The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Croatia relishes being Cup underdog against France
A billion-dollar assembly of stars makes France the favorite for the World Cup final, a scenario that Dejan Lovren is pitching as perfect for Croatia’s biggest-ever game.
“We love to be the underdogs,” Lovren said in the wake of Croatia’s 2-1 extra-time win over England.
With a population of 4.3 million and a history of struggle, it’s easy to see why. Not since Uru- guay’s win in 1950 has a country of so few people reached a World Cup final.
Croatia’s players were born around the time an independent Croatia emerged from the
wars that divided the former Yugoslavia in the early 1990s. Lovren and star midfielder Luka Modric were refugees as children.
Croatia still struggles eco- nomically, and its football scene has been riven with hooliganism, crime and poli- tics. It’s a country that breeds toughness in its players.
The key to Croatia’s success in Russia, Lovren said, is “our mentality.”
“War, all these things and even now the situation is not the best,” he said. “It’s unbe- lievable how many talents we have in sports.”
Two years ago, Croatia’s campaign at the 2016 European Championship was overshadowed by turmoil in the stands as fans hurled dozens of flares onto the field in protest against the football federation leadership. A year before that, a swastika was drawn on the field before a national-team game.
Those episodes have led to sanctions from soccer’s international governing body, but Lovren is hoping the squad’s success at this World Cup will mark a turning point for the country.
“It’s not just football, it’s a bigger picture for us unfor- tunately,” he said. “Us play- ers, now we change some- thing and everyone is proud of us in Croatia.”
Despite the Balkan nation’s “I was only nine. I rememsmall population, it is a veri- ber my mum was screamtable talent factory in a wide ing, she was crying after the range of sports. There’s the French game,” Lovren said. former U.S. Open tennis “After 20 years people will champion Marin Cilic, a raft remember us not any more of current and ex-NBA play- (than just) ’98 — and this is ers, Olympic champions in what I wanted.” skiing, discus and the counOne of the most notorious try’s beloved water polo. dives in soccer history took
Most of all, Croatia is an pace the last time France export market for quality played Croatia in the World footballers, with a squad Cup. boasting stars for Real Les Bleus led Croatia by a Madrid, Bar c elona and goal in their 1998 semifinal at Juventus. Stade de France when French
Until now, Croatia’s greatdefender Laurent Blanc gave est moment on the football Slaven Bilic a slight shove on pitch was reaching the World the chest in jostling during a Cup semifinals in 1998, the free kick. Bilic shouted and country’s first tournament slammed the palm of his after becoming independent. hand into his face, as if he
Stars of that team remain had been struck on the head. household names in CroSpanish referee Jose Manuel atia, including the foot- Garcia bought the act in the ball federation president pre-video review age, and and ex-Real Madrid striker Blanc was ejected for the Davor Suker, who has been first time in his career. with this squad all the way Despite seeing the replay through this World Cup camafterward, FIFA refused to paign. After the quarterfinal retract the penalty. Blanc win over Russia, Suker said missed the final, when France he’d be delighted if Modric beat Brazil 3-0 for its only replaced him as Croatia’s World Cup title. greatest player of all time. The match two decades
Instead, he said, “I’ll be ago remains on the mind of the greatest president!” current Croatia coach Zlatko
Now that the 2018 squad Dalic. has gone a step further than “Maybe the dear Lord is the 1998 semifinalists, Lovren giving us an opportunity to and Croatia are creating a settle a score,” he said. narrative beyond anything Croatia, which was under they experienced as chilFrench control from 1809-14 dren when the stars of the as part of the Illyrian Prov- national team were etched inces, has played France five into folklore following a semi- times, losing three games final loss to France. and drawing two.