Winner takes it all
Football’s biggest day
New Zealand’s Croatian community are celebrating making history this morning after their football team took on France in their first ever World Cup final.
Goran Kacurov had high hopes for the team from the beginning.
Kacurov, who moved to New Zealand from Croatia 10 years ago, predicted his team would make the final when he spoke to the Herald from the Croatian Cultural Society premises on McLeod Rd in Te Atatu South after their first match against Nigeria.
“I started to catch that feeling after the first game. I started to believe really early that we could do something big.”
Last night he could hardly contain his excitement and said whatever the outcome of this morning’s game, the team had done the country proud.
“I don’t know how to explain our feelings,” he said. “All Croatians around the world, everyone is celebrating already.”
Kacurov, who planned to be at the club with his wife and children for this morning’s game, said his money was on Croatia to win but he would be celebrating whatever the outcome. “We’ve never had this experience, to have our national team in the final,” he said. “I’ve never been so emotional.”
The furthest the team has ever made it was the third place play-off in 1998 where they beat the Netherlands. They had lost 2-1 to France in the semifinals. France has made the finals three times.
Kacurov said there was plenty of excitement in Croatia with the whole country rooting for the team.
“They are really together — one team and one heart. Whatever happens, happens. They are already winners,” he said.
He was also thrilled with the support the team had been receiving in New Zealand. The Croatian Club predicted there would be as many as 200 fans there watching this morning’s match, set to start at 3am.
All Whites football legend Ivan Vicelich was also planning to be among the crowd at the club.
There were bacon and eggs on offer but Vicelich said he wouldn’t be eating until after the final whistle.
As for the outcome? “In football anything can happen,” he said.
Meanwhile, Antoine Spodobalski was rooting for his home country while watching the match with friends in Waihi Beach.
His prediction was a 4-0 defeat of Croatia. “Croatia have nothing to lose and they are going to give it everything but we are confident we are the better team,” he said.
Spodobalski was pleased the team had made it far enough to get the chance to claim their second World Cup victory.
He said it had been interesting to see many of the big teams knocked out early. “It was a bit of excitement. Everybody has a chance now in the World Cup.”
I started to catch that feeling after the first game. I started to believe really early that we could do something big.
Goran Kacurov, Croatian fan