After defeating Estonia, the entire Croatian team returned to their national training base to prepare for the match against Russia.
Russia was a strong opponent in their group, and they had to approach the match with utmost caution.
Following a draw in the first leg, Bilic had reflected deeply on the game. With the assistance of Van Stoyak, his understanding of tactics had become much more refined.
But tactics are one thing—form is another.
And the current form of Croatia...
Whoosh!
The ball soared into the net.
Substitute goalkeeper Subašić lay on the ground, tightly pressing his lips together, the muscles on his face twitching uncontrollably.
That's the fourth one!
In just half an hour, Šuker had scored four goals by himself.
And keep in mind, he was up against Croatia's starting defense line:
Srna, Šimunić, Kovač, and Pranjić.
Yet this defensive lineup had been torn apart twice by Šuker alone.
And Modrić had split them open twice more with his passing.
Their mentality was on the verge of collapse.
Šuker was playing like a god descended to Earth—unstoppable.
When Šuker charged forward, the entire defensive line was left eating dust.
As long as the ball was delivered to Šuker's feet, he could always create a threatening shot.
With Modrić supporting from behind, the two were almost single-handedly dismantling the national team's main defense line.
"He's just like an alien!" Bilic couldn't help but mutter.
Van Stoyak also sighed. "Isn't he? I've only seen dribbling and breakthroughs like this from Ronaldo."
He's unstoppable! Absolutely unstoppable!
Every time Šuker got the ball up front, it was a threat to the goal. Every shot was on target, forcing the keeper to make saves.
Even when he dropped deep to receive the ball, he could still organize and push the attack forward.
With such a monstrous player in the front line, whoever faced him would suffer.
"You're in great form! Keep it up!"
Šuker jogged back to midfield and patted Modrić on the shoulder.
Compared to the original timeline, Modrić was developing much faster.
He had only been at Manchester United for two years, yet he had already reached the level of being Tottenham's core player in the original timeline.
Give him a few more years, and he'd be performing like the Real Madrid maestro.
"Not enough!" Modrić shook his head, then looked at Šuker and said, "Next season, I'm coming for you guys."
He still held a grudge over their previous loss.
Šuker shrugged.
Saying you'll take us down just like that? What do you think—Milan is made of clay?
As long as the defense held firm, Šuker believed he could still bring surprises to Milan next season.
The [Ronaldo's Dribbling] attribute had given Šuker a massive boost.
Not only in dribbling and breakthroughs but also in decision-making when charging the defense.
Actions that used to require multiple feints and touches were now much simpler.
Whether the technique looked flashy or not was secondary—the explosiveness was real.
However, this style of play placed a heavy load on the body.
With his current physical state, one or two matches might be fine, but without using a recovery card, playing like this too often would be suicidal.
Such explosive breakthroughs could shorten a career and led to a high injury risk.
But Šuker wasn't afraid.
After the training camp ended, the Croatian national team began formal match preparations.
They were set to face Russia at home in two days.
This marked the beginning of the second round of the qualifiers.
For Croatia, a strong start was a must.
Bilic was confident. After all, this Croatian squad was brimming with vitality.
The excellent performances from Šuker and Modrić were leading the team forward.
Meanwhile, on the flight carrying the Russian team to Croatia...
Hiddink sat in his seat, looking at his tactical board and notebook.
They were covered with chaotic lines—dashed and solid—representing various attacking options, tactical plays, and potential lineup choices.
After staring at them for a while, Hiddink couldn't help but sigh and lean back.
"Ahhh…"
He rubbed his temples, feeling that everything had become extremely difficult.
He was an experienced coach, especially good at leading underdog teams to beat stronger ones.
Many times, his tactical decisions and lineup choices baffled others—but they often delivered surprising results.
But this time, he faced an incredibly tough challenge.
Croatia!
No matter how good a tactic or game plan is, it still depends on players executing it.
On the pitch, the players are the foundation.
In a game, many factors can be compensated for—but not an overwhelming gap in individual strength.
Football is not a sport that revolves around individual heroics; it requires team cooperation.
Yet individual brilliance often shines brightest in critical moments.
When tactical resources are focused on one player—and that player is world-class—he can shine through the support of the entire team.
Croatia was exactly that kind of team.
For Hiddink, Croatia's dual-core setup was already a headache.
But what he feared most was a single-core tactic—where all tactics focused entirely on Šuker to unleash his power and decide the match.
Is Šuker strong?
Very.
Leading Milan to a Champions League title almost single-handedly this season proved that.
The key was, Šuker could both score and create. He could do it all, making him unpredictable and dangerous.
Does Russia have a chance?
Hiddink believed there are no absolutes in football.
But realistically, Russia's chances of winning were very slim.
At this point in time, Croatia's new generation was just too fierce.
Hiddink felt that only three teams could currently suppress Croatia:
Spain, Germany, and the defending World Cup champions, Italy.
Of course, this Italy team had a lot of issues—aging lineup, questionable form, and uncertain strength.
Hiddink kept all this in his mind and didn't let it show.
For any team, if the coach wavered, their chances of victory would drop even further.
Hiddink and the Russian team still needed to face the match with full confidence.
The Russian team arrived in Zagreb one day early for preparation.
As soon as they entered the city, they could feel the intense football atmosphere.
Perhaps it was due to Šuker's recent outstanding performances, or maybe it was the overall rise of Croatia's new generation—but the whole Zagreb region radiated vitality.
Football was everywhere.
Two massive black-and-white soccer balls floated in the sky. Along the roads, fans in Croatian jerseys could be seen shouting slogans and cheering.
The streetlamps were decorated with Croatian flags, each with a little football dangling below.
As they passed a public sports field, children could be seen joyfully playing soccer.
Since the rise of Croatia's new generation, the country's football culture had heated up considerably.
It was a very positive sign.
The Russian team checked into their hotel.
The pressure of the upcoming match weighed heavily on them—players looked visibly tense.
Group leaders!
Croatia's performance in the group stage had been undeniable.
Even England couldn't beat them—Russia had every reason to be worried.
Still, they had to march forward with heads held high and fight for a win.
Russia's arrival in Zagreb raised the tension leading up to the game.
Unlike the match against Estonia, this one would directly impact the standings.
If Russia won, they would lead Croatia by one point.
If Croatia won, they would solidify their position at the top.
Russia, aiming to reach the Euro group stage, had no choice but to challenge Croatia head-on.
But Croatia had no intention of handing over victory.
The day before the match, Croatia's star player Šuker said during a pre-match interview:
"We're playing at home. This is our turf. There's no reason we should lose. We'll give it everything to win. That draw in the first leg means nothing. In the second round, we'll show better performance and secure our qualification."
It was a formulaic statement—but coming from Šuker, it fired up Croatian fans.
They are Croatia!
They are the Checkered Legion!
They are the Eastern European Iron Cavalry!Victory belongs to Croatia!