The All-Around Center Forward

"We still have a chance." This statement was made out of Host's professionalism, but even fans could hear the helplessness in Aldo's voice.

Although there were still nearly 30 minutes left, they could barely see any turning points.

Balotelli, on whom they had placed high hopes, failed to display the same excellent performance in a strong matchup.

On the other hand, Croatia was about to secure victory in this match with an almost suffocating rhythm.

Facing a Croatia that made no mistakes, they truly didn't know how to win the game.

Of course, Croatia would also make mistakes, but at least Italy's attacking ability couldn't disrupt Croatia's defense.

Both sides began to make substitutions.

Italy was all-in; now they could only attack.

Croatia, taking advantage of their two-goal lead, played steadily, ensuring their defense while looking for opportunities to counterattack.

The singing of Croatian fans echoed throughout the Donbass Arena.

The soaring singing made the Italian fans even more bewildered.

Even in the VIP boxes where famous Italian players gathered, everyone fell silent.

They clearly knew that Italy had already lost its so-called chance of winning!

Time passed bit by bit, and the game on the field became increasingly dull.

As the match entered the 70th minute, De Rossi excitedly shouted towards the sidelines:

"Substitute me! Substitute me! We need to attack!"

However, the Italian Head Coach did not make any tactical changes, and he remained indifferent to De Rossi's shouts.

"Damn it!"

De Rossi felt a heavy feeling in his heart.

At this point, Italy was still suppressed by Croatia, and time was running out.

The final was within reach; were they really going to accept defeat here?

Just as De Rossi was in a daze, Modrić suddenly passed the ball to Suker.

Suker turned his body and lightly flicked the ball with his toe, lifting it over the defensive line and sending it towards the penalty area.

Mandžukić was the first to turn and run forward, meeting the falling ball with a diving header.

The ball struck his forehead, and Mandžukić flicked his head slightly, sending the ball to the right side.

The ball went into the net again!

Croatia led Italy 3-0!

"It's in again!!!"

"Mario Mandžukić, he scored the third goal for Croatia, a goal in the 78th minute, Mandžukić completely killed the suspense of the match!"

"Italy failed to bring about a turnaround at the last minute; instead, Croatia further extended the score!"

Whoosh!!!!!!!!!!—

The stands erupted in an uproar, and the Italian fans all looked distressed.

Since the decline of Serie A and the retirement of Italy's older generation of international players, they had rarely performed well in international competitions.

In this European Cup, reaching the semi-finals had given Italian fans many hopes, but in the final four, during the strong matchup, Italy exposed various problems.

And these problems told them that they still had a big gap when facing these top strong teams!

The Italian players were also dispirited at this moment.

Although they didn't want to say it, the game was indeed over.

The Croatian players were celebrating, both for the goal and for the victory.

"The final!!"

"Here we come, the final!"

"Mario! Well done!"

"Super Mario!"

Mandžukić, Suker, and others gathered together, shouting and cheering excitedly.

This goal further secured Croatia's spot in the final.

With only a little over ten minutes of game time remaining, and Italy trailing Croatia by three goals, a comeback was almost impossible.

The remaining time was even more uneventful.

As time entered injury time, Italy still failed to organize an effective counterattack.

This led to disappointed Italian fans leaving the stands one after another.

They were already convinced that there was no chance of a comeback in this match.

At the same time, on the field, the Italian players were also panting heavily, their physical fitness severely declining.

Especially when they realized that the tide had turned and they had already lost the game, the accumulated fatigue instantly swept through their entire bodies.

Many felt they couldn't run anymore; they wanted the game to end quickly.

Fortunately, seeing the dispirited Italy, the Referee immediately blew the whistle after the injury time ended, giving them almost no extra second.

Finally, the full match ended.

In the 2012 European Cup semi-final, Croatia defeated Italy 3-0!

"The full match is over! The full match is over! Croatia defeated Italy 3-0, securing their second spot in the final."

"In three days, on July 2nd, Germany and Croatia will play the final of this European Cup in Kyiv, the Capital of Ukraine!"

"In the 2008 European Cup, Croatia defeated Germany to win the European Cup! And the opponent in this European Cup final is still them. Can Germany prove itself? Can it defeat Croatia on the final stage and get revenge?"

"At the same time, can Croatia once again challenge for the European Cup title? Can they win their second European Cup title?"

Amidst the excited words of the Ukrainian commentator, the full match concluded.

Whoosh!!!!!!!!—

Whoosh!!!!!!!!!!—

The cheers were like a tide.

Especially when the Croatian players arrived at the sidelines to express their gratitude, these Croatian fans became even more excited.

They called out the players' names one by one, constantly cheering them on.

Suker and others also waved vigorously in response.

