The All-Around Center Forward

Maksimir Stadium was once again filled with a large number of fans.

On the east stand, a huge slogan was displayed.

"Let's go! World Cup! 2014!"

Flags fluttered in the stands, and a large group of shirtless fans were embracing each other, shouting slogans loudly.

"Go! Croatia!"

"Go! Croatia!"

"No one can defeat us!"

"This is Maksimir! We will make everyone fear us!"

From a distance, it looked like a pulsating giant wall.

This was the most passionate stand, and standing on this stand meant having to cheer for the entire match.

Two-time European Cup champions!

One-time World Cup third place!

The consecutive honors had already ignited the confidence of Croatian fans; they were no longer the second-tier European team they once were, nor were they a dark horse team.

Looking across Europe, they were a formidable Eastern European Iron Cavalry!

They were a top European team!

Under this immense confidence, they were full of anticipation for every match.

Especially National Team matches, they didn't want to miss a single one.

Both teams' players were warming up on the field.

Belgium players could feel the surging passion in this stadium.

In fact, the Belgium players were also extremely helpless in their hearts.

Being drawn into Group A was one thing, but having to play Croatia in the first match, it could be said that the pressure on them was simply too great.

This was the European Cup champion!

The European Cup had only ended two months ago, and Croatia still maintained the combat strength and level they had during the European Cup, and their morale was also incredibly high.

It could be said that Croatia was the most difficult team to play against at this time.

But there was no choice, no matter how difficult it was, they had to grit their teeth and persevere.

Suker turned his head to look at Belgium's half.

The famous 'European Red Devils' Belgium, at their peak, could be described as elite.

But this team was also one of Europe's famous problem teams.

Their problem was simple: internal strife!

Of course, every team will have various problems that lead to conflicts.

However, what was different about Belgium was that their conflicts were based on completely different languages and cultures, between the Flemish and Walloon people.

These were two ethnic groups, with different language systems.

One was French, and the other was Dutch!

For this reason, there would also be some bizarre situations in the Belgium National Team, which was that players from the same country would communicate, one speaking French and the other speaking Dutch, making them unable to communicate and requiring a translator.

And the conflict between these two ethnic groups had a long history.

For example, in the 1980s, the glorious coach Thys once said, 'Never call a Walloon into the National Team, no matter how good he is!'

From this, one could get a glimpse of the situation.

Even now, it was still the same.

After warming up, Belgium would split into two groups, ignoring each other.

In the original timeline, Belgium's golden generation had a host of luxurious stars such as Hazard, De Bruyne, Lukaku, and Courtois, and even once topped the FIFA rankings.

But on the World Cup stage, they greatly embarrassed FIFA.

The dignified FIFA-ranked number one National Team in the world stumbled in the World Cup, and their eventual losses were frustrating and embarrassing.

It could be said that Belgium had the best players, but they were unable to resolve the long-standing internal conflicts within the team.

Even now, this contradiction still existed.

The warm-up session ended, and both teams' players returned to the locker room for final adjustments.

The voice of commentator Klausevich appeared on the television, his high-pitched voice adding an exciting color to the match.

"This is the scene of the 2014 World Cup European Qualifiers. Do you remember two months ago, we cheered loudly in Kyiv, the Capital of Ukraine, celebrating our second European Cup championship? In the blink of an eye, two months have passed, and we have embarked on a new journey. This time, we are aiming for the 2014 Brazil World Cup!"

"Happy weekend, guys, I'm your old friend Klausevich, and I'm very happy to be here to bring you a commentary on the match."

"After the European Cup, the morale and fighting spirit of the Croatian boys must be even higher. I believe they can play a wonderful match!"

"Of course, we cannot underestimate our opponents, Belgium, known as the European Red Devils. They appeared on the European stage this year with a brand new attitude, but unfortunately, they met us!"

Along with Klausevich's teasing, the fans in front of the TV couldn't help but burst into laughter.

The camera shifted again, showing the players' tunnel.

Both teams' players had already lined up.

Klausevich introduced the current status and various statistics of the Croatian players one by one. He had done detailed homework, so he was at ease.

The expressions of the Croatian players were relatively relaxed. This was the first round of the qualifiers, but they were also seasoned veterans, so they wouldn't be too nervous here.

Soon, the Referee led both teams' players onto the field.

The starting lineups were as follows:

Croatia (4-3-3):

Goalkeeper: Subašić.

Defenders: Srna, Vida, Dujmović, Strinić.

Midfielders: Vukojević, Rakitić, Modrić.

Forwards: Radošević, Mandžukić, Suker.

Belgium (4-4-2):

Goalkeeper: Courtois.

Defenders: Gillet, Vermaelen, Vincent Kompany, Vertonghen.

Midfielders: Defour, Witsel, Mertens, Hazard.

Forwards: Benteke, Dembele.

"For Croatia, Dujmović is playing as a center-back in the defense, which is a brand new change this season. This might also be an experiment by Bešić, and we wish Tomi an excellent performance."

