The All-Around Center Forward

"Victory! Victory! Let's achieve victory together~~~"

Inside the Croatia bus, Rakitić, Dujmović, and Mandžukić huddled together, jumping and cheering in the aisle, creating a lively scene.

Their first victory, achieved in an almost crushing manner, greatly boosted the overall morale of Croatia.

Suker and Modrić sat in their seats, occasionally applauding and smiling as they watched the scene, feeling the same way.

"Oh~~~ Denmark has equalized!"

Vukojević suddenly exclaimed.

Everyone looked over, and Vukojević said excitedly, "28 minutes, only ten minutes after Germany scored, Denmark equalized!"

With that, cheers erupted again inside the bus.

"Let us praise Krohn-Dehli!"

Krohn-Dehli, Denmark's forward.

An unknown player, probably playing in a domestic League or a small club, but that didn't stop the Croatian players from praising him.

If Denmark won against Germany, it would be truly interesting.

Of course, they only cheered appropriately, as they didn't really believe Denmark could defeat Germany.

Even if Germany's form was poor, they had enough substitute depth and wouldn't fall in the first round.

However, one shouldn't speak too soon; anything can happen.

It's just that the probability isn't high!

The bus drove all the way to the hotel.

When the Croatian players arrived at the hotel, officials from the Croatian Football Federation, led by Davor Šuker, personally greeted them.

"Well done!"

Davor Šuker hugged Bešić tightly.

"I told you, you are the most suitable for this position!"

Bešić smiled and said, "Van Stoyak's analysis was crucial in this match!"

He wasn't greedy for credit, but the victory of the match was ultimately inseparable from him as the Head Coach.

Davor Šuker shook hands with Van Stoyak again before greeting the players.

"Lads, well played!"

Davor Šuker truly enjoyed watching it.

Previous Croatia teams, even the golden generation, couldn't play like Suker and others.

Effortless and suffocating rhythm!

It can be said that Croatia fully demonstrated the gap in their lineup and strength in this match.

One match established Croatia's reputation as defending champions!

Portugal is not weak!

However, Croatia was strong in all aspects, which left Portugal with no specific point of attack, and in terms of tactical play, the Croatian coaching staff had the advantage.

Combining these two, it was natural for Portugal to feel stifled.

Davor Šuker embraced Rakitić even more tightly.

Rakitić was the Man of the Match, his two goals helping Croatia secure their first victory.

After releasing Rakitić, Davor Šuker then walked towards Suker.

"It's not your time to exert yourself yet!"

Davor Šuker comforted him.

Suker couldn't help but grin: "You're all comforting me, why? Do you think I'm someone who causes trouble?"

Davor Šuker retorted, "You don't look like it?"

Suker pouted, and the former laughed, pulling Suker into a hug and playfully rubbing his head.

Watching this match was truly exhilarating!

Although Portugal is not the most top-tier team in Europe, they are definitely a strong contender.

Croatia's easy victory over Portugal filled Davor Šuker with confidence for this European Cup.

Of course, the most crucial thing was that Croatia didn't even use Suker, their ultimate weapon, in this match!

Suker's quietness would, to some extent, bring immense psychological pressure to future opponents.

They were well aware that if Suker didn't perform, Croatia would still retain a huge reserve of power.

Only by forcing Suker to unleash his full potential could they truly contend with this powerful Croatia.

All matches in group b have concluded.

Denmark still couldn't overcome Germany, ultimately losing to Germany 1:2.

Klose, who came on as a substitute in the 65th minute, scored Germany's second goal, securing their victory.

Few teams can enter the European Cup and immediately hit their stride like Croatia.

Whether it's Germany, Portugal, or Spain, they all need some time and matches.

And for Germany, they were fortunate that they would only play Croatia in the third round.

They could use these two matches to find their form.

Croatia's group stage matches were all held in Poland. To prepare for their second match, they immediately traveled to Poznań, a city in west-central Poland, after their first match.

Here, they would face their second-round match.

Poznań is the capital of Greater Poland Voivodeship, a city with a population of 500,000.

And with the arrival of the entire Croatian team in the city, the city also became vibrant.

Unlike other European cities with a single color palette, Poznań gives a more youthful impression.

This applies to both the urban structure and the color choices.

Driving on the streets in the bus, the buildings on both sides were like city walls, balanced in height but with different colors.

Red, blue, green, yellow, etc. These vibrant colors imprinted on the buildings made the entire city appear youthful.

Many local Polish fans on both sides welcomed them along the road.

Croatia was not in the same group as Poland, and their team had stars like Suker, Modrić, Mandžukić, and Srna, so they could freely idolize them.

Banners for the European Cup hung on the streets, and there were also strings of colorful flags representing the sixteen National Teams.

European Cup elements were visible everywhere. Fans drinking beer at outdoor tables on both sides of the street would raise their glasses to the bus from afar, celebrating the European Cup together.