After thanking the fans for their support, Suker turned and walked onto the field, going straight to Pirlo.

"Congratulations to you all!"

Pirlo's face showed a hint of fatigue and helplessness.

Obviously, after losing the game, he was also in a very bad mood.

"We played a terrible game!" Pirlo shook his head; "The Christmas Tree Formation in the second half was a mistake. We overestimated ourselves and underestimated you."

Suker couldn't say anything, only patting Pirlo's shoulder.

Pirlo turned to look at the young players crying on the field.

"I don't care, but for these young people, it's cruel. I couldn't lead them to a higher stage."

Suker: "This isn't just your problem."

"I know!" Pirlo sighed; "But if I had played better…"

At this moment, Balotelli swept past the two of them, his face tense, rushing along without even greeting Pirlo.

"He doesn't count!"

Pirlo's expression was a little grim.

Suker didn't know what to say either, when Buffon happened to walk over.

"Congratulations to you all!"

Suker and Buffon high-fived, and the three stood together chatting.

"You're playing Germany in the final, are you nervous?" Buffon asked.

Suker smiled; "I've never lost a final!"

Buffon was stunned for a moment.

Pirlo, beside him, shrugged; "He really has never lost a final!"

If only Italy had Suker in this match, they wouldn't have played like this.

If Suker were his dog, Pirlo could take off.

Alas, Balotelli's ability was too far behind Suker's, making it impossible to fully activate the team's offense.

The three chatted for a while, then dispersed.

Italy was already preparing to return home.

Their European Cup journey had also ended; although they didn't reach the final, making it to the semi-finals was still a good experience, especially for the young players.

As for Croatia, they had taken another step forward.

They would set off for Kyiv to prepare for the European Cup final on July 2nd!

As all the European Cup semi-finals concluded.

The teams for the final were also determined one after another.

Following the 2008 European Cup, Germany and Croatia once again met in the European Cup final stage.

Given the history between the two teams, this final had many highlights.

Moreover, the current performance of these two teams was also astonishing, with their form almost at its peak.

Croatia was undoubtedly perfect, having won all their matches since the qualifiers and not losing a single game so far.

Germany was a bit careless in the group stage, but after two knockout matches, especially after defeating Spain, their morale was greatly boosted.

Germany was also now in optimal condition in all aspects, ready to face Croatia.

This final was a strong matchup in the absolute sense!

Either team could win.

Both teams were very strong!

And they were very close in strength, with almost no difference in ability, and their lineups were also magnificent.

Therefore, this European Cup final was heavily featured and widely promoted by the media.

"Croatia 3-0 Italy! Advancing to the European Cup Final!"

"The defending champion enters the final again! Unstoppable Croatia!"

"The Rhapsody once again echoes across the European continent! This time in Ukraine!"

"European Cup Final! Croatia vs. Germany!"

The European Cup entered its most intense period.

As the semi-finals concluded and the final approached, the fervor surrounding the entire European Cup grew even hotter.

Fans from all over began to gather in Kyiv, the Capital of Ukraine.

They would witness the pinnacle of European football here.

Germany had already arrived in Kyiv, while Croatia arrived at their hotel in Kyiv the following day.

No sooner had they arrived than the interview team dispatched by UEFA came to their location.

"Just the two of us?"

Modrić pointed to himself and Suker in the distance, asking.

The reporter nodded: "Yes! This is a pre-final interview, which will be broadcast before the European Cup Final begins."

Modrić nodded.

"Alright! I understand!"

Since they were reporters dispatched by UEFA, they couldn't refuse.

Modrić found Suker, and the two quickly arrived at the interview location.

The entire interview lasted half an hour.

The reporter also knew that both Croatia and Germany were preparing for the final, and time was limited, so he focused on key questions.

When the interview concluded, the reporter smiled and said: "Thank you for your cooperation, and good luck in the final!"

Suker and Modrić also smiled and nodded.

Modrić joked; "Help me make some adjustments, there are too many wrinkles on my face!"

The reporter smiled and nodded in agreement.

Suker, on the other hand, turned to look at Modrić; "You do have quite a few wrinkles!"

Suker's skin was still very elastic, while Modrić's skin was a bit loose, leading to more wrinkles.

It should be noted that Modrić was only one year older than Suker.

But when he smiled, his face was full of creases.

Suker reached out and pinched the skin on Modrić's arm, pulling out a layer of skin.

"Your body fat percentage is too low, no wonder you look old!"

"What does that have to do with it!" Modrić rolled his eyes: "Hurry up and go train!"

When they arrived at the meeting room, Bešić was still explaining tactics.

Seeing the two walk in, Bešić nodded, and after they sat down, he continued;

"Germany's playing style is very disciplined, especially after entering the knockout stage, they have taken this discipline to the extreme!"

