For the second time in history, Croatia had advanced to the World Cup semifinals—an achievement that sparked intense emotions across the entire nation.
Since their victory over Germany, celebrations hadn't stopped in Croatia.
As the key player of the match, Suker had repeatedly delivered in critical moments. Most notably, he scored the final penalty that secured Croatia's place in the semifinals.
Having matched the achievements of Croatia's "Golden Generation" in the World Cup, Suker's historical status was now considered the most prominent in Croatian football.
Currently, Suker was already the most famous and most beloved active Croatian player.
In fact, even if Suker were to retire on the spot, he would still be regarded as Croatia's all-time number one.
However, Suker's ambitions didn't stop there.
After the quarterfinals, there were three days of rest before the World Cup semifinals began.
During this time, they could prepare for the upcoming battle.
Croatia's opponent in the semifinal would be Spain.
Compared to Croatia—who had lost key defensive players like Srna and Kovac—Spain's injuries were far less severe.
So far, only Torres had been affected, unable to return to form following surgery.
But that had opened the door for Villa to shine, and he had successfully taken over the T9 role.
As for the rest of the squad—particularly the midfield and defense—Spain had a full-strength lineup, which placed immense pressure on Croatia.
Van Stajak stood on the training ground, frowning as he stared at the players.
Since their last conversation, Bilic had voluntarily relinquished control. At this point, Van Stajak had considerable authority over the Croatian national team.
That also meant his tactical decisions were implemented swiftly.
But even so, Van Stajak was deeply anxious.
Though he didn't show it outwardly, this Spanish squad was far stronger than the one from Euro 2008.
Originally, he had thought Raul's return might negatively impact Spain's performance.
But who could have predicted that Del Bosque would manage to convince Raul to willingly accept a spot on the bench and leave room for the younger generation?
As a result, Spain's overall form had been dominant thus far.
And as the tournament progressed, they only seemed to be getting better.
Defense or Attack?
Van Stajak now faced two choices.
Based on previous experience, a combination of defensive counterattacks and high pressing seemed like the best strategy.
But now, Croatia's defense was without Srna, and Kovac was suspended with a red card.
Simunic was a big, slow center-back, and the other substitute defenders were similar. Even with Lovren available, he was too young and inexperienced to replace Kovac.
Even if Croatia played defensively, there was a high risk of being broken down by Spain's tactical probing.
So maybe... attack?
Van Stajak shook his head.
He rubbed his temples—his old headache was acting up again.
In truth, he didn't know whether his desire to attack was based on sound strategy or simply his personal preference.
The coaching staff usually helps weigh options and choose the optimal tactic through discussion.
But in Croatia's case, Van Stajak was essentially on his own.
There was no one to consult with.
Lunchtime.
In the hotel cafeteria, Van Stajak suddenly sat down across from Suker.
"Boss?"
Suker was a bit surprised.
Van Stajak waved his hand and glanced at Srna.
Srna nodded, clapped his hands, and said, "Alright, let's move to the other side!"
Once everyone had cleared out, Van Stajak spoke.
"I want to ask your opinion."
"About what?" Suker asked.
Van Stajak replied, "About the upcoming match against Spain. The situation isn't looking great for us."
Although Van Stajak phrased it gently, Suker understood the underlying concern.
Putting down his knife and fork, Suker asked, "What do you want to know?"
"Your thoughts."
Van Stajak asked, "Should we defend or attack?"
"I can't make up my mind. Defending is more stable and reassuring, but if our defense collapses under Spain's pressure, we'll be in deep trouble—possibly to the point of a complete breakdown."
"If we choose to attack, it's a risky decision. But compared to defending, it allows us to take some initiative, challenge Spain's midfield, and even if we concede, we'll still have opportunities to strike back."
Then, Van Stajak looked at Suker and said, "So, I want to know what you think. Or rather—I trust your instincts."
Back in Euro 2008, Suker and Van Stajak had been perfectly aligned in thought.
Together, they had sidelined Bilic and led Croatia to a legendary championship.
This time, Van Stajak was once again seeking affirmation from Suker.
Suker looked at Van Stajak.
He knew very well the immense pressure his coach was under—especially now that Bilic had relinquished control. Van Stajak was carrying the weight of tactical planning on his own.
