Recently, Croatia had been intensely preparing for the match.
Germany was the top threat in the group. While strong, they weren't yet a terrifying powerhouse—at least not compared to the German "Panzer" team of 2014.
The new generation of German players was beginning to rise, but they hadn't yet reached their prime.
Thomas Müller, Schweinsteiger, Toni Kroos, Hummels, and Neuer were not yet part of the national squad.
Ballack was undoubtedly strong—he was a tragic hero.
His peak years coincided with the weakest era of the German team.
And just as Germany began its golden era, he was ruthlessly cast aside.
Šuker sympathized with Ballack's situation, but he wasn't going to pity him—losing was the greatest tragedy of all.
During this time, Van Stoyak was focused on designing the tactical core.
It was simple: use Šuker and Rakitić, two technical players, to break through Germany's heavy, sluggish defense.
Šuker's attacking force was undeniable, but he needed others to create space for him.
The same went for Rakitić.
These two were bound to face brutal fouls from the Germans. But as long as they could endure, Germany's backline would either fall apart or be crippled.
On defense, Van Stoyak promoted an all-hands-on-deck approach.
This was the foundation of the Dutch "total football" philosophy.
From the front line to the back, everyone had to defend—including Šuker.
Watching the Croatian team execute smooth attacking plays and cohesive defense on the training field, Van Stoyak's eyes were full of intensity.
"Germans! I want you dead!" he muttered through gritted teeth.
Šuker happened to be nearby and heard the venom in his voice—he couldn't help but grin.
Van Stoyak had a personal grudge against the Germans.
Back when he was coaching in the Eredivisie, one of his German players—unhappy with Van Stoyak's tactical decisions—leaked locker room secrets to the media.
During a bad run of results, a Dutch journalist of German descent stirred up further trouble, which eventually led to Van Stoyak's dismissal.
If Bilic hadn't personally approached him afterward, he'd probably still be holed up in a rented apartment somewhere.
That incident made him resent Germans deeply—and he held that grudge with a vengeance.
Anything related to Germany, he despised.
So, naturally, for this match against Germany, he was determined to crush the opponent—to make that German player and that reporter taste the bitterness of national team failure.
To prepare for this match, Van Stoyak even asked the players to cut off all distractions.
That meant no TV, no phones—full focus on training.
Because of that, the Croatian players only learned of the results from Group A's second round on the day of the match.
Portugal had beaten the Czech Republic 3–1.Turkey had defeated Switzerland 2–1.
After two rounds, Portugal sat atop the group with two wins.Turkey was second on goal difference.
As co-hosts, Switzerland became the first team eliminated from the tournament.
Matchday Six.Group B, Second Round.
The Ernst-Happel Stadium in Vienna, Austria, became the center of attention for all of Europe.
The main event of the group stage was about to begin.
Croatia was set to face off against Germany.
Both teams were basically tied, but due to goal difference, Croatia held the top spot.
The outcome of this match would directly decide who would top the group.
Neither Germany nor Croatia could afford to drop points here.
Germany's head coach for this tournament was Joachim Löw.
Yes—the very same nose-picking Joachim Löw.
But this was his first international tournament in charge.
At this point, the German team found itself in an awkward position.
After their impressive performance in the 2006 World Cup, they were under pressure to go even further in this Euro—there was no room for regression.
However, Germany's youth development, part of their recent football reform, had yet to bear full fruit. The pool of players to choose from wasn't as deep as it would become after 2010.
So Löw had to rely heavily on star veterans like Ballack and Klose.
There was no "player committee" running the team yet.
Among the players, captain Ballack still held absolute authority.
He was still Germany's "war god," and Podolski was still playing the "obedient kid" role.
The incident where Podolski slapped Ballack would only happen a year later, when a rebellion led by younger players like Lahm and Schweinsteiger broke out.
The German FA would then abandon Ballack and back the younger generation.
But even now, internal strife still lingered within the team.
At the very least, Ballack—the locker room boss—wasn't fully on board with Löw's tactics.
The team had won the first match, so tensions were temporarily held at bay.
But if they lost this match, those problems would explode.
Šuker didn't think this German squad was that scary. At the very least, Löw was still calling the shots—Ballack hadn't taken over yet.
As it turned out, Löw's tactics were indeed flawed at the time.
So, Šuker actually believed this Germany was easier to beat now than they would be in the knockout stage.
June 13, Ernst-Happel Stadium, Austria.
With over 50,000 seats, the stadium was packed to the brim.
As the Group B marquee clash and a showdown between European powerhouses, this match was the center of all attention.
Before the game, German and Croatian football legends had already exchanged heated barbs on various talk shows. Each side firmly stood its ground, increasing the buzz around the match.
During the group stage, most teams were still trying to find rhythm.
Teams like Croatia and Spain, who could unleash full strength from the get-go, were rare.
Because of this, Germany didn't dare underestimate Croatia.
Germany's coach fielded the most solid lineup possible.
Croatia, for their part, also sent out their most aggressive formation.
Starting Lineups:
Germany (4-4-2):
Goalkeeper: Lehmann
Defenders: Marcel Jansen, Metzelder, Mertesacker, Lahm
Midfielders: Podolski, Ballack, Frings, Fritz
Forwards: Klose, Gomez
Croatia (4-2-3-1):
Goalkeeper: Pletikosa
Defenders: Pranjić, Šimunić, Kovač, Srna
Midfielders: Kranjčar, Vukojević, Rakitić, Modrić, Šuker
Forward: Mandžukić
The battle was about to begin.
Both teams entered the player tunnel, ready to walk out.
The anticipation was sky-high. Major broadcasters had invited top-tier guests.
Sky Sports had Arsène Wenger as guest commentator.Italian TV brought in Carlo Ancelotti.Croatian TV invited Bešić as their expert guest.
This match had become the centerpiece of the tournament.
With the crowd roaring and the atmosphere electric, the players walked onto the pitch.
The match was about to begin.
"This is Day 6 of the 2008 UEFA European Championship in Switzerland and Austria. Group B, second round: Croatia vs. Germany!"
On the commentary platform, Kraushević opened the broadcast, then turned to Bešić.
"What are your thoughts on this match?"
"Like most people, I'm Croatian," Bešić replied. "So of course, I support our team. I believe Bilic has done a great job with the tactics, and I trust our players to put in an excellent performance."
Kraushević smiled. "Many of these players used to play under you. Based on your understanding of them, can you offer some analysis?"
Bešić paused and then said, "Rakitić is the key."
"Oh?" Kraushević was surprised. "Not Šuker?"
"Šuker's threat is well known across the world. We all saw how Poland paid the price for failing to mark him in the first match. Germany will have learned from that. Against their defensive structure, technical players are crucial. Šuker and Rakitić are that type—they'll launch attacks from the flanks, one left and one right. But because Germany will focus on Šuker, our right side will have more space."
After a pause, Bešić continued:
"That's why I say Rakitić is the key—he must hold strong under pressure. If he can create openings on the right when Šuker is tightly marked, it will relieve Šuker and may even free him completely."
"If Croatia can pull that off, Germany will have no chance."