A tense atmosphere permeated the entire stadium.
For Croatia and Germany, with the match reaching this point, the arrival of the decisive moment brought them immense pressure.
But as professional players, they need to overcome such pressure and difficulties in every match.
When two brave armies meet, the braver one wins—football interprets this saying very well.
Only those with both courage and will can win the match!
Inhale... Exhale...
Suker took a deep breath; the air was slightly humid, and the stadium, packed with 200,000 people, seemed to have its temperature rise significantly due to their continuous shouts and cheers.
His jersey was soaked with sweat, his fingertips slightly numb, but he remained in an excited state.
This was a relatively positive sign.
Suker felt his condition was excellent, and he had a strong desire to score.
With every run, he constantly paid attention to his team's movements and the opponent's positioning.
Coupled with Croatia completing their first substitution, they had relatively smoothly weathered Germany's pressing phase; despite conceding a goal, they still held a one-goal lead.
"It's time to decide the winner!" Suker muttered to himself, his expression serious.
Pranjic came on and immediately ran towards Suker and Modrić.
"The coach said we can try to play behind them!"
Suker and Modrić exchanged glances, and the latter said, "But we'll have to wait for Germany to push forward before we can do that!"
"No!" Suker shook his head. "I'll find a way to draw Lahm out. Once his positioning is high, you can directly lob the ball behind him."
With that, Suker took a deep breath and said, "Leave the rest to me!"
Modrić looked at Suker, not doubting him, and immediately nodded.
He trusted Suker.
Since Suker said so, it meant he had enough confidence!
At this moment, Suker had also adjusted his condition to the best; when else to fight if not now?
At 61 minutes, Germany finished their celebration, and Croatia also completed their substitution.
Based on Germany's goal, Croatia prepared to restart the game.
Krauchivich was somewhat restless in the commentary box. He continuously rubbed his hands, staring intently at the pitch, saying nervously:
"Germany scored, which is not good news for us, but we still have a one-goal lead. The lads need to build the game around this goal!"
He paused, then swallowed the rest of his words.
He wanted to say, 'How about we just defend!'
Wouldn't it be safer to defend the lead and hold the score?
However, at this moment, he also wasn't sure, and no one could guarantee how Germany would play.
But whether it was offense or defense, Krauchivich and the Croatian fans could only trust these young lads at this point.
For their long-dreamed-of championship!
All they could do was wait and trust!
Beep!
The whistle blew, and the match resumed.
The moment the whistle sounded again, the intensity of the match became particularly fierce.
Germany and Croatia engaged in intense, continuous confrontations in midfield; almost every pass and reception was accompanied by physical contact, and neither side gave an inch.
Germany wanted to win possession, while Croatia aimed to maintain control.
As the battle for midfield rhythm unfolded, the match became even more heated.
"Germany's pressing is very intense. Modrić has been bumped twice in a row, but Rakitić is nearby, covering and supporting him, which allows us to maintain control of the ball!"
"However, there's also a problem. Our passing channels for pushing forward have been blocked by Germany. Modrić and Rakitić are mostly confined to the midfield battle. Someone needs to break this deadlock!"
No sooner had he spoken than on the field, Mandžukić, who was originally at the very front, began to drop back voluntarily.
Seeing this, Krauchivich's eyes lit up.
"Mario is dropping back, which is a very good choice. Modern center forwards have more functionality, and Mario's passing ability is also very good. He can always initiate our attacks, and his dropping back can also disrupt the defensive positioning of Germany's backline!"
Mandžukić dropping back to receive the ball provided Croatia with a receiving point in the front, like a nail driven into Germany's heartland.
Mandžukić didn't hold onto the ball; he just passed it foot by foot, but this style of play made it very difficult for Germany.
They wanted to push Mandžukić back or get him out, but they simply couldn't.
They couldn't simultaneously Encirclement and suppression Mandžukić while also restricting Modrić and Rakitić.
Mandžukić's performance caused some shifts in the on-field situation, and at the same time, made Croatia's offense sharper.
"This is dangerous! We can't let them keep passing like this!"
The German commentator was very nervous, watching the ball constantly being passed around near their own penalty area, their hearts pounding.
He was annoyed that the camera wasn't constantly focused on Suker.
They needed to mark Suker!
It would be best to keep Suker tightly suppressed every moment from now on!
Bang!
The camera moved, Suker received the ball sideways, but immediately passed it back to Rakitić.
At the same time, Suker dropped back a few steps. This movement drew Lahm forward.
Simultaneously, Suker suddenly accelerated.
Lahm also immediately followed.
However, Rakitić didn't pass, and both of them ran into empty space.
Suker stopped, casually dropping back.
Lahm, in contrast, looked serious; he had a bad feeling.
