Ruiz is having a tough time. Croatia's entire tactical system is built around limiting Ruiz, and this can disrupt Costa Rica's offensive rhythm!
And Ruiz doesn't have enough ability to break free from this situation!
The Brazilian commentator kept shaking his head.
He could feel Ruiz's anxious and helpless mood.
Since the start of the match, Ruiz had been eager to make things happen, wanting to change the situation with his own ability.
But Croatia found the perfect entry point, causing him to be constantly anxious without any way to respond.
Meanwhile, Croatia was still controlling the situation, and to be honest, Suker hadn't really shown much in this match.
Croatia's display in this match wasn't about individual brilliance, but rather a sustained suppression and draining of Costa Rica's space through their overall tactics, ultimately leading to their defeat.
And this kind of defeat was the most frustrating, because they were passively taking hits the entire time, yet had no way to respond.
It could be said that Croatia's control of the situation suffocated Costa Rica.
Costa Rica's Head Coach was also stomping his feet on the sidelines, completely at a loss on how to break the deadlock. He looked at the bench but couldn't find a suitable substitute.
Before the match, they weren't exactly brimming with confidence, but they did hope to cause some trouble for Croatia.
However, from the current situation, let alone trouble, their passes would be intercepted after no more than five touches.
In contrast, Croatia's coaching bench on the other side was completely at ease.
Bešić had already sat down, his expression calm as he watched the field.
Beside him, Van Stoyak was constantly writing and drawing, recording match data.
"Šimunić, Pranjic, go warm up!"
As the match reached the 75th minute, Bešić called out to the two players.
These two would not come on at the same time; they would enter one after another to continue stabilizing the defense.
As early as the 60th minute, Costa Rica had increased their offensive capabilities through substitutions, but they had been unable to break through the defense.
However, this also significantly increased the physical exertion of Croatia's wing defenders, making it necessary for them to add some defensive intensity.
In the 78th minute, Croatia made a substitution.
They first increased their defensive strength on the flanks, with Pranjic coming on as a substitute for Srna.
Before Srna left the field, he proactively approached Suker.
He personally placed the captain's armband on Suker's shoulder and said:
"It's up to you!"
Suker nodded, indicating he was at ease!
Srna high-fived and hugged Pranjic before running onto the field.
"The coach said we can counterattack appropriately!"
Pranjic found Modrić and whispered to him.
Modrić also nodded; a 1-0 lead was still not secure enough, as if Costa Rica got a lucky shot, their overall rhythm would be disrupted.
To ensure victory, it was indeed necessary to score another goal.
And it wasn't just the coach who thought this; in fact, Modrić had also considered this issue.
As the match was about to enter the 80th minute, Croatia was still leading Costa Rica 1-0!
The score difference in this match was not large, but Croatia's displayed dominance was somewhat frightening.
Especially for those teams aiming for the World Cup championship, seeing Croatia's current form and performance made their hearts heavy.
"Compared to the European period, Croatia feels even harder to deal with now!"
Inside the meeting room of Germany's National Team hotel, Lahm watched the match on television, his tone serious.
During the European Cup, Croatia's form had not yet reached this level.
But in this World Cup, Croatia entered a red-hot state from the very beginning and has maintained it.
Previously, it was Suker's hot form that slowly led the team to adjust.
Now, Croatia's overall form was already incredibly hot from the start of the World Cup.
"So, if we keep winning, we will definitely meet Croatia!"
Schweinsteiger also said with a heavy tone.
He believed Croatia was the most dangerous opponent in this World Cup and also had the ability to reach the World Cup final.
This meant that if Germany wanted to win the championship, they would definitely have a struggle with Croatia.
Germany's Head Coach Löw was also looking at the television, his right thumb and index finger rubbing together, if one looked closely, there was a sticky substance being rolled into a ball between his two fingers.
Behind Löw, Muller watched the scene with a look of disgust.
Pop!
Löw flicked the sticky substance away and turned his head, saying, "After the match, the coaching staff will gather for a meeting!"
He believed it was necessary to thoroughly analyze Croatia's current playing style.
Although not much information was revealed in the three matches, it was still necessary to prepare in advance so as not to be caught off guard.
On the other side, the Brazil Team, as the host, also watched the match in silence.
Was Costa Rica playing poorly?
No!
In fact, their performance in this World Cup could definitely be called 'above average'.
But even so, they were still suppressed by Croatia to this extent.
It was as if the two teams were not on the same level; this kind of dominance was completely that of a strong team over a weak team, and it was an all-encompassing dominance.
"It feels like Croatia hasn't really exerted much effort so far?" David Luiz said.
He wondered if it was his misconception, or perhaps, the Croatia he remembered should have played more intensely.
However, the score on the field could not describe the word 'intense' at all.
Kaka did not speak, but he agreed with David Luiz's statement.
