"Can we really win?"
Bilić nervously rubbed his hands together.
He kept glancing out at the field, looking at those tall and imposing German players, and couldn't help but feel uneasy.
After all—this was Germany!
Compared to Croatia, Germany was a giant in the world of football, a team with prestige and power.
They had a glorious history, while Croatia was stepping into the Euro Final for the first time.In terms of experience and pedigree, the gap was massive.
"No one can say for sure," muttered Van Stoyac, repeatedly clicking his pen cap—a clear sign of his anxiety.
Even though their game plan was already laid out,no one could predict how the match would unfold.Could Croatia's current lineup withstand Germany's offensive onslaught? That was still unknown.
He was the head coach, yes.And he had done everything he could to minimize the damage after losing Vukojević and Rakitić.
But even so—this was his limit.
What happened now?Would they win?It was all in the hands of the players on the pitch.
"First and foremost, we must endure their offense. If we can't hold out, nothing else matters," Van Stoyac said grimly.
Starting Lineups:
Croatia (4-3-1-2):
GK: Pletikosa
DEF: Pranjić, Šimunić, Kovač, Srna
MID: Dujmović, Modrić, Niko Kovač
FWD: Mandžukić, Šuker, Petrić
Germany (4-2-3-1):
GK: Lehmann
DEF: Friedrich, Mertesacker, Metzelder, Lahm
MID: Schweinsteiger, Frings, Ballack, Hitzlsperger, Podolski
FWD: Klose
Germany's lineup screamed attack—especially with its wings aimed squarely at pressuring Croatia's defense.
Croatia, on the other hand, emphasized the central axis—counting on the vertical spine of Šimunić, Modrić, and Šuker to break the deadlock.
Inside Happel Stadium, the players stood on their respective halves.
Croatia to kick off.
Germany stood poised and hungry.
In this moment, all of Europe watched with bated breath.
In 90 minutes, the champion of Euro 2008 would be crowned.
Would Ballack finally shatter his "eternal runner-up" curse and lead Germany to the trophy?
Or would Šuker lead Croatia through one final rhapsody and bring it to a triumphant close?
Everything would be decided in the next 90 minutes.
Referee: Roberto Rosetti (Italy)
Nicknamed the "jewel in the crown of Italian referees" by legendary referee Pierluigi Collina,Rosetti rose to prominence after the Calciopoli (match-fixing) scandal, replacing De Santis as a top-tier official.
In his early days, Rosetti was diligent and impartial.But as his fame grew, he earned a new nickname: "Star Slayer."
He had a habit of suppressing big-name players in his calls, using strict enforcement to bolster his image of fairness.
The bigger the name, the stricter the judgment.
As such, stars like Šuker and Ballack would need to be cautious.
Just then—the whistle blew!
BEEEEEP!
The match began.
Croatia kicked off.
Commentators around the world began their opening statements.
On the pitch, Germany immediately surged forward.
"Germany is pressing right from the whistle!"
Croatia played the ball backward toward the defenders,and Modrić dropped deep to provide another passing outlet, trying to maintain numerical advantage in their own half.
Germany wasn't engaging in an all-out high press,but the pressure was still intense.
After surveying his options, Modrić took a few steps forward and called for the ball.
Receiving it, he immediately played a forward pass to Šuker,then curved to the left side on a supporting run.
Šuker acted like a pivot wall, tapping the ball into space on the left.
Modrić picked it up and charged ahead.
Other Croatian players surged forward in support.
"Stay calm!" Mertesacker barked.
Modrić delivered a curling ball with the outside of his foot into the box.
Mandžukić and Petrić, two towering strikers, crashed into the area for a header.
"Croatia strikes first! Modrić with the cross!"
BANG!Mertesacker and Mandžukić collided hard.
Mertesacker clearly felt the hit but still leaped up and managed to clear the ball.
The clearance landed at Schweinsteiger's feet.
He turned and took off down the sideline.
As Pranjić closed in, Schweinsteiger slid the ball into the middle.
Another wall pass—Ballack laid it off again into Schweinsteiger's path.
Now it was a sprint.
Schweinsteiger and Pranjić chased down the ball.
But Pranjić had to turn, costing him half a step.
Schweinsteiger didn't hesitate.He delivered a precise lofted cross into the penalty box.
Klose charged in.
Šimunić leaped and cleared it with a powerful header.
"Šimunić once again shows his aerial dominance. Germany will have to find a way past this towering wall if they want to score!"
Both teams had now taken a swing at the goal,but both were denied by tough defending.
The opening minutes featured probing attacks, and after that exchange, the tempo slowed slightly.
"After the initial surge, both sides have now entered a more cautious probing phase."
Commentator Kraushvić wiped sweat from his palms.His heart was pounding.
This back-and-forth lasted for five more minutes.
Then, in the 11th minute, something shifted—
Podolski suddenly made a blistering acceleration down the left flank.
The sudden tempo change caught Croatia off guard.
He charged toward the baseline.
Srna gave chase with everything he had.
At the last moment, Podolski shaped to cross—but cut the ball back instead, laying it off toward the top of the box.
There, Ballack met the pass, took a touch, and fired off a powerful shot.
BANG!The ball struck the crossbar and went out of play.
"OHHHHHHHH!!! Ballack's long-range rocket nearly broke the deadlock! That was a massive threat—Croatia must be wary of more of these German strikes!"
Though it didn't result in a goal,Ballack's eyes lit up.
That attempt showed he was in fantastic form.
He'd keep applying pressure from range.
In the stands, Croatian fans clutched their chests.
That strike nearly gave them a heart attack.
On the sidelines, Van Stoyac and Bilić both exhaled in relief.
"That scared the life out of me!" muttered Bilić, his heart still aching.
Van Stoyac frowned deeply.
"Germany's attack is stronger and sharper than I anticipated."
"We have to hold on," he told himself.
He felt the Croatian players hadn't yet found their rhythm.
Their full potential hadn't emerged yet.
But would Germany give them the time to adjust?
No chance.
The next 10 minutes: Germany's full assault begins.
On the left flank, Podolski and Lahm formed a deadly duo, relentlessly targeting Croatia's defense.
When the left yielded no breakthrough, they switched to the right.
Now Schweinsteiger took charge.
Both flanks burst with dangerous crosses.Klose and Ballack were constant aerial threats in front of goal.
Croatia was on the edge of collapse.
BANG!
Then it happened—
Schweinsteiger sent in a perfect cross.
The ball arced over Šimunić, dropping sharply.
It bounced off Klose's plant leg and—
Deflected into the net.
The moment the ball hit the net, the stadium fell silent.
21st minute: Schweinsteiger's assist, Klose scores.
Germany takes the lead.