"Perisic didn't make it into the starting lineup, but to be honest, his form has been inconsistent since the European Cup, and he hasn't performed well at the club either. He really needs some adjustment!"

During Klausevich's introduction, the captains of both teams exchanged pennants and tossed the coin.

Belgium got the kick-off first.

Croatia chose the right half of the field.

Suker was still actively warming up, jumping around to activate his physical condition.

And as he warmed up, a burning gaze from the Belgium bench was fixed on Suker.

A young man with fair, somewhat delicate skin and golden hair standing on end, looked at Suker on the field with burning eyes.

In his mind was that wonderful Champions League match!

The incredible low curling shot that Suker had passed, which he thought was divine.

He was Kevin De Bruyne.

When he was at Genk, he had already gained fame in the Champions League, and based on his wonderful low curling shot, many people called him 'the Suker of the midfield.'

Unlike others, he had to create his own concept.

De Bruyne enjoyed this title because Suker had always been his idol.

Suker's brilliant Rainbow Pass had instilled in a young De Bruyne a desire for football.

He didn't know how many years had passed; De Bruyne couldn't remember anymore.

But he finally stood in front of Suker!

The only regret was that he couldn't start!

Perhaps because his gaze was too intense, Suker slightly turned his head and happened to see De Bruyne on the bench.

Suker raised an eyebrow slightly, then a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth, and he even nodded gently towards De Bruyne.

Boom!

De Bruyne's mind went blank!

Was Suker just greeting him?

Just as De Bruyne wanted to confirm again, or give a response, Suker had already turned his head to look at the field.

On the field, Suker took a slight breath.

Belgium's potential was undeniable; if there were no internal conflicts and they worked together, they would surely be a super strong team capable of creating a generation of legends!

A group that gathered many excellent players like Hazard and De Bruyne, it was unimaginable how strong Belgium would be if they were united!

But unfortunately, Belgium's golden generation was ruined by internal strife.

Whoosh!!!!!!!!!!

The cheers suddenly surged, and the Belgium players kicked off first.

After the kick-off, Croatia immediately rushed forward.

"They're coming! Stay alert!"

Witsel shouted loudly, reminding his teammates to stay alert.

Croatia's high pressing speed was very fast, and they charged fiercely.

Hazard saw the situation and moved slightly towards the middle, wanting to receive a pass from his teammate.

But as soon as he ran to the middle, he was entangled by Vukojević.

Hazard frowned and returned to the wing position again, pulling away to receive the ball.

Vukojević also didn't continue to push forward, instead holding his position.

On the other side, Croatia's high pressing was extremely fierce.

Suker, as the team's superstar, showed no signs of slacking, leading the charge.

With Suker charging forward like that, who else dared to stop?

"Disrupted!"

Mandžukić brushed the ball, and although he couldn't steal or intercept it, he disrupted Belgium's passing rhythm.

Vertonghen immediately rushed towards the ball, wanting to follow up and protect it.

But someone rushed faster than him.

Radošević sprinted all the way, getting to the ball before Vertonghen, and powerfully shot with his right foot.

He kept the shot down!

The ball flew low to the ground towards Belgium's goal, and Courtois made a sudden save.

Fortunately, the ball grazed the post and went out of bounds, just missing the angle!

"Oh~~ An early shot! A powerful shot from Radošević, just a hair's breadth off the angle!"

"Radošević was called up to the National Team during the European Cup, but he was always a substitute. Born in 1994, this young player plays for Naples in Serie A, and in this match, he's been very active!"

Watching the ball miss the target, Radošević showed a hint of regret, turning his head to look at Suker.

Suker gave him a slight thumbs up, and the young player grinned happily.

All the Croatia National Team players born after 1990 were Suker's fans.

Today, Suker has a large number of 'fanboys' in the National Team.

On the sidelines, Bešić showed a slight smile.

"Radošević's performance is very good!"

Young players have their own way of playing. That opportunity just now had a more stable option, but a shot wasn't out of the question either.

Although he didn't hit the target, it boosted morale significantly.

"Young man, very fast and high-spirited, but needs to calm down!"

"Don't worry, Modrić, Rakitić, and Suker will all help him settle down!"

On the field, the Croatian players immediately retreated. No one lingered in the front, which showed their team discipline.

After Belgium kicked off again, Croatia charged forward once more.

This time, Belgium learned their lesson, releasing the ball quickly and not daring to continue passing it around in the backfield.

The ball successfully reached Hazard's feet.

Hazard had his back to the goal, and Vukojević immediately pressed him.

"Don't tackle!"

Rakitić yelled from a distance.

Vukojević also had no intention of tackling, just pressing Hazard, constantly applying pressure, and always following him.

Hazard could only move horizontally, and every sudden stop would have his forward path blocked by Vukojević.

Seeing that he was about to be surrounded, Hazard could only pass back.

"His technique is really good!"

Van Stoyak nodded slightly.

Before the match, they had studied Hazard. Although he was a young player, his dribbling and mentality were both excellent.

