Chapter 126: The Undefeated Season

Davor Šuker's retirement banquet was, of course, a grand affair. Nearly everyone in Croatia's sports world gathered at the Zagreb Grand Hotel. The banquet hall was packed with people. Officials from the Croatian Football Federation and even UEFA were in attendance. Notably, members of the Golden Generation such as Boban, Stanić, Šimić, and Bilić also made an appearance. After all, it was Davor Šuker's retirement banquet. No matter how busy they were, they were willing to come. They had together created the fairy-tale run of the 1998 World Cup, and they were here to bless their friend's farewell. The entire hall was filled with toasts and laughter, the atmosphere very lively. Davor Šuker clumsily dealt with the various football officials. He wasn't much of a talker, but under the halo of being a Croatian hero, whatever he did was easily forgiven. His social skills weren't the best, but thankfully his agent, Mamić, was by his side to assist him. This kept the mood upbeat. Šuker and Modrić hid in a corner — neither of them particularly enjoyed this kind of setting. For Šuker in particular, the glances people gave him as they passed by were tinged with something strange. Today's retirement match had made Šuker (the younger) famous. When Davor Šuker put his iconic No.9 jersey on him, it was not just a retirement ceremony — it was a passing of the torch. This was of great significance to Croatian football. Naturally, it brought with it expectations and responsibilities. "There you two are!" Boban suddenly walked over and pointed at the two hiding in the corner. "What are you doing here?" "We've got a game coming up. No drinking," Šuker replied, pointing ahead. There, Davor Šuker was awkwardly scratching his head and repeatedly raising his glass and downing drinks. "Don't worry about him. He's the best drinker among us," Boban chuckled. "Come with me." The two immediately followed him. Boban led them out of the main banquet hall and into a smaller side room. Compared to the main hall, this one had fewer people, but the vibe was even more relaxed and intimate. There, they saw Štimac, Jarni, Bilić, Stanić, and others gathered together. Even Coach Bešić, despite his recent falling-out with the group, showed up dressed to the nines. Arguments aside, this was Davor Šuker's farewell — he wouldn't miss it. "Coach!" "Sir!" Šuker and Modrić respectfully greeted Bešić first. Bešić nodded. "No drinking. You still have a game." They both nodded earnestly. At that moment, Boban clapped and said, "Hey guys, look who I brought!" All eyes turned to Šuker and Modrić. The members of the Golden Generation immediately surrounded them. "If we had young Šuker in our 1998 squad, those French guys would've had a nightmare," joked Štimac, patting the younger Šuker on the head. "Luka's also a top-class midfielder," Jarni added. With those introductions, the others all turned to look at the two youngsters. Though truthfully, introductions weren't needed. With their current reputation, both Šuker and Modrić were already household names in Croatian sports. After today's symbolic "passing of the torch" from Davor Šuker, there was no one in the country who didn't recognize the next-gen Šuker. As the group chatted, the younger Šuker's eyes kept drifting toward Bilić. And Bilić noticed. "Something on my face?" Bilić asked with a grin. Everyone looked his way. "I watched Croatia's U21 match. We played really well!" said Šuker. Bilić was surprised that Šuker had watched the youth team play — U21 games rarely drew much attention. The younger Šuker had a favorable impression of this "rock and roll coach." Despite Bilić's calm appearance now, on the sidelines he was famously passionate and wild — earning him that "rock manager" nickname. And in 2006, he would take over from Kranjčar to become the Croatian national team coach. "Bilić, bring him into the U21 squad — he won't disappoint you," joked Štimac. Bilić was visibly tempted. In fact, apart from attending Davor Šuker's farewell, he had also come to observe Šuker and Modrić. Who wouldn't want such talent? Just as Bilić was about to speak, Boban interrupted, "Where the hell is old Šuker? Before those officials drink him dry, let's go rescue him!" He led the group back to the main hall, leaving Bilić unable to say what he intended. "Why did you stop me?" Bilić quickly caught up. He knew Boban had interrupted him on purpose. He might've brushed it off from someone else, but Boban was once the team's captain and deserved respect — especially since Bilić's coaching future still depended on support from former teammates. "I'm telling you not to call them up to the U21s!" Boban said bluntly. "Davor and I are working on getting them into the top European leagues. Let them focus on their clubs for now. Once they establish themselves, you'll be ready to coach the senior team." "Wouldn't it be better to wait and get a star player from a major European club instead of calling up a raw youngster now?" "You're backing me?" Bilić asked in surprise. Boban smiled and patted him on the shoulder. "Do your job well. When the time is right, we'll push you to the top." Boban didn't want Šuker and Modrić to be dragged into national team duty too early. They were at a key development stage — the time to grow and earn moves to the top five leagues. National team call-ups, especially for youth teams, would only drain their energy and stunt their progress. Especially for the U21s — not worth it. For now, they needed to focus entirely on their club football. At the banquet, Šuker and Modrić made many connections — guided by Boban and Davor Šuker to expand their network. After a hectic hour, Šuker finally returned to his dorm. He washed up and lay in bed. Though he had no intention of joining the national team yet, he did want to leave a good impression on future coach Bilić. After all, no matter how much help he had from Boban, it was still up to him to grow. Introductions were one thing — performance was another. And the Croatian national team was going through a rough patch. In Euro 2004, under the aging coach Barić, Croatia would crash out in the group stage. That forced Barić to resign, and Kranjčar took over. But Kranjčar also failed, losing the 2006 World Cup qualifying spot and being sacked after two years. Only then did Bilić take the reins. That marked the beginning of a new generation stepping onto the global stage. Golden Generations are always born of a mix of luck and legacy. As Davor Šuker and others faded, the national team inevitably declined. Only with the rise of Modrić and others did Croatia slowly turn things around and enter its second golden era. But from 1998 to 2008, Croatian football faced many problems. Šuker wasn't yet strong enough to fix any of them. Nor did he want to be drawn into the eye of that storm. Being crowned the successor to Davor Šuker only to be part of a group-stage exit or failed World Cup qualification — that would kill all the shine. Of course, if the national team insisted on calling him up, there would be no way around it. Unless he never wanted to play for the national team again, he'd just have to grit his teeth and go. Thinking about all this made his head heavy. Before long, his breathing slowed, and he fell asleep. May 7, 2004 – Croatian League Round 34 With Lokomotiva Zagreb held to a draw in their away match, Dinamo Zagreb extended their lead to eight points. That meant, with a win in this game, Dinamo Zagreb would clinch the Croatian league title. An entire season of hard work — all for this championship. Up to now, Dinamo Zagreb remained unbeaten. Of course, that unbeaten record didn't carry the same weight as others. All eyes in Europe were on the Premier League — on Arsenal, the seemingly invincible Gunners. As the season approached its end, they remained undefeated and were closing in on the title. This season, they really might pull off an unbeaten championship. Croatia's league couldn't compare to the Premier League. In terms of scale, competition level, commercialization — they were in completely different leagues. So their "unbeaten" record naturally didn't carry the same significance. But within Croatia, it was still a big deal. Dinamo Zagreb fans had already begun chanting about an "unbeaten championship." They were now just one win from the title. Just three matches away from an undefeated season! This had ignited the passion of their fans.