After the Croatia National Team arrived, Croatian fans also surged into the city with great confidence.

After their first victory, their self-confidence was overflowing!

Moreover, in the first match, they showed unparalleled dominance.

Germany captain Philipp Lahm and Spain captain Casillas both mentioned Croatia in their interviews after the match.

Lahm: "The first victory is certainly worth celebrating, but now is not the time to relax. Portugal in the next match, and Croatia in the third round, are even stronger opponents, especially Croatia. I think they are currently the strongest team in the entire European Cup!"

Casillas: "A strong opponent? I think it's Croatia. I believe many people will share my opinion after watching the first-round match. This Croatia is completely different from their historical teams. We must be vigilant. Although we defeated them in the World Cup, that match already told us how difficult Croatia is to deal with, so we must be prepared."

Two top contenders for the title showed their respect for Croatia.

At the same time, Italy captain Buffon also stated in an interview:

"It's a pity we couldn't defeat Spain, but we will strive to qualify from the group stage. The team we least want to meet in the knockout stage? I think we are all the same, Croatia is the first choice!"

A host of strong teams were pushing Croatia to the forefront, and suddenly Croatia became the target of everyone.

All kinds of information about them landed on the Head Coach's desk. Although there were data sheets before, this time it was clearly more detailed.

Any National Team that wants to challenge for the European Cup knows that Croatia is the biggest hurdle in front of them.

And they tacitly agreed that any team encountering Croatia should grind them to death.

Even if they couldn't defeat them in one go, they had to wear down their fighting spirit.

"Are they sick? Are they all targeting us?" Mandžukić couldn't help but complain, looking at these reports.

In the group stage, they just wanted to be a small, unnoticed team.

Besides, Germany, Spain, France, England, Italy, and so on, these Western European teams are the traditional powerhouses of the European Cup.

Why are they all focusing on this 'newcomer' who just emerged?

"The first match was played too well, this is the consequence." Srna also couldn't help but grin.

"You didn't hold back!" Dujmović also glared at Rakitić.

You were the one who scored two goals.

"Could I have not scored?!" Rakitić looked aggrieved. When he was in such good form, was there any reason not to score?

Modrić looked up and said calmly, "Why care so much? No matter how the outside world targets us, as long as we are strong enough, they can do nothing!"

Hearing this, everyone turned their heads sharply to look at him.

Suker couldn't help but joke:

"Oh~~~ Luka is very confident~~~"

"Oh~~~ Luka is awesome!"

"Luka is so domineering!"

Modrić grinned, looking disgusted: "Are you guys repeaters?"

With that, he extended his hands and lightly tapped Mandžukić and Rakitić on their heads.

The two immediately clutched their heads.

Mandžukić: "Why not hit Suker?"

"Only us?" Rakitić also looked unconvinced.

Suker turned his head and kicked Rakitić away.

"You've learned all of Mario's mischievousness!" Suker said in an annoyed tone.

With that, he looked at Mandžukić.

When did this once dull guy become like this?

"But France is playing a bit poorly!"

Rakitić suddenly said, "In the past, watching France play, it was either stable progression from the midfield, or sharp counterattacks, but now France feels a bit stuck!"

Suker turned his head; "Why do you care about France?"

"It's just a bit of an Feelings!" Rakitić sighed; "After all, I like Zidane!"

"France's defense has some issues; it's not stable enough!"

"The midfield isn't strong enough either, lacking stable operational capability!"

"The frontline is very sharp, but there's a feeling of everyone fighting their own battle. Nasri, Benzema, and Franck Ribéry, these three play their own game and just can't come together!"

The Croatia players voiced their opinions one after another.

Suker also thought about France's attacking lineup. As they said, it was strong, but it wasn't strong together.

Benzema was unwilling to play a supporting role for the National Team as he did for his club.

Or rather, he didn't believe Nasri and Franck Ribéry had the ability to make him sacrifice resources.

If it were Suker, Benzema would have nothing to say, as Suker's strength had convinced him.

But now, Franck Ribéry and Nasri couldn't make Benzema yield resources.

Benzema was unwilling to be a pivot, Franck Ribéry was unwilling to sacrifice goal-scoring opportunities, and Nasri just kept pushing forward...

Isn't that just everyone fighting their own battle?

France's match against England was called the Anglo-French War, but it felt like two weak teams pecking at each other.

There was no stable pass-and-control like Spain!

No sharp offense-to-defense transitions like Germany!

And certainly no strong pressing ability like Croatia!

After the match, the overall impression was much worse.

Today's England has gone from the Three Lions to the Three Kittens!

And today's France, after Zidane retired and Henry aged, the overall situation remained the same.

It was normal to feel this way!

But unlike England, France still had a lot of potential.

After all, they were nurturing the next generation in various positions.

For example, Griezmann, who was preparing to join Atletico Madrid this season!

For example, Pogba, who was playing with Pirlo at Juventus!

For example, the super defensive anchor named Kante, who was toiling in a lower-tier League!