Or rather, Suker put too much pressure on him!
He didn't want Suker to have any chance to touch the ball, even though he knew it was a very difficult thing to do, he had to do it.
But in reality, it was really hard for him to restrict and follow.
"They are trying to find Suker!"
Davor Šuker stared nervously at the pitch.
He could feel that Croatia was playing around the left wing.
And the passing routes and runs were all designed to free up Suker.
"But in that case, Germany will inevitably increase their restrictions on Suker!"
Boban was equally nervous.
The others were simply speechless; they looked at the game's situation and then at the remaining time.
They wished time would just fly by!
That way, they could win with a one-goal lead.
But they also knew that the Germans wouldn't let them do that.
"Get Šimunić ready to come on!" Bešić said in a deep voice.
At this point, he also needed to increase more ball distribution.
Šimunić was also a very good choice; he and Suker also had a certain understanding.
Just as Šimunić took off his substitute bib and prepared to stand up, he heard Van Stoyak's exclamation.
"Good play!"
Van Stoyak jumped up abruptly.
Everyone turned their heads and saw that Rakitić had actually broken through Germany's midfield line.
"Rakitić!! Beautiful reverse pull-back!" Krauchivich also shouted excitedly.
Amidst Germany's intense pressing, Rakitić, with his back to goal, feigned a back pass. As Kroos, Muller, and others turned to close him down, he suddenly executed a turn and pull-back, directly slipping between the two.
At the same time, Croatian players in other positions also instantly activated.
Rakitić shifted the ball horizontally, Modrić received it, and Mandžukić also ran back to receive.
Suddenly, the entire attacking midfield and Germany's central defense were compressed.
It was at this moment that Modrić caught a glimpse of the open space on the left.
"He's pulled out!" Modrić was excited, but his feet steadily threaded the ball forward.
He locked his ankle and pushed the ball smoothly.
Watching the ball thread through the gaps in the crowd was not difficult for a top midfielder.
And after the ball went through, Modrić's eyes fixed on Suker.
At this moment, Suker had already started, sprinting at full speed.
Beside him, Lahm was also quickly following.
However, Suker's acceleration was too fast; with just one burst, they were already level.
And two steps later, Suker was even slightly ahead in position.
"Damn it!" Lahm gritted his teeth, reaching out to grab Suker's jersey.
At this point, both of them reached the ball's landing spot.
Suker extended his foot to control the ball first, but instead of sprinting forward, he abruptly stopped.
Lahm also tried to stop, but his foot seemed to miss, and in his sudden stop, his entire body slipped.
But he still held onto Suker's jersey, refusing to let go, until Suker's jersey stretched, feeling the friction and heat on his fingertips, but in the end, as he fell, Lahm still couldn't hold onto the jersey.
Suker was free!
The moment Lahm fell, Suker immediately dribbled and accelerated, slanting towards the penalty area.
Boateng also immediately followed.
But Suker didn't choose a forceful breakthrough.
Instead, he passed the ball horizontally to Rakitić.
The moment Boateng's gaze shifted, Suker accelerated again.
And Rakitić, meeting the ball, gently chipped it, lofting it behind Boateng.
This scene instantly ignited the stadium.
"Chance!!!" Krauchivich suddenly stood up.
He watched the ball slowly descend, his heart pounding. At this moment, every frame seemed to be in slow motion, his blood flowing rapidly, not Dylan to breathe.
The throats of other Croatian fans also seemed to be choked, and the entire stadium instantly fell silent.
Suker turned sideways past Boateng, his eyes fixed on the ball, making a shooting motion.
"Neuer has come out!" The German commentator's eyes lit up. He saw Neuer's positioning; if Suker chose to shoot, at this distance and angle, it would definitely be smothered by Neuer.
But just then, he saw Suker gently flick the ball with the top of his foot.
The ball bounced up again, soaring over Neuer's head, and Suker also accelerated again to follow up.
"Oh~~~ Suker!!!"
Amidst the exclamations, Suker had already caught up with the ball, and everything else seemed to fall into place naturally.
The ball struck Suker's instep and slowly rolled into the goal.
Suker also waited until the entire ball had crossed the goal line before turning and running out.
"Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!—"
Suker was sprinting!
Other Croatian players were also sprinting.
On the bench, it was as if a pot had boiled over; everyone jumped up, rushing towards the corner flag area.
"Goal!!! Goal!!!!!!!—" Krauchivich screamed hysterically.
His voice was hoarse, his eyes red.
A goal!
Finally, another goal!
Croatia 3:1 Germany!
With 17 minutes left in the match, after Germany's goal, Croatia once again widened the score difference.
Germany had no chance!
Don't give them any chance!
Krauchivich was shouting, cheering, yelling.
