Many fans from Spain, Uruguay, and England began to leave Brazil one after another.
They had joyfully welcomed the event, only to face elimination after two rounds. Their hearts were filled with resentment, yet also desolation.
This was especially true for Spain.
As the defending champions, they garnered immense attention at this World Cup, but their performance, which did not match the attention, and their dismal form led to their swift elimination.
In fact, signs of this had already appeared in their match against the Netherlands.
However, at the time, Spanish fans believed they could still make adjustments.
But in the end, they failed to adjust, losing both matches and exiting with a whimper.
Uruguay's elimination was due to tactical errors; they could have gone further, but that's how the World Cup is. After one mistake, it becomes incredibly difficult to recover.
England's defeat this time made the domestic atmosphere incredibly indignant. Fans even demanded a restructuring of the National Team, as they could no longer tolerate such a dismal performance from the once-proud Three Lions.
At the same time, some also began to say that the two players simply couldn't coexist, and that both were old now, and it was time for them to retire from the National Team to give younger players a chance.
Once you lose, everything is wrong!
This is the cruel reality of football!
The World Cup is ultimately a mix of joy for some and sorrow for others.
Compared to the eliminated teams, the teams that successfully advanced appeared much more cheerful.
Croatia's atmosphere was much more relaxed due to their early qualification, and jokes became more frequent.
Of course, they were all quite old, and some were even parents, so they rarely made childish jokes like before.
However, when this group of people gathered, they always managed to make the atmosphere very relaxed.
Croatia had its own dedicated chef, who was brought from their home country. After all, during the World Cup, no one could predict what problems might arise, and it was always right to be cautious!
After eating some breakfast, the entire Croatian team headed to a nearby training ground for practice.
With two wins, only one group stage match remained.
They would face Costa Rica in the third round of the group stage!
This would also be the crucial match to determine the top spot in Group D!
Whoever won would be the group leader!
However, unlike external predictions, Croatia and Costa Rica became the protagonists of Group D.
As for the two powerhouses from South America and Europe, they were eliminated consecutively!
"Costa Rica's counter-attacks are very sharp, especially during their offensive and defensive transitions, where the midfield acts as the counter-attacking engine, launching rapid counter-attacks!"
"Among them, their No. 10 player, Ruiz, is the most important. Once we contain him, it will be very difficult for Costa Rica to launch effective counter-attacks, but this also requires someone to sacrifice and mark him throughout the match!"
Bešić was still very cautious. Although they had already qualified, his goal was to finish first in the group, so it was not yet time to relax.
Costa Rica's performance at this World Cup truly astonished the world!
They defeated powerhouses from two continents in two matches, a performance that could be described as a true dark horse.
However, a dark horse can only be a dark horse!
Facing a significant gap in squad depth and strength, Costa Rica was about to face their most intense match!
In their two matches at this World Cup, Croatia's oppressive playing style was terrifying.
This was somewhat reminiscent of Spain in 2010, constantly pressing their opponents.
Moreover, they performed exceptionally well in terms of rhythm and other aspects, which currently prevented other teams from finding Croatia's so-called weaknesses.
Since the World Cup curse came true and Spain was eliminated.
Many speculated whether Croatia, now ranked No. 1 in the FIFA National Team rankings, would be jinxed by FIFA.
But this did not happen!
Croatia was not overambitious!
Nor did they show any complacency.
Everything was proceeding steadily!
For Croatia, they knew that although they were highly praised, they had not yet achieved the highest honor in the World Cup.
Potential is just potential; only by winning the World Cup trophy would they be truly worthy of being called the best!
Furthermore, the defeat in 2010 also taught them a bitter lesson, and the regret and disappointment in their hearts would not allow them to become complacent.
It can be said that Croatia at this World Cup was absolutely united in their determination to challenge for the World Cup trophy.
"Recently, many scouts have been coming to the stadium for matches!"
Van Stoyak said.
They were very familiar with those well-known scouts; with just a glance at the camera, he knew exactly who had come.
Currently, all major clubs were represented.
The World Cup was a huge stage, and these clubs would not miss such an opportunity to scout for talent.
And Croatian players were currently recognized as reliable in football; although not cheap, they offered good value for money!
From Suker's generation onwards, there had almost never been a loss in investment.
Therefore, it was no surprise that they were keeping a close eye on Croatia.
But besides Croatia, other teams were also being targeted by scouts.
Among them, the most anticipated was undoubtedly the young player from Colombia, James Rodríguez!
In two matches, he scored three goals, and the young player completely made a name for himself on this stage, also attracting a lot of attention.
This included some European giants.
Colombia was not considered a powerhouse in World Cup history; their best performance so far was reaching the Round of 16!
In the 1990 World Cup in Italy, led by 'El Loco' Higuita and 'El Pibe' Valderrama, they advanced to the second stage.
But before that, almost all their World Cup appearances ended in the group stage.