Other teams had full coaching staffs.
He had only himself.
The pressure was immense.
And from their conversation, Suker could tell—Van Stajak had already made his decision.
He wasn't here to truly discuss strategy. Even if Suker said something else, Van Stajcak would still go with the choice he had already made.
What he needed was validation.
So, Suker answered straightforwardly:
"I think we should attack."
Van Stajcak's eyes lit up.
As expected, Suker shared his line of thinking.
"What's your reasoning?" he quickly asked.
Suker responded, "Like you said, if we choose to defend and the backline falls apart, we'll have no chance. Without Srna and Kovac, to be honest, I don't have much faith in our defense."
Van Stajak nodded—that was one of his biggest concerns.
"Also," Suker continued, "choosing to attack isn't just about tactics. I don't want us to play passively."
"Even if we lose, we need to maintain some initiative and the potential to turn things around. I don't want us to be dragged around by Spain the entire game."
"Remember the match against Australia? They were already eliminated, but they still lined up defensively. At that point, defending was meaningless. Since they were going home anyway, why not go out with an attacking display?"
"That match was dull. The Australian players didn't enjoy it, and their opponents didn't either."
"I don't think we should go down that road. This is a crucial match. We need confidence and decisiveness—not hesitation!"
Suker slightly clenched his fist.
"When it's time to strike, we must not hesitate!"
Van Stajak nodded. "Understood. Let's eat lunch."
After the meal, during the break:
Suker gathered with Modric and a few others. Instead of heading to their rooms, they sat in a corner of the cafeteria.
"The next match will be the toughest one yet," said Mandzukic with a grin.
Spain had been incredibly consistent.
Aside from a slight dip in form during the group stage, they had steamrolled their opponents ever since.
Compared to two years ago, their squad and tactics were even more refined.
"Simunic, can you step up to press?" Rakitic asked hopefully.
Simunic rolled his eyes.
As a slow defender, if he pushed up, he wouldn't be able to recover. If a gap opened behind him, with his turning speed resembling an aircraft carrier, Spain would easily exploit it.
Croatia's usual center-back pairing was Simunic and Kovac.
Simunic brought aerial dominance and physicality, while Kovac was agile and could press when needed, with Simunic covering behind.
Their partnership had been the key to a stable defense.
But with Kovac suspended and Lovren not yet ready...
"I bet Planinic ends up playing center-back," said Vukojevic.
Modric added, "If only Simic were here. He could've played center-back and really helped us out."
Everyone sighed.
But there was nothing they could do.
Simic hadn't been selected for the World Cup squad.
"Let the coaches worry about these problems. We just need to stay in shape," Suker said, clapping his hands to signal it was time for afternoon training.
Meanwhile, on Spain's training ground:
Del Bosque watched the session, then called Busquets over.
"Yes, coach?" Busquets asked, hands on hips.
Del Bosque nodded slightly and said, "I've watched your matches against Real Madrid. Every time you face them—especially when Suker plays—you seem a bit hesitant. Why is that?"
Busquets stammered.
What could he say? That Suker was his kryptonite? That he couldn't handle him at all?
He still wanted to play, after all.
Seeing Busquets' expression, Del Bosque added, "I'm not asking you to mark Suker on your own."
Busquets breathed a sigh of relief.
For both Spain and Barcelona, he was the lone holding midfielder.
But against Suker, he definitely couldn't manage it alone.
"There will be some lineup adjustments for the next match. Don't feel too pressured," Del Bosque said casually.
Busquets' eyes dimmed slightly.
Clearly, Del Bosque was concerned about his past performances against Suker.
Truth be told, even Busquets himself didn't understand why he always struggled so much against Suker.
As the lone pivot, his job was to control possession, dictate tempo, and shift the ball laterally while supporting Xavi in transitions.
But against Suker, he could hardly even make a clean pass—let alone control the game.
"The Croatian squad has suffered some major losses. I think we can win this one more comfortably," the assistant coach chimed in.
He believed that after Croatia's exhausting battle against Germany, they'd be too depleted to offer resistance.
Therefore, Spain would win easily.
Del Bosque, however, replied calmly: "Many people thought the same, and they all lost to Croatia."
"We can't treat them like an ordinary team. We saw their resilience against Germany. If the match drags on, it'll become more and more unfavorable for us."