And the entire Maracanã Stadium was a cauldron of excitement.
Croatian fans cheered excitedly without stop; they hugged each other, shouted, even now they were somewhat disbelieving.
"A goal... We really scored?" Davor Šuker's mouth was wide open, somewhat disbelieving.
Boban hugged him, shouting excitedly, "Goal! Goal! Goal! We are just one step away from the championship!!"
Suker lay on his back on the field, a pile of guys on top of him.
At this moment, his expression was quite relaxed.
Although he was also excited, he was better off than the others.
"Goal! Champion!"
"Damn it! With a two-goal lead, we're going to win the championship!"
"We're about to be World Cup champions!"
"Awesome!!!"
"Ah!!!!!"
The Croatian players were all cheering hysterically.
The long-awaited moment had arrived!
They were truly just one step away from the championship!
"We are all very excited, this goal is indeed great, but guys, the game is not over yet, the final whistle has not blown, I want to say, defend, let's win!"
Krauchivich's voice was choked and trembling.
The dream was about to come true, what an exciting moment!
But the more it was such a moment, the more one had to be calm.
Bešić on the sidelines was also shouting non-stop.
"Defend! Defend!"
His voice was also trembling and very excited.
"Hold the line!!"
When the game restarted, Germany was already pushed to the brink!
Facing a two-goal deficit with only ten minutes left, they were truly exhausted.
But Löw had not given up, and Germany had not given up either.
They made changes to their frontline again, attempting to expand their offensive capabilities.
However, facing Croatia's all-out defensive retreat, facing a turtle shell, even Germany couldn't break through the lines in a short time.
At this moment, Croatia was completely focused on defense!
Hold the line!
Hold on to these two goals and win the game!
Time was ticking away!
The atmosphere at the stadium was also getting more intense.
The passionate Croatian fans and the worried, dejected German fans formed a stark contrast.
Unbeknownst to them, time reached 90 minutes, entering injury time.
Currently, they still held a two-goal lead.
Krauchivich suddenly choked up.
"I want to say, this is simply fantastic!"
"This summer is definitely the hottest one yet, we are in Brazil, on the distant land of South America, about to create a miracle!"
"A championship that belongs to us! Croatia is a small country, and the same goes for football, but precisely because of that, this victory is so precious!"
"I want to thank these players, thank them for being born in Croatia, thank them for the thrilling moments they created for us!"
"Thanks to Suker, Modrić, Mandžukić, Rakitić. Thanks for their hard work!"
The Referee was looking down at his watch; the match was nearing its end.
The entire stands were starting to stir.
When the Referee finally confirmed the time, the moment he blew his whistle, Maracanã Stadium erupted like a volcano.
Beep beep beep!
Three sharp whistles sounded like heavenly music!
Krauchivich leaped up, raising his arms, and cheered, "Champions!! We are champions!! World Cup champions!!!"
On the field, Suker and the others also rushed together the moment the whistle blew, embracing, cheering, and jumping non-stop.
The match was over!
After 90 minutes of fierce battle, Croatia ultimately won the match 3:1.
They were the 2014 World Cup champions!
A group of young men, they were just like they were at the very beginning.
"We're champions! We're f***ing champions!"
"Cry! Why are you crying! Smile for me!"
"All of you f***ing smile for me! We're champions!"
Suker laughed and cursed non-stop, but his eyes were also wet.
It was so f***ing difficult!
From joining the National Team in 2007, spanning seven full years, enduring two World Cups, he finally won the World Cup!
This was an important milestone for them, and also the most generous reward.
The stands were like a raging storm, tens of thousands of Croatian fans jumping and cheering.
They became the protagonists of this summer!
They were the champions of this World Cup!
Following the European Cup, Croatia once again won the championship in the World Cup.
Excitement, elation, pride, and other emotions flooded their hearts.
Confetti floated in the sky, and brilliant fireworks bloomed in the night sky.
At this moment of global attention, at Maracanã Stadium.
Srna, as Croatia's captain, lifted the golden World Cup trophy.
A crowd of Croatian players gathered around him, raising their arms and cheering non-stop.
The World Cup trophy was handed to Suker, and Van Stoyak even pointed at his neck and shouted, "Get up!"
Suker immediately climbed up, and Van Stoyak laboriously lifted Suker.
Riding on his neck, Suker held the World Cup trophy high, his brilliant smiling face imprinted on the camera.
With a click, it was forever frozen!
"The Brazil World Cup was the most exciting moment. Croatia swept this World Cup in an almost crazy state! Although many people predicted the championship possibilities of various strong teams in this World Cup before the competition, none of them performed as well as Croatia!"
The young blogger held a photo in his hand.