However, in this World Cup, they had won both their matches!
Their powerful performance was astonishing.
Among them, the young player James Rodríguez became the most watched young player.
Rodríguez, who was still playing for Monaco in Ligue 1, had recently received many invitations from European powerhouses, including some giant clubs.
However, Rodríguez was still waiting.
He believed his form was excellent and that he could continue to perform, earning better treatment and opportunities.
Bang!
A beautiful curling shot flew directly into the top corner; the entire trajectory and curve were perfectly executed, and even if the Goalkeeper reacted, he was still helpless.
"This angle is impossible to save!"
Colombia's Goalkeeper, Ospina, got up from the ground, shook his head as he looked at the ball in the net, then turned to look at the young player celebrating not far away.
His youthful face was filled with joy.
And his heart also became exhilarated with this goal.
In fact, before the match, Colombia's focus was on the No. 9 player, Gutiérrez; he was the main attacking force for the entire Colombian team.
But Gutiérrez failed to deliver the performance he showed in the League, while the young player Rodríguez exploded perfectly, leading Colombia through challenges and now securing two consecutive victories.
Although there were some discrepancies, with such a performance, Rodríguez was fully trusted by his teammates.
Even the coaching staff quickly changed their tactical focus; Rodríguez was now definitely the core attacking player for Colombia.
"I heard Arsenal contacted you?"
Midfielder Aguilar asked, his tone betraying envy.
For any midfielder, a top-tier club like Arsenal, competing in the highest level, had always been their dream.
They would also benefit from the coaching of the professor, which would greatly aid their development.
Rodríguez nodded: "Yes, but I haven't responded to them yet!"
Aguilar was stunned: "Why not respond? You might miss this opportunity!"
Arsenal was a Premier League powerhouse and also played in the Champions League; wasn't that better than Monaco, where he was playing?
However, Rodríguez fell silent.
Aguilar quickly understood.
This guy had bigger ambitions!
But it was also reasonable; if he had Rodríguez's performance and form, he would also try to delay and wait for better clubs to approach him.
Every World Cup sees the emergence of a super talent.
Mbappé in 2018 was a typical example.
But even earlier, Rodríguez in 2014 was even more so.
James Rodríguez indeed believed his form was excellent, and he could continue to perform, attracting more attention and gaining the favor of better teams, which was why he had not responded yet.
Furthermore, good things come to those who wait; he was confident in himself that as long as his performance didn't falter, Arsenal's interest would not wane.
But his ambition told him that he wanted something better.
After a day of training, Rodríguez showered and dried his hair, styling it neatly with hair wax, then nodded with satisfaction.
With recent high exposure, Rodríguez had also started paying attention to his appearance.
The moment he arrived at the hotel, he saw his father waiting at the entrance.
"Father?"
Rodríguez walked over, a little confused.
His father grabbed Rodríguez's arm, then briefly spoke to the Head Coach, and after getting his approval, said, "Come with me, it'll take half an hour at most!"
Rodríguez was puzzled: "Where are we going? It's still the World Cup!"
"You'll know when we get there. I've already told the coaching staff, just half an hour!"
With that, he pulled Rodríguez into a car and drove towards another hotel.
Throughout the journey, his father seemed particularly excited.
Rodríguez kept asking where they were going, but his father just said he'd know when they arrived.
When they reached the hotel, they took the elevator straight upstairs and quickly arrived at a suite.
In the suite's living room, many staff members were busy organizing various documents, sending and receiving files, indicating they were very busy.
Upon seeing Rodríguez and his father, a staff member immediately walked over and said, "Mr. Zorancic is inside!"
Hearing this, Rodríguez was greatly surprised.
The name Zorancic is known to every player; he is a major European agent, and also the agent for players like Suker, Modrić, and Di Maria.
His company manages numerous stars, and his network extends to clubs of all sizes across Europe.
He is also a frequent guest of top clubs.
Rodríguez turned to look at his father, who also sighed, "I thought a club would contact us, but I didn't expect Mr. Zorancic to be the first to reach out, and he contacted us personally, hoping to meet you and let you know the value of this opportunity!"
An agent of Zorancic's caliber only handles a few key players internally; other players under his agency are managed by agents from subordinate departments.
Even if a player is listed under Zorancic, the actual operations are handled by the agency.
Some players have never even met Zorancic.
Therefore, Zorancic's personal contact indicates he has a particularly high regard for Rodríguez.
Upon entering the room, the father and son saw Zorancic.
He was dressed casually, wearing glasses, with his sleeves rolled up, and was eating with his head down.
This image was not what one would expect from a top agent.
At least in Rodríguez's imagination, a top agent should be in a suit and tie, holding a glass of red wine, looking like a refined gentleman.
Zorancic was also startled when he saw the two of them. He quickly put down his plate, but couldn't bear to leave the few pieces of meat, so he directly shoved them into his mouth with a fork and swallowed them whole.
