"Shall we start?"
Inside a studio in Croatia, football commentator Klausevich sat in the interview chair.
His career as a commentator had spanned 30 years, but at this moment, he was still extremely nervous.
He had interviewed numerous football stars, but always as a commentator or Host, but this time he was the interviewee.
Opposite him was an official Host from Croatian Television.
He wasn't necessarily more famous than Klausevich, but he was a household name in Croatia.
"Yes! We're about to start."
Official Host Matic said with a smile.
Klausevich adjusted his attire before looking at the camera.
"Hey! Good evening, fans eagerly awaiting the 2014 Brazil World Cup!"
"Today, we've invited a pioneer of Croatian football, the veteran commentator who has worked in football commentary for many years, Mark Klausevich. Say hello!"
Klausevich smiled and raised his hand; "We are your old friend, Klausevich!"
Under the familiar opening remarks, the fans in front of their televisions also showed a slight smile.
"The World Cup is about to begin in two weeks. During this time, our National Team is also preparing intensely. Although not much news has come out, from the current situation, our players are in excellent form, especially Suker's performance in the Champions League has greatly excited our fans!"
Entering his professional field, Klausevich couldn't help but speak eloquently.
"Suker's form is beyond doubt; he is always ready. As for other players, although there are currently no injuries, the World Cup process will always involve a lot of confrontation leading to injuries, so we need to be prepared for that!"
"I think Bešić has done very well in this regard. He has recalled many veteran players, which is to guard against unforeseen circumstances!"
"These veteran players may not be in as good form as the younger ones, but in such major tournaments, they often perform better!"
Matic nodded: "Let's talk about Croatia's World Cup journey!"
"The 1998 World Cup is the most unforgettable for us. In that World Cup, the Croatian players led by Davor Suker reached the World Cup semi-finals for the first time, making Croatia the focus of the world."
"Unfortunately, they couldn't defeat the formidable host France and ultimately lost with regret!"
Klausevich nodded; "I think even they can't let it go. I've seen many hypotheticals online!"
"What if Davor Suker had gotten past Thuram at that time!"
"What if Boban's pass had gone through!"
"What if we hadn't conceded that fatal second goal!"
"But these are all hypotheticals. In fact, we have already lost. We need to learn to look forward, and it's not bad now, is it?"
After speaking, Klausevich and Matic couldn't help but smile knowingly.
"Alright, this World Cup is where Suker leads Croatia to compete in an international tournament again. In the previous World Cup, the South Africa World Cup, we still stopped at the semi-finals!"
At this point, Klausevich waved his hand and interrupted; "In that World Cup, we lacked experience. After all, from the coaching staff to the players, it was their first World Cup experience. They had already done well enough."
"Exactly, so what kind of expectations should we have for them in this World Cup?"
Klausevich pondered for a moment and said: "As a commentator, I want to say, don't put too much pressure on them. At this time, their pressure is the greatest."
"But as a fan, I hope to see them achieve good results!"
After speaking, Klausevich sighed deeply;
"We've stopped at the semi-finals twice. I don't know how much longer I can work, but I really want to commentate on a World Cup final that belongs to Croatia!"
"I believe I'll do a great job!"
At this moment, Klausevich's true emotions showed. Like other Croatian fans, he was eagerly anticipating a good outcome.
A World Cup final that belonged to them!
Stopping at the semi-finals twice, their hearts were truly filled with regret.
Just one more step was the final!
Just one more win was the championship!
Unwillingness!
Regret!
Helplessness and other emotions intertwined. For this, they very much hoped to see a breakthrough.
Coincidentally, in this World Cup, Croatia was truly stronger than ever before.
They entered the World Cup as the defending European Cup champions, and compared to the previous one, they were more experienced.
The team also had a mix of old and new, with a reasonable age structure.
They had drive! They had experience! And they also had decisive players and stars.
Croatia lacked nothing!
Perhaps this was truly their most hopeful World Cup.
"I will be heading to Brazil in a week. Our group is not easy!"
"In the group, there's strong England, and also South American powerhouse Uruguay, and even dark horse Costa Rica!"
"We cannot guarantee that we will win every match, but we must adjust our form as quickly as possible to be in the best possible state."
The two talked extensively about various World Cup news, and in front of the television, Suker and other Croatia National Team players were also gathered together.
Suker immediately returned to the National Team after the Champions League ended.
For this, he even turned down the team's celebratory parade.
Real Madrid also understood the importance of this World Cup to Suker, and therefore did not try to keep him.
After returning to the National Team, Suker immediately threw himself into training, even more actively than anyone else.
And under Suker's influence, the entire Croatia's preparation for the World Cup was extremely smooth.