Or rather, he was certain of it!
As Suker's partner and good friend, he might not know everything about Croatia, but he clearly understood Suker's ability.
This was not Suker's explosive form, which meant that Suker hadn't exerted much effort in this match, probably saving his energy and form for the knockout rounds.
But even so, Croatia still steadily suppressed Costa Rica!
This was the most terrifying thing!
Many people's impression of Spain in 2010 was their terrifying midfield dominance and control of the game.
And Croatia, in its own way, once again showed many teams this kind of dominance.
Especially as opponents, they also had a headache, wondering what tactics they should use against Croatia to break this deadlock.
Of course, if it were the Brazil Team, Croatia certainly wouldn't play this way!
At the very least, their midfield wouldn't be as passive as Costa Rica's.
"It's coming!"
Suddenly, Kaka spoke out.
Everyone turned their heads to look, only to see on the television that after Vukojević's tackle, Modrić pulled the ball, turned, and then smoothly passed it forward.
Suker was already on the wing, sprinting diagonally.
His speed was very fast, and his acceleration was equally quick.
He used his speed on the wing to forcefully control the ball.
But he did not pass to the center immediately, instead waiting a moment until Rakitić was in position, then he passed the ball to Rakitić, while he himself circled behind Rakitić and moved horizontally.
And on the wing, Ćorluka was also rapidly pushing forward.
"Croatia's attack this time…"
The Croatian commentator Krauchivich instantly became excited.
Rakitić had the ball in the half-space, Suker was circling behind him, curving horizontally into the penalty area, Ćorluka was also in the attacking third on the wing, Mandžukić was holding the center, and Kovacic on the right was also in position to support.
A four-on-four situation instantly formed, but Croatia had already disrupted Costa Rica's defense.
"How will Rakitić handle this ball?"
In Krauchivich's expectant gaze, Rakitić did not pass the ball to Suker.
Suker's forward run attracted too much attention, making it not a good choice.
Rakitić passed the ball forward, and Ćorluka, who had overlapped, received it smoothly, sweeping it into the penalty area as he ran onto the ball.
Mandžukić suddenly burst forward, sliding forward, and at the last moment, he grazed the ball with his toe.
The ball deflected and rolled towards the far post of the goal.
Costa Rica's full-back sprinted desperately to try and save it, but it was too late. As the full-back and the ball hit the back of the net together, the Referee's whistle also blew.
The Referee pointed to the center circle and blew his whistle, signaling a valid goal!
"Goal!! Mario Mandžukić!"
"He got a touch on that low cross at the very front, helping Croatia score their second goal!"
"With the second goal in the 81st minute, Croatia has completely taken control of the situation and tilted the scales of victory in their favor!"
"Costa Rica has no chance. We can congratulate Croatia for advancing to the knockout stage with three consecutive wins! What a beautiful performance!"
Krauchivich was incredibly excited!
After three group stage matches, Croatia's performance was evident to all.
While major powerhouses stumbled one after another, Croatia was not jinxed by its FIFA number one ranking nickname; instead, they genuinely displayed their strength and performance.
After these three matches, the form and performance Croatia showcased truly deserve the title of a championship contender.
Moreover, it made other teams even more wary of Croatia.
After confirming the goal, Mandžukić immediately got up and ran towards the corner flag, performing a powerful ground slide celebration.
The moment he got up, he passionately pumped his fist.
Two consecutive celebration gestures showed his excited inner state.
With two goals, Croatia was completely secure.
This match was also essentially won, and they perfectly completed their pre-match plan and mission.
In contrast, Costa Rica was completely demoralized.
Before the match, they still thought about causing some trouble, even finding an opportunity to defeat Croatia.
But after 80 minutes of play, they were left with no spirit whatsoever.
The suppression started from the very beginning, and even after 80 minutes, they failed to achieve any offensive results.
Leaving aside attacking players like Campbell, Ruiz, who had high hopes placed on him, was also severely suppressed in this match.
It also showed the gap between the two teams.
Logically speaking, World Cup Group D, supported by the 'group of death,' was already chaotic.
But Croatia, with its brilliant performance and display, completely established its dominance in the group stage.
Three consecutive wins, they are about to advance to the knockout stage with a perfect record.
The moment the second goal appeared, Costa Rica also understood that they had lost their chance.
But compared to these, what made them even more frustrated was that feeling of being suppressed.
Losing was something they knew before the match.
No matter how overconfident they were, they knew there was a high probability they would lose.
But there are different ways to lose!
Fighting with all your might and playing a brilliant game is also losing.
Being suppressed without a peep is also losing!
Unfortunately, they ended up with the latter.
After the second goal, Croatia immediately made a substitution.
Vida left the field, and Šimunić came on, further strengthening the defense.
It was also a way to secure the victory.