"If we look at Germany's games, it's not hard to see that it's like a high-speed operating machine! Their passing, their runs, whether in attack or defense, everyone is like a part of a machine, playing a crucial role!"

"Spain's loss is reflected here; many attribute Spain's loss to internal strife, but the fact is, Germany's own pressure was the key, even leading to the root cause of Spain's internal strife!"

"Especially after 20 minutes, once Germany fully gets into rhythm, their high press, their defense, their counter-attacks are like a machine; they won't make mistakes!"

Listening to Bešić's explanation, Rakitić pursed his lips and whispered; "It's like our style!"

"It is somewhat similar! However, when we counter-attack, we don't follow fixed patterns, but rather have more creativity, while the Germans counter-attack according to patterns. I think we have an advantage in this aspect!" Modrić commented.

"In that case, the pressure falls on our defensive line!" Vukojević said.

Srna; "It's time for pressure. The defense needs to grow and cannot always be coddled, and we are already prepared to withstand the pressure!"

At this moment, at the front of the meeting room, Bešić slowly said: "This is the current Germany; their style is similar to ours. Compared to 2008, this Germany is no longer the same. The key to this match has also become who will make the first mistake!"

"Whether it's us or Germany, we will constantly apply pressure, forcing the opponent to make mistakes. Therefore, this is when our ability to read the game in a stalemate will be tested!"

"Of course, I also believe you can do very well. As for tactics, this final has no specific tactical setup. We will use our most familiar 4-2-3-1 formation to meet the challenge!"

Rakitić raised his hand; "Germany should be the same as us, right?"

Bešić nodded: "Yes! Are you scared?"

"Joking!" Rakitić immediately said loudly; "Let them come!"

Upon hearing this, everyone couldn't help but burst into laughter.

They laughed because they had full confidence in themselves and their teammates!

Furthermore, when it came to applying pressure and forcing opponents to make mistakes, they had Suker, a great weapon, here.

It would be Germany who made the first mistake!

That evening, interviews with representative players from both sides of the European Cup appeared on major national platforms and online.

Croatia: Suker and Modrić attended the interview.

Germany: Lahm and Schweinsteiger attended the interview.

First question: [2008 European Cup Final, how do you evaluate Mandžukić's last-minute goal?]

Suker smiled; "Well, I remember it very clearly. We fought very hard in that game, and there were four goals in the first half. After getting past Lahm, I wanted to sweep the ball to the center, but I caught a glimpse of the open space diagonally behind me, so I made a cut-back pass. I believe my teammates could also see that gap, and Mario just happened to appear there!"

Modrić shrugged; "Same as him, my presence in that game was very low!"

Lahm pondered for a long time before slowly exhaling: "I remember it very clearly. It's a game I don't want to recall. Suker got past me. At that time, my judgment was flawed, and I couldn't stick close to him immediately, allowing him to seize the opportunity to penetrate the penalty area. And once he entered the penalty area, fouling him would be dangerous. What followed was his pass to Mandžukić for the goal."

Schweinsteiger; "That game was very frustrating, there were many problems, but we simply couldn't solve them, so we lost, that's all!"

Second question: [In the dead of night, have you ever thought about the 2008 European Cup Final?]

Lahm and Schweinsteiger both gave affirmative answers.

"For me, that game was full of regrets. My irrational behavior hurt Suker and also caused us to lose the game. Even now, thinking back to that game, I am still full of guilt!"

Schweinsteiger; "The gap was too big. Croatia at that time was like a rising sun; they were so full of vitality, while we had too many problems in all aspects. Even if one was solved, another would appear. I don't want to attribute the reason for the loss to this, but that's how it was. But fortunately, we got another chance, we stood before Croatia once again!"

Lahm nodded; "This time, we won't lose again! We've had enough of this feeling!"

Modrić; "That was a wonderful game, a beautiful night. We celebrated all night. When I lifted the trophy, I couldn't believe it; it was too beautiful!"

Suker; "A scorching summer, that summer was filled with cheers and shouts. Everyone was so excited, smiles on everyone's faces. I love this feeling! So, I will go experience it again!"

Modrić also nodded; "We are not a traditional powerhouse, but we are already strong enough. Therefore, we can win these honors and create more glory in our generation!"

Third question: [Are you confident about this European Cup Final?]

Lahm: "Of course! We prepared for this for two years!"

Schweinsteiger; "It should be four years! From that loss, we have been constantly preparing for revenge!"

Modrić; "We are confident! We played well enough, our form is good enough, so we are confident of winning!"

The camera focused on Suker, he slowly straightened up, his gaze calm, as if stating an objective fact.

"I have never lost a final!"