"England and Uruguay are tough opponents, but Costa Rica really cannot be underestimated!"
Modrić grinned: "Why does it feel like we've been cheated again?"
"How could that be!" Mandžukić shook his Head Coach; "We have people watching over there. We won't fall for the same trick twice!"
"But our luck is indeed not very good." Kovacic complained.
At this moment, Suker suddenly spoke: "Never mind luck, no matter what team, push through them all!"
Suker's voice was strong and powerful, and his eyes were full of fighting spirit.
This also made the other players look sideways.
Suker's words were indeed like a booster shot, making them feel powerful.
Since their star player was so dominant, they naturally couldn't fall behind.
The 2014 Brazil World Cup groups are as follows:
Group A: Brazil, Italy, Mexico, Cameroon.
group B: Spain, Netherlands, Chile, Australia.
Group C: Greece, Colombia, Japan, Ivory Coast.
Group D: Croatia, Uruguay, England, Costa Rica.
Group E: France, Switzerland, Honduras, Ecuador.
Group F: Argentina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iran, Nigeria.
Group G: Germany, Portugal, United States, Ghana.
Group H: Belgium, Russia, Algeria, South Korea.
Each group plays three rounds, with each team playing against the others. The top two teams in the standings advance to the knockout stage.
Therefore, in this type of tournament, the outcome of any match is extremely crucial.
Especially the first match, where the best performance is needed to win the game.
A week passed quickly.
A large number of fans from all over the world began to enter Brazil. According to statistics, approximately over 3 million fans entered Brazil, and many more players continuously arrived to participate in this grand event.
The entire Brazil had become a hotbed of football.
Under the influence of the World Cup, they became the focus of the world.
Every four years, the World Cup arrives as scheduled.
The 32 top teams in the world!
The 736 best players in the world gathered together.
Busy airports, high-decibel screams, constantly flashing tail lights—all these tell us that the stage is set, and the curtain is about to rise.
"This is Rio de Janeiro! We have just welcomed the England team from Europe, and in half an hour, the Eastern European Iron Cavalry, European Cup champions Croatia, will arrive here!"
Amidst the intense cheers around her, the beautiful reporter wore earmuffs and had to shout when speaking.
The camera panned, showing a large number of fans gathered here, all with eager faces.
"Croatia, like Brazil, Germany, and Spain, is one of the favorites to win this World Cup. They boast top players such as Modrić, Srna, Rakitić, and Mandžukić, and are even led by a phenomenal star like Suker. It can be said that no matter where they are, they are the most vigilant opponents for every team!"
"In the previous South Africa World Cup, Croatia regrettably lost in the semifinals, but in this World Cup, they have returned in even better form!"
Just then, the cheers from the crowd suddenly intensified.
The beautiful reporter turned her head and saw that Croatian staff had already started to emerge from the exit.
The beautiful reporter also shouted excitedly, "Look! They're here!"
Neat training attire, iconic red and white colors.
This small country, with a population of only 4 million, is an unignorable and formidable opponent on the World Cup stage.
Following the staff, the Croatia National Team players, led by Head Coach Bešić, walked out of the airport.
In the camera, they were all smiling, perhaps influenced by the enthusiasm and the grand event; the smiles on their faces were simply irrepressible.
Soon, Suker's figure was spotted at the end of the line.
He was also in a training uniform, with over-ear headphones around his neck, wearing a baseball cap, and carrying a simple bag under his arm.
The moment Suker appeared, the entire airport erupted.
The decibels of cheering suddenly increased, as if the ground itself was shaking.
And as Suker waved, the entire airport was filled with waves of massive cheers, and the ground seemed to be shaking.
Not only were Croatian fans gathered here, but many Brazilian fans also poured in.
Suker is very popular in Brazil.
This is due to many factors, including his excellent skills and his good relationship with Kaka.
Amidst the cheers, the Croatia National Team players were welcomed by local officials, and after some simple welcoming ceremonies, they boarded the bus to their hotel.
"I'm already nervous!"
Kovacic trembled his leg, unable to resist licking his dry lips.
From the moment he arrived in Brazil, his heart had been pounding non-stop.
Four years ago, he was still watching the World Cup on TV, dreaming of competing on the World Cup stage with Suker and others.
Four years later, he achieved his dream and came to Brazil to participate in the 2014 World Cup.
Now, thinking about all this felt like a dream.
The same was true for Kovacic.
Brozović, beside him, felt the same way.
For newcomers, the World Cup is full of immense allure.
What's more, they are favorites to win this World Cup, so naturally, they felt an added sense of pressure.
