Chapter 110: Mario! Jump!

The Croatian league was in full swing. As September arrived, the first round of the league was nearing its conclusion. So far, two teams remained unbeaten in the Croatian league: Dinamo Zagreb and Hajduk Split. Compared to Hajduk, Dinamo Zagreb—who had just completed a major rebuilding—was undoubtedly the biggest surprise of the season. It wasn't just their explosive attacking style, but also the passion-filled matches played by a team of young talents. After defeating Lokomotiva Zagreb, the team seemed to go into overdrive. Their attacking was lightning-fast, clean, and sharp. Despite being a young squad, they played with incredible chemistry and unity. In 7 matches, Dinamo Zagreb had scored 18 goals and conceded only 5. An average of 0.7 goals conceded per game! And an average of 2.5 goals scored per game! The player contributing the most to Dinamo's attack was undoubtedly their No.10, Suker! Suker's brilliance wasn't a one-time show. As the season progressed, his performance continued to shine—if anything, he was getting even better. So far, after 7 rounds, Suker had scored 8 goals and provided 6 assists! This statline absolutely dominated the Croatian league! Suker also topped the goal scorers' chart with his 8 goals! Lokomotiva Zagreb's striker, Kalenovic, was second with 5 goals—three behind Suker. But Suker wasn't the only one in the spotlight. Luka Modric, the young midfield genius from Dinamo's youth academy, was starting to shine as well. It could be said that Dinamo Zagreb's sharp attacking edge was largely due to Modric's efforts. The seemingly frail midfielder continuously linked the midfield and backline with clever passes, ensuring that Suker—the attacking engine—always stayed red-hot. At 19, Modric had already established himself as the best midfielder in the Croatian league. And speaking of Modric, one couldn't ignore Vukojevic. He may not have had the dazzling brilliance of Suker or Modric. But his relentless sweeping, interceptions, and pressing in the midfield gave Dinamo's defense a solid anchor. The tireless Vukojevic, with his indomitable fighting spirit, was the steel lock in front of Dinamo's back line! Players like Dujmovic, Srna, and Pranjic were also gaining attention with their performances. At first, Dinamo fans came to see Davor Suker play. But now, their focus had shifted to these young warriors. Watching them charge across the field, scoring goals and battling fiercely—the fans truly loved this group of youngsters. They were the future of Dinamo Zagreb! Mario Mandzukic's training had been relentless, and the results were beginning to show. The "dumb method" suits the "dumb guy"! Through repetitive training drills, Mandzukic had begun to integrate into the team. And with his explosive physical abilities, he occasionally became the key man in the penalty box during training matches. Of course, all this happened in practice—but compared to before, Mandzukic had improved significantly. And today, Mandzukic was finally getting another chance to step onto the pitch. After his dismal performance in the first round, he'd been benched ever since. He'd even been singled out for special training by the head coach. But now, he was back—ready to prove himself. 2003/2004 Croatian League – Round 8 HNK Gorica vs Dinamo Zagreb At the 55-minute mark, HNK Gorica trailed Dinamo 1–3. Dinamo's three goals had been scored between the two by Suker and "Little Suker," with the latter netting two and pushing his tally to 10 goals for the season. At 55 minutes, Dinamo made a substitution. No. 9 Davor Suker came off. No. 11 Mario Mandzukic came on. Standing on the sideline, Mandzukic's eyes sparkled with excitement, barely able to contain his emotions. Another chance—finally! And this time, he had to seize it! "Come on, Mario!" Davor Suker came over, raised his hands, and the two exchanged a firm high-five. Mandzukic took a deep breath and ran onto the pitch. As soon as he entered the field, he shouted, "Suker! Suker!" Suker replied gruffly, "Stop yelling! Get to the striker position and wait for my pass!" Mandzukic nodded hard. Their chemistry had already been forged—refined over more than a month of tough training. "Mario Mandzukic, another young lad from Dinamo Zagreb, just 18 years old. His previous performances