Seeing this, the Brazil Team commentator was silent for a moment, then said:
"We must pay attention to this Croatia. After three matches, their performance is indeed concerning."
"If the Brazil Team wants to challenge for the World Cup, they must defeat this Croatia!"
"I don't know if you have noticed, but after three matches, Croatia has not conceded a single goal so far!"
"In the first match against England, Croatia won 3:0!"
"In the second match, Croatia cleanly defeated Uruguay 2:0!"
"In the third match, it was also 2:0 after 80 minutes!"
"They scored seven goals in three matches, but maintained a record of not conceding a single goal, which proves that Croatia is in extremely strong form on both offense and defense."
"We all know that Croatia's strength lies in its balance, and they do not lack explosive points!"
"But with this balance, the way Croatia plays is somewhat frightening; their form is too good."
"I think after Croatia enters the knockout stage, they will definitely be the opponent that all second-place teams in other groups, except Costa Rica, want to avoid!"
"From this point of view, Costa Rica is lucky. Since they are in the same group, they can avoid this red-hot Croatia in the knockout stage!"
Of course, not only Croatia, but also Brazil, Netherlands, and Argentina, who have clearly qualified as group winners, are not easy to deal with.
Germany is also very likely to be a group winner.
So for any second-place team in a group, even if they make it to the knockout stage, they will face even stronger opponents.
And what is most anticipated is the quarter-finals.
At that time, these group winners will directly clash, which is also the most intense moment of the World Cup's passionate battles.
In the final few minutes, Croatia still maintained its suppressive power, not allowing the situation to waver in any way.
"This is terrifying! The tactical execution of this Croatia is terrifying. They are like machines operating according to a predetermined program. For the entire 90 minutes, they made not a single mistake, maintaining an extremely strong suppressive force throughout!"
"The most crucial thing is... if Croatia is willing, they can immediately switch to an attacking mode, and at that point, Croatia will shed this mechanical feel and become full of imagination!"
"I don't know how to describe this Croatia. We have seen many teams perform excellently in the World Cup!"
"Brazil in 2002, with its luxurious lineup and attacking force, showcased the most magnificent Samba dance!"
"Italy in 2006, with its tenacious steel defense, forged the most resilient Azzurri!"
"Spain in 2010, the Matador Legion told the world with their tiki-taka, don't even think about taking the ball from their feet!"
"And in this World Cup, the Checkered Legion from Eastern Europe has become the protagonist! I don't know if they can go all the way, after all, the World Cup is full of unpredictability, but the performance Croatia has shown truly has the makings of a champion!"
"Perhaps... Croatia can truly usher in its first World Cup trophy, and Suker can also successfully fulfill his dream in this World Cup!"
Just as he finished speaking, the Referee blew the whistle for the end of the match.
The Brazil Team commentator exclaimed loudly; "Full time! The match is completely over, and all Group D matches have concluded!"
"Croatia won all three matches and successfully advanced to the knockout stage as group winners!"
"And Costa Rica, despite losing, still ranked second in the group with a record of 2-0-1!"
"And Uruguay and England, who were highly anticipated by many, failed to go further and were eliminated in the group stage one after another."
As the match ended, the entire Maksimir Stadium of Croatian fans erupted.
Not only inside the stadium, but also Croatian fans outside the stadium were cheering and shouting madly.
These three matches, although lacking that surging feeling, were excellent in their stability.
Most importantly, this Croatia truly made them see the hope of a championship.
Davor Šuker celebrated excitedly.
"Did you see their performance? This is simply amazing, this suppressive power, 90 minutes! For a full 90 minutes, they didn't make a single mistake, not even a tiny one. They executed their tactical tasks like machines throughout."
"Oh, my God! Compared to them, we are just a pile of dog shit!"
Davor Šuker cursed himself, but he was smiling extremely happily.
Boban and others beside him also looked excited.
They are the group of people who care most about the World Cup.
Because they once came closest to that final, that trophy.
But they couldn't overcome the hurdle of France and were defeated in the semi-finals.
But they believe this Croatia is different!
They are destined to be a group of people who will make history.
Since their debut, they have continuously broken records.
This is good!
Really good!
It wasn't in vain that they put in so much effort, heart and soul, to help this group of people grow.
The effort has received sufficient reward, and this reward is even surprising.
How could they not be excited!
"Let's go! We're going down!"
Davor Šuker led the way, taking advantage of the end of the match to go down the stairs and rush onto the field.
He ran straight to Suker, grabbed Suker's legs tightly with both hands, and lifted him up sharply.
The camera just happened to capture this scene.
Krauchivich showed a relieved smile.
Their memories were still on the moment Davor Šuker handed over the number 9 jersey at Maksimir Stadium.
That moment hailed as 'the inheritance'!
And now, Suker has not disappointed Davor Šuker!
He believes that the name Suker will surely become a symbol of Croatia's 'Icon'.