"Relax, if you're so nervous, the coach won't put you on the field!" Dujmović began to tease the two rookies.
The two youngsters turned their heads in fright, looking terrified.
Srna, beside them, glared: "You shut up!"
After saying that, he began to comfort them; "Don't worry, the World Cup schedule is very dense, and you will all get a chance to play."
Then, he glared at Dujmović again.
The latter couldn't help but pout.
These youngsters are lucky; they even have someone to comfort them.
When they first participated in the World Cup, no one gave them advice or comfort; they were completely in the dark and almost had to figure everything out on their own.
"We've arrived at the hotel!"
The bus entered the hotel, and Bešić stood up and said loudly:
"Everyone go arrange your check-in first. There's a simple training session this afternoon. Suker, go connect with the organizers; they have an interview!"
Everyone turned to look at Suker, who had already risen gracefully, preparing to leave.
As a top-tier event, any World Cup interview is an excellent opportunity for exposure.
However, very few people get this kind of treatment.
But at Suker's level, it's different.
The organizers in Brazil also count on Suker to boost the event's popularity.
As soon as Suker got off the bus, he was led by several staff members directly to a room in the hotel for a private interview.
In the interview area, some staff members occasionally looked at Suker, their eyes full of curiosity and excitement.
Perhaps they were his fans!
"Hello, Suker!"
At this moment, a Brazilian Host walked over and greeted him in fluent English.
Suker also smiled and extended his hand.
"The interview content isn't much; it's mainly to enrich some pre-match warm-ups."
Suker nodded, indicating he understood.
"This segment will be edited into the promotional video, appearing before the opening match. It's meant to add a final touch of excitement to the World Cup preparations."
Suker nodded again.
He was still very cooperative with the organizers' work.
"Then let's begin. You just finished the Champions League and now you're immediately participating in the World Cup. Will this put a lot of pressure on you?"
Suker shook his head; "No pressure, I can't wait!"
The Host smiled and nodded, saying; "How do you evaluate the preparations for this 2014 Brazil World Cup?"
"In fact, I haven't visited too many places, but from the airport all the way here, I've seen many lively scenes. I believe Brazil will do perfectly!"
Every World Cup has some issues, and in fact, Brazil has quite a few.
But Suker wasn't foolish enough to say it directly.
The Host showed a delighted expression and continued to ask: "Croatia's group is very competitive. For the other teams in the same group, Croatia is a strong opponent. How will you face this situation?"
"Whether we take it seriously or not, these are irrelevant. We just need to play every match well and win every match, then we can successfully advance."
"Do you have a goal?"
"For now, the goal is to enter the knockout stage first!"
"How is your overall condition?"
"Great! I feel great, everyone is very excited about this World Cup, both in terms of morale and condition, we are very good."
"In your first match, you will play against England. In their lineup, which player is the most threatening?"
"Every player in England is a threat. I cannot point to a specific player."
"In this World Cup, which team do you most want to play against?"
Suker thought for a moment and said; "Spain?"
"We were eliminated by them in the last World Cup, so we want to play against them."
Suker said it casually; he didn't have a specific team he wanted to play against.
If he had to say, the weaker, the better.
However, if a strong opponent came, they were not afraid.
"Last question, for you personally, this World Cup could potentially break Ronaldo's record for most World Cup goals. What are your thoughts on this?"
Suker; "It's not just me; Klose from Germany also has a chance. It depends on who performs better, but I personally still hope to break this record myself."
"Okay, thank you for the interview, and I hope Croatia achieves its desired results in this World Cup!"
After the interview, the two stood up and shook hands, and Suker was led by the staff back to the hotel.
The players had already checked in. Suker walked to their floor and entered the third room on the left from the elevator.
As soon as he walked in, he found them gathered in groups again.
The room was not big, but it was packed with people.
"Don't you have your own rooms?"
Suker watched as Mandžukić, Rakitić, and the others filled his bed, then he directly extended his foot and kicked them out one by one.
These guys also got up with a smile and said; "It's too boring alone, let's chat!"
"Are you ready?"
Suker bent down to organize his luggage, asking without looking up.
"Everyone's waiting for you," Srna said.
Suker nodded: "Give me five minutes!"
After Suker finished packing his luggage, he went downstairs with his teammates and took the bus to the training base.
The first day's training was also an open training session.
The area around their training ground was filled with reporters and cameras from all over the world.
All 32 World Cup teams were the focus of these reporters' photography.
However, according to the team's level of attention and strength, there would be some differences, more or less.
For example, favorite teams like Croatia, Germany, Spain, and Brazil were the preferred shooting areas for reporters.
Teams from Asia and Oceania, on the other hand, received relatively less attention.