Then he awkwardly stood up and said, "I thought you would come tomorrow!"
Rodríguez's father quickly said, "I believe some matters should be decided as soon as possible!"
Zorancic smiled and nodded: "I like this efficiency."
With that, he looked at Rodríguez and said, "Your father must have told you, right?"
Rodríguez shook his head; he knew nothing.
Zorancic grinned and had to explain, "Here's the thing, we want to sign your agent contract for Europe!"
"You want to sign me?" Rodríguez was a bit surprised.
He turned to look at his father, who was actually his agent.
His father waved his hand and said, "Leave professional matters to professionals. In Ligue 1, I can share some of the pressure with you, but it's really not suitable for me to deal with those people. In fact, in Monaco, I couldn't even get you the best terms."
Rodríguez then turned to Zorancic and said, "Could you elaborate?"
"Of course, I'm ready!"
Zorancic invited the father and son to sit down, then pulled out a stack of data from a file.
"These are your performance statistics during the World Cup. After verification by the team, they believe you still have a lot of room for improvement."
He then took out some more documents and said:
"These are the clubs interested in you!"
The father and son looked over; besides those they had already contacted, there were also some they hadn't yet.
In other words, these teams were interested in Rodríguez but hadn't yet had time to make contact.
They themselves weren't aware, but Zorancic had already received the information.
This is the information network of a top agent.
"First, let's talk about your treatment!"
Rodríguez sat upright, listening attentively, as Zorancic continued, "Our agency's contracts are divided into four levels: A, B, C, and D. Currently, you qualify for a C-level contract!"
Rodríguez frowned: "Only C-level?"
He felt that his performance was already quite good.
If not A-level, it should at least be B-level, right?
Zorancic smiled and explained, "You'll understand once I explain it to you."
"Our D-level contract is the most basic, with a low distribution rate but guaranteed resources. Beyond that, there are almost no other support policies, but these players are the most ordinary, whether in terms of potential or other aspects."
"A C-level contract, on top of that, includes support from a dedicated agent, a development analysis team, and a technical analysis team. This is one of our mid-to-upper level contracts, most suitable for young players."
"For a B-level contract, we currently only have four players: Modrić, Srna, Mandžukić, and Di Maria! This contract requires achieving honors such as the Ballon d'Or, World Cup, Champions League, or FIFA World Player of the Year!"
Zorancic smiled and said, "That's our contract distribution. So, a C-level contract is most suitable for you. Of course, we will also make appropriate adjustments based on different potentials."
"That's not right!" Rodríguez said, "There's still A-level!"
Zorancic pulled out a cigarette and asked, "Do you mind if I smoke one?"
Both of them shook their heads, indicating they didn't mind.
Zorancic lit a cigarette, took a puff, and slowly said, "There's only one A-level contract, but the conditions are too demanding. So far, we only have one A-level client!"
"Suker?" Rodríguez asked.
Zorancic nodded: "Yes!"
Rodríguez couldn't help but grin. In that case, C-level was indeed quite good.
B-level was already the ceiling.
Currently, no one would give him a ceiling-level contract, and it would be even more impossible for a major European agency.
If he wanted Zorancic's resources, he would have to make some sacrifices.
Besides, contracts could be adjusted in the future.
"I'd like to ask how you view my development prospects."
Hearing this, Zorancic began to speak eloquently, analyzing from multiple angles and offering many types of suggestions.
And these were all things he could accomplish!
Just these points made Rodríguez somewhat tempted.
But he still held back and continued to ask, "Is there a better possibility?"
"For example?" Zorancic raised an eyebrow.
Rodríguez pursed his lips: "For example... Real Madrid!"
His father suddenly turned his head, looking over with an astonished expression.
He hadn't expected his son's ambition to be so great; this was aiming for the sky in one leap!
Zorancic, however, raised an eyebrow and couldn't help but laugh aloud, "I like your personality; football should be about Dylan to challenge!"
"Although we haven't signed, I'm still willing to share some information with you. Real Madrid's Head Coach, Ancelotti, is indeed watching you, but he's still observing and hasn't acted yet. If your performance improves further, he might come to see you personally!"
"Of course, if you truly want it, I can help you contact Real Madrid, but if you do, the terms of your treatment and other aspects will be greatly discounted, so I don't recommend you do that."
"Your current performance momentum is very good. Colombia has reached the knockout stage, and with every goal you score, your negotiating leverage will increase exponentially."
"I can tell you clearly that if you contact Real Madrid through me now, you can only enter the first team through the second team's channel, but this will require time to prove yourself."
"But it's currently the World Cup, and your performance and form are both excellent, so I hope you can continue to maintain it and not actively contact these clubs too early, but wait for them to come to you."
Rodríguez pursed his lips and said, "I don't know what that standard is!"
Zorancic smiled and held up two fingers: "Score two more goals, and I guarantee I can help you secure a spot in the first team!"