The most crucial thing was that he didn't lose the ball!

Just like this time, his dribbling was reasonable, and his passing was also reasonable.

Although he couldn't advance, he distributed the ball in time.

This was also because Croatia blocked their path to attack forward, as Croatia's defense was not weak at all now.

Vida and Dujmović were always watching, ready to act as soon as Hazard passed the ball.

One-on-one marking, combined with a suddenly shrinking defense, instantly surrounded the opponent and launched a counterattack.

Unfortunately, Belgium didn't fall for it!

Five minutes into the game, Belgium quickly found their midfield suppressed.

Their possession time was very short, and passing was not easy.

In contrast, Croatia would use high pressing to win possession, and once they gained possession, Croatia would control the tempo with the midfield as the core.

The only good news was that Suker hadn't exerted himself yet, clearly still probing.

Modrić stepped on the ball, pulled it back, and turned.

The attack on the right side was still a bit too simple, and Belgium's defense should not be underestimated.

Modrić dribbled a few steps towards the left, then immediately shifted the ball over.

"Suker!"

Suker received the ball on the wing.

As soon as Suker controlled the ball, Belgium's entire formation visibly and quickly shifted to the left, with a serious expression on everyone's face.

Suker also saw this, and he didn't force it, instead making a light back pass.

Modrić once again pushed the ball forward to Rakitić.

After Rakitić received the ball sideways, he immediately turned to face the attacking direction.

Taking advantage of the opponent's defense not having fully shifted over, Rakitić suddenly accelerated and started dribbling.

"Rakitić is starting to break through the defense!"

Throughout the European Cup, Rakitić's performance was astonishing.

Especially in dribbling breakthrough statistics, he was even higher than Suker.

This doesn't mean that Suker's dribbling was inferior to Rakitić's.

Rather, Suker attracted too much defensive attention, making it unsuitable for him to hold the ball too much.

Of course, Suker's success rate in dribbling breakthroughs was still higher.

All of this indicated that once Suker dribbled, it was with a purpose, and it was aimed at scoring.

Rakitić dribbled diagonally, drawing the defensive attention further to the right.

Then he suddenly stopped short and made a cut-back pass.

Modrić appeared in the center, receiving the ball and making a V-shaped transfer pass.

The ball immediately drilled into the left flank area.

The next second, Suker actually burst out from outside Belgium's right-back Gillet, and facing the ball, he curled a shot towards the goal.

This was a half-volley, just clearing Vermaelen.

Mandžukić sprinted desperately forward, making a diving header, but he missed!

"You're slow again!"

Suker shouted grumpily.

Mandžukić got up a bit awkwardly; he really couldn't keep up with Suker's rhythm.

He couldn't time it right!

If he ran too fast, it would be offside!

If he ran too slow, he wouldn't catch up!

"Mario is used to playing as a target man; he's forgotten how to make runs as a forward!"

Van Stoyak shook his head.

Bešić also sighed; "No choice! With Suker in the National Team, he can't play that way. I thought he could release himself at the club!"

The ball was cleared with a long kick by Vertonghen.

Vukojević jumped, heading the ball back over his shoulder to Vida behind him.

Vida immediately passed it to Srna.

Srna wasn't in a hurry to release the ball. Facing the pressing of Hazard and Dembele, he actually dragged the ball sideways, forcing his way through the middle of the two, completing a breakthrough.

"Oh~~~ Srna is even showing off his skills now!"

After completing the breakthrough, Srna didn't continue to pass the ball forward.

Instead, he waited for Modrić to return to his position and passed the ball to him.

"Steady! Steady!"

Srna pressed his hands down, signaling his teammates to remain calm.

At this point, 14 minutes had passed, and Suker stretched his body, feeling like he could slowly start applying pressure.

"Modrić!"

Suker dropped back to receive the ball.

Seeing Suker actively ask for the ball, Modrić immediately passed it.

As Suker was about to receive the ball, three Belgian players immediately moved to surround him.

Suker observed this beforehand. With his back to the goal, he lightly flicked the ball with his toe, directly lobbing it to Rakitić diagonally behind him.

After flicking the ball, Suker immediately turned and sprinted diagonally towards the center.

Seeing Suker's run, Rakitić didn't try to do too much. He met the ball and gently laid it off in the direction of Suker's run ahead of him.

Suker scooped up the ball and instantly appeared at the edge of the penalty area.

"Danger!!!"

The Belgian commentator was instantly horrified.

The next second, Suker shot sideways.

His body was clearly facing the right, but Suker, by twisting his waist and ankle, somehow managed to hit a shot towards the far post!

Courtois turned his head to look at the left post, completely stunned.

What kind of monster is this?!

How did he manage that far-post shot?

Ding!

But luck was just a little off; the ball grazed the post and went out of bounds.

"Oh~~~" Klausevich was also stunned.

"Suker's far-post shot was too unexpected, but he was too focused on the angle and couldn't score!"

"However, Suker made the first shot of this match, and the quality is still very high!"