"We need to end the match in regular time. Do not let it go into extra time or penalties!"
Del Bosque was deeply wary of Croatia.
That World Cup semifinal had shocked everyone with Croatia's tenacity.
Especially Suker's clutch performances.
They all imagined themselves in Germany's position—twice pegged back by Croatia. That would've broken their morale too.
So, against Croatia, they had to win quickly.
No overtime. No penalties.
Three days flew by.
As the World Cup semifinals approached, the atmosphere became even more intense.
After a month of fierce competition, combined with the exhaustion from the previous club season, the final four teams were being pushed to their limits.
All they could do was grit their teeth and carry on.
This was the World Cup—physically brutal, mentally draining, and endlessly stressful.
July 7, 2010 – the upper-bracket semifinal kicked off:
Netherlands vs. England!
All four semifinal teams were from Europe: Netherlands, England, Croatia, and Spain.
The Netherlands vs. England match started with a cautious back-and-forth.
After all, it was the World Cup semifinal—no one dared to slip up.
But soon, the Netherlands struck first.
With a sudden change in rhythm, Sneijder sent the ball wide. Robben cut inside and fired—a classic Robben move—and scored in the 13th minute.
Shocked, England became frantic.
In the 15th minute, Gerrard brought down Van Persie with a reckless tackle and was booked.
Feeling hard done by, the Dutch retaliated five minutes later, triggering a heated scuffle.
In the end, Sneijder and Terry both received yellow cards.
But England was now in a bind.
Terry, their center-back, was on a card.
As expected, the Netherlands began targeting his side, provoking him both physically and verbally.
Tensions soared. The fouls got worse.
"They're about to beat each other's brains out," Duimovic muttered, grinning.
Watching on TV, the Croatian players saw a clear difference—compared to the well-rounded Dutch team, England just didn't measure up.
Their semifinal run had been thanks largely to luck and favorable draws.
Now, the cracks were showing.
Gerrard and Lampard's notorious "double pivot" problem re-emerged, making England's midfield rigid again.
Sneijder capitalized on the space, feeding a constant stream of balls forward for Dutch attacks.
In the 41st minute, he linked up with Robben for a beautiful one-two, assisting Van Persie's goal.
In the second half, the 71st minute saw Sneijder score again with a follow-up shot—his fourth goal of the World Cup.
"Tsk tsk," Mandzukic shook his head. "This guy is unstoppable."
Since the knockout rounds began, Sneijder had scored in every match. He was the key reason the Netherlands made it to the semis.
Now, he was leading them to the final.
Suker nodded.
Sneijder had an amazing season under Mourinho at Inter Milan, achieving the Treble.
In the original timeline, Sneijder was the top contender for the Ballon d'Or that year.
But the situation was complicated.
Inter lacked PR and media clout. Sneijder didn't have a big enough personal brand. And with the Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player awards merging, media votes went to Sneijder, but most coaches and captains gave theirs to Messi—costing Sneijder the prize.
Still, that year was undoubtedly Sneijder's peak.
Champions League winner, Serie A champion, Coppa Italia winner, World Cup runner-up, World Cup Golden Boot.
A legendary season.
In the 87th minute, Lampard scored a consolation penalty.
But England's hopes were already dashed.
Final score: Netherlands 3–1 England.
The Netherlands became the first team to reach the World Cup final.
At that moment, the Orange Army became the center of the footballing world.
This was their third time reaching a World Cup final—but they had never won it.
Thus, they were known as the "Kings Without a Crown."
Now, the world and Dutch fans alike were eagerly hoping they could finally claim their crown.
Meanwhile, with the upper-bracket semifinal concluded, the lower bracket prepared to kick off the following day.
A matchup even more intense, and far more anticipated:
Spain vs. Croatia!
The two teams had faced off in the Euros, where Croatia had eliminated Spain in the semifinals.
Now, would Spain get their revenge?
Or would they follow in Germany's footsteps—falling to Croatia and watching the checkerboard warriors reach the final once again?
From Eastern Europe came the Checkered Army—brave, tough, and resilient.
From Western Europe came the Matadors—elegant, agile, and beautiful to watch.
Only one of these two contrasting styles would earn a ticket to the World Cup Final.