have been underwhelming, which is why it's taken eight rounds for him to get another shot!" "Will Mandzukic be able to handle the pressure this time?" Commentator Krausivic vaguely remembered Mandzukic. But not as deeply as Suker or Modric. What he remembered was: great physical ability—but always running around aimlessly. That was the impression Mandzukic had left. So, with him back on the pitch, the commentator was curious to see how he'd perform. "Come on, Mario!" "Jump!" "You're Super Mario!" "Believe in yourself!" Modric and the others shouted their encouragement. Fueled by their support, Mandzukic was fired up. He couldn't waste this hard-earned opportunity. HNK Gorica had a throw-in near their defensive end. Suker stared down the opposing thrower, ready to pounce. Maybe it was Suker's intense gaze that rattled the Gorica player, who tossed the ball to the defensive midfielder. "Manic throws to Monkach in the midfield—Suker and Dujmovic are pressing hard!" Seeing the double team, Monkach tried to turn. Suddenly, a voice behind him shouted: "Watch out!" He turned—only to slam headfirst into Mandzukic's chest. Mandzukic wobbled slightly but held his ground and stole the ball. "He's won it!!" Mandzukic turned toward goal. And fired! Boom! The ball ricocheted off the keeper's ankle and flew wide. "Aaah~~ So close! That was a crucial steal, but the shot missed the target. Gorica's center-back Pusic smartly stepped up to block the shot—it disrupted the whole attempt! But Dinamo do win a corner from this play!" Dinamo had a corner. Srna was at the corner flag, ready to take it. The others waited at the top of the box, prepared to charge. Suker glanced at the defenders' setup. Just as the kick was about to be taken, he sprinted forward. "Srna!" Suker called. Srna immediately passed it to him. A set-piece play. Suker drew a defender with him, then tapped it back to Srna. The defender switched targets, charging at Srna. Srna passed it back once more. Gorica's back line was now visibly unsettled. Suker spun and sent in a cross. "A set-piece routine from Dinamo—Suker crosses! But... Dinamo don't have any tall play—" Before the sentence finished, a blue-shirted figure soared above the crowd. He jumped incredibly high. Suker's eyes sparkled! Mario!! Jump!! Mandzukic had locked onto the ball—nothing else in his mind but scoring. Day after day of sweaty training! Muscle memory honed by countless drills! Everything came together in this moment—he timed his jump perfectly! Yes! This was it! Mandzukic rose higher than anyone—his explosive strength on full display. His leap was stunning. Like a blooming blue flower in a sea of players—utterly radiant! Tucked in! Torqued waist! Snap header! Boom!! The ball smashed into his forehead—and with his powerful header, it soared into the net. Whoosh!!! The ball went in. Mandzukic landed. Eyes fixed on the net as the ball rippled inside. He scored. "ROARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR——!!!" Mandzukic roared to the sky! All the frustration! All the doubt! All the pain! It was all released with this goal! A goal! A goal meant everything! "Ohhhhhhh!! My God!! Mario Mandzukic!! What a leap!! He was almost on Pusic's shoulders when he headed that ball in!" "A towering goal for Dinamo Zagreb!" "Mighty jumper Mario Mandzukic!! On the field for only 3 minutes and already delivers a goal!" Whoa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Gorica's fans were stunned. That guy jumped so high! Everyone thought it was going to the far post—but somehow, he got to it. And the header was placed perfectly! That leap... that physique... How do you even defend against that? "Oh!! Mario! Mario! Super Mario!!" "You jumped so high!" "Beautiful header!" Srna and the others rushed to him. They were truly happy for Mandzukic. The goal not only extended Dinamo's lead—it also marked Mandzukic's full integration into the team. Mandzukic grinned, looking through the crowd—but couldn't see Suker. When the crowd finally dispersed, he saw Suker crouched near the edge of the box. Their eyes met. Suker smiled and gave him a big thumbs up. Mandzukic beamed back, his smile full of pride—he'd earned Suker's approval. As he turned to celebrate with the fans... Suker muttered, full of regret: "...There goes my hat trick!"