The photo clearly showed Suker riding on Van Stoyak's neck, holding up the World Cup trophy.
"This photo went viral at that time. On the internet, this photo also has a special name—'The Throne'! Hahahahaha, yes, the poor Dutchman became the background, but after watching our story, I think you will definitely understand these things. Van Stoyak is definitely the key man in Suker's life. He truly can be considered the base of the throne!"
The young blogger slowly exhaled, "Croatia in the Brazil World Cup had an unstoppable edge. The spirited Suker laid the foundation for the throne here. Starting from the small town of Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina, he and Modrić went to the world together, until they reached the summit!"
"Just as the old lady in Mostar said, they imprinted their names on the stars! And in the recently concluded 2018 World Cup, with friends like Srna, Vukojević, and Pranjic successively retiring from the National Team, Croatia once again reached the World Cup final and defeated France, winning their second World Cup trophy. They also became the third team to win back-to-back World Cups, after Italy and Brazil!"
"And with two World Cup championships, Suker's name is enough to be on par with Pelé and Maradona. That's right! He is the active 'King of Football'!"
"However, the 2018 World Cup was a bumpy one. They couldn't sweep through it like in 2014, but instead went through three penalty shootouts, barely making it to the final. In the final, facing the formidable France and the rising French star Mbappé, Suker once again became the key man!"
"However, this time he was no longer the omnipotent superstar, but instead fully utilized his experience, awareness, and teamwork to ultimately defeat France!"
"This year, Suker was 32 years old, and Modrić was 33, but they still created a miraculous victory!"
The young blogger took out another photo.
In this photo, Suker, wearing the captain's armband, stood in the middle of the crowd, holding up the trophy.
Compared to 2014, Suker's face had become more composed, and there was a trace of time's passage.
And beside him, there were many new faces, while those familiar faces were few and far between.
The young blogger looked at the photo and smiled, then put it away.
At this moment, the driver in front reminded him, "Sir, we've arrived. I hope you have a pleasant viewing experience!"
"Thank you for your blessing!"
The young blogger smiled and got out of the car, pointing his camera at the stadium in front of him.
"After more than a month, we set off from Mostar, visited the dormant Zagreb, experienced the spirited Milan, the disappointment in South Africa, and the crowning moments in Brazil and Russia, and we learned Suker's story!"
"Today is the final stop!"
The young blogger pointed towards the stadium in front.
"Bernabéu Stadium!!"
The camera shook slightly, and the lights changed from dim to bright, quickly focusing successfully.
An archway came into view, with the player tunnel behind it.
The young blogger's voice trembled slightly, clearly very excited.
"I am honored to have received an invitation from Real Madrid to attend this Champions League match!"
"I am standing in the press area, where I can clearly see the player tunnel and the moment the players enter the field!"
"This will also be the end of our journey!"
"After more than a month, we followed in Suker's footsteps to understand his growth process, and now we are stepping away from the stories, away from the Suker people talk about, and coming to see the real Suker, a living Suker!"
"Perhaps he's slightly different from what we've understood, but this is the living Suker, and he's the Suker we love!"
"Look! They're coming out!"
The cheers from the crowd erupted!
Both teams' players began to enter the field.
First and foremost was Ramos, wearing the captain's armband, followed by Goalkeeper Navas, then Marcelo, Kroos, Carvajal, Benzema, Bale, and other players came into view.
And with the appearance of these players, waves of intense cheers also erupted.
But these cheers were clearly suppressing emotions, as if waiting for the final explosion.
Until a figure appeared on the large screen in the stadium.
At this moment, the entire stadium erupted with a single name, in unison.
Suker!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tens of thousands of cheers, like thunder, exploded.
As the camera focused, the outline of a figure in the player tunnel slowly emerged, like the dawn breaking through darkness.
White Real Madrid jersey!
Number 9 on the back!
Hair meticulously combed!
Strong physique!
His appearance ignited the passion of the entire stadium.
The young blogger appeared relatively calm, perhaps the experiences along the way gave him a feeling of seeing through the clouds.
He looked at the figure gradually becoming clear in the camera, and the image of Suker in his mind gradually became distinct.
It was a feeling of finally seeing the Suker he loved and admired, a living Suker, free from others' narratives and stories.
This was a strange yet familiar feeling!
The young blogger couldn't help but say softly:
"Hello, Suker!"
At the same time, the figure turned his head and looked over. He actually smiled slightly at the phone camera, then stepped onto the field.
His steps were as firm as ever, just like the young boy from Mostar who pursued his football dream!
Beside that tall figure, there seemed to be a faint, small, thin outline.
The two figures slowly approached and merged.
He started from Mostar, endured many hardships and trials, and achieved a legendary professional career.
This is Suker's story!
—The End—