For example, the French supercar waiting to shine globally!

2018 was France's stage!

And now, they were still nurturing the next generation.

After a day of training, the Croatia players returned to the hotel, had a simple dinner, and then gathered in the meeting room.

Bešić played the match between Denmark and Germany for them.

He specifically highlighted the goal scored by Denmark's forward, Krohn-Dehli.

"This goal came very suddenly, a very distinct change-of-pace attack!" Bešić had just finished speaking when Modrić spoke up from below.

"Rather than saying Krohn-Dehli played well, it's more accurate to say that Danish number 8 midfielder made a great pass!"

It wasn't just about the pass; it was about the several passes and pulls made to set up that pass, dispersing Germany's defense to the sides and creating space for the through ball.

A through ball wasn't just about passing; before that, enough space had to be created.

Otherwise, it would be easily intercepted by the opponent, leading to a quick counterattack.

Therefore, this Danish number 8 played really well.

"Exactly!" Bešić nodded; "This player is Christian Eriksen, currently playing for Ajax, but from his playing style, you can see that he is a player with strong offensive aggression. Many of his passes are forward passes, constantly pressing the opponent's defense and creating a passing space for his teammates, and his penetrating passes are very threatening!"

Suker also looked at the player on the big screen.

Eriksen, a future world-class midfielder.

Speaking of Eriksen, one can never avoid the most glorious years of Tottenham Hotspur.

With the support of Eriksen and a host of other Tottenham players, that Tottenham team made it all the way to the Champions League.

Although they failed to defeat Liverpool and win the championship!

But this was also, in the original timeline, another glorious era after the Tottenham trio of Modrić, Bale, and Crouch.

And Eriksen was a crucial element among them.

Currently, Eriksen could not be called world-class, but once he landed on the Tottenham stage, he would grow rapidly under Pochettino's tutelage.

This was a player worth watching.

Just then, Bešić folded his arms and said no more. Van Stoyak, holding his notebook, said:

"Regarding this player, our analysts have also done some data analysis, combining his performance in the Eredivisie, and summarized his strengths and weaknesses!"

"The strengths have already been mentioned, and next are the weaknesses!"

"After analyzing data from 50 comprehensive matches, we found a problem: in matches where Eriksen didn't perform well, there was a common shadow, which was high pressing! Or the opponent specifically sought to limit Eriksen!"

"To put it simply, this Danish midfielder is not good at resisting pressure and confrontation!"

Modrić nodded. Many midfielders were like that.

All-around midfielders were not common; they were extremely rare.

Some midfielders were simply not good at confrontation and easily got lost when offensive and defensive tasks were arduous.

The most typical example was Pogba!

Without a bodyguard arranged, Pogba needed to balance offense and defense, and he would only play more and more chaotically.

Once the midfield was in disarray, the whole team would follow suit!

For this reason, when Pogba played, a bodyguard was always assigned to him!

For example, in the future France National Team, Pogba had a covering super defensive midfielder, Kante, next to him!

Rakitić: "So, are we going to high pressing?"

Everyone looked up.

Bešić looked at Rakitić and Modrić, and slowly said; "No need!"

Everyone was stunned for a moment.

Bešić continued; "I'm planning for the next match to focus on the midfield, meaning we'll compete for rhythm with Denmark in the midfield!"

high pressing was effective, indeed.

But the European Cup had just begun, and Bešić didn't want to expose too much tactical information.

On the other hand, combined with Rakitić's excellent performance in the previous match, he was confident that the midfield combination of Rakitić + Modrić + Vukojević could suppress the Denmark midfield.

Moreover, Suker and Mandžukić could also appropriately drop back, which could increase midfield control.

Most importantly, it could further activate the midfield's form.

For Croatia, they didn't have many matches left to adjust.

Or rather, only this one match remained.

The third round was against Germany!

After playing Germany, they would play the knockout stage.

The current stage was to get all positions in form, so as not to become passive after entering the knockout stage.

Although Croatia quickly entered the European Cup state, in Bešić's view, they had not yet reached the most perfect state.

There were still some issues with cohesion.

Therefore, he intended to use this match to further integrate the team.

At the same time, he was also preparing for the match against Germany.

The quarter-final, semi-final, and final after playing Germany would not give Croatia any time to adjust.

"Kovacic and Brozović, be prepared! If we can quickly take the lead in the next match, you will get a chance to play!"

Bešić's words immediately excited Kovacic and Brozović.

The two exchanged glances, almost jumping for joy.

Finally, they had a chance to play in the main European Cup tournament.

Suker also looked over with a smile; the growth of the next generation was very important.

After all, by the 2018 World Cup, these people would be the backbone.

And this European Cup itself had the meaning of training.

Thinking of this, Suker suddenly raised his hand.

The others looked over, and Bešić also nodded towards Suker.

Suker said loudly; "In the next match, I should also find my form!"

Bešić nodded with a smile.

"Of course!"