired up.
Many who missed the championship came to South Africa hoping for World Cup glory.
They believed this young team could go even further.
After arrival, the Croatian team entered a fully secured hotel.
Only team members and authorized personnel were allowed in — necessary, given how unsafe South Africa could be.
Šuker and Modrić shared a room.
They quickly changed into training gear and went downstairs to gather.
"Everyone here?"
Coach Bilić checked the roster and waved: "Let's move!"
The training field was about a kilometer away.
Although they wanted closed training, the organizers requested some media coverage — they couldn't refuse.
So Šuker, Modrić, and Srna were sent for interviews.
Duimović grumbled: "No Champions League, no interview rights, huh?"
Mandžukić: "Maybe it's just your face."
"I'll rip your mouth off!"
They started bickering again.
Vukojević, sidelined by injury, chuckled while stretching.
Though recovering well, he still couldn't do intense training.
The doctor said it would take four weeks for full recovery.
He sighed — a month?!
The World Cup would be over by then!
Now he regretted not letting Šuker tackle him back then.
At the interview area, a Black host introduced himself.
"You can call me Johnson. I'll be your host today."
Though confident, he seemed nervous — after all, he was interviewing three major stars, including superstar Šuker.
"Just a simple pre-match talk."
The three sat together, Johnson to the side — closer to Šuker.
He figured Šuker would be the most talkative.
"Welcome to 'Johnson's Pre-World Cup Talk Show!' Today we've invited three Euro 2008 champions — Šuker, Modrić, and Srna."
He turned to them: "Say hello to the viewers!"
Šuker smiled and greeted the camera — in Zulu, South Africa's main language — building rapport.
Modrić and Srna followed suit, having studied beforehand.
"Is this your first World Cup? How does it feel?"
They looked at each other. Šuker handed the mic to Srna.
Srna answered: "It's every player's dream to play at a World Cup. We're excited and hope to perform well."
"Srna, you just won the Champions League with Inter. How does that compare to the World Cup?"
He paused:"Clubs train together year-round, so chemistry is better. Purely in terms of quality, the Champions League is tougher. But the World Cup has greater meaning and more unpredictability — it's often more exciting."
Then Johnson turned to Modrić.
"World Cup has more meaning, Champions League is more competitive," he said simply.
Lastly, Johnson looked at Šuker.
He smiled: "I agree with them!"
"Could you elaborate?" Johnson asked, worried about a cold scene.
Šuker shrugged: "Like you said, it's our first World Cup. We're rookies — we don't know anything."
Srna nodded: "True!"
Modrić: "Exactly!"
All three gave the same blank-rookie expression.
Johnson scratched his head awkwardly and changed the topic.
"What are your goals for this tournament?"
Šuker: "Advance from the group!"
Srna: "Agreed!"
Modrić: "Yup!"
Johnson was at a loss — thirty minutes of stiff conversation before it ended.
"Feels like he was the rookie…" Srna muttered after leaving.
Modrić: "It's their first time hosting a World Cup. The hosts weren't trained properly either."
"Both sides are rookies — let's be understanding."
Šuker shrugged.
Indeed, none of Croatia's players had World Cup experience.
Only Bilić had played in one — and he constantly shared his memories with them.
Van Štoyak had no say — he was also a rookie.
So Bilić did all the talking while the team listened.
"The World Cup is different from club football — less time to train together. It's more like the Euros. One or two star players can make a big difference!"
For Croatia, that meant Šuker's explosive counterattacks and Modrić's midfield control — plus the team's tireless stamina.
"Optimize your style and learn from others. The World Cup is a cycle of growth. As others improve, we must also evolve."
Bilić concluded seriously:
"From now on, the key is getting into our best shape!"