Bilić recalls Croatia's 1998 World Cup 'bronze' and the power of team spirit

Reflecting on Croatia's historic third-place finish at the 1998 FIFA World Cup, former player and coach Slaven Bilić emphasized the unwavering team spirit that propelled the squad. "The greatest strength of our national team from 1996 to the last World Cup has been the atmosphere within it," Bilić stated, comparing the team's camaraderie to a class going on a field trip.

Bilić recalled the tournament in France as a time when Croatia was largely an unknown quantity. "We were perhaps an unknown quantity two years earlier at the Euros, but surely nobody saw us fighting for medals at the World Cup in France, and we achieved that magnificent bronze," he said. The turning point, he noted, was defeating Germany in the quarterfinals. "When we beat Germany, you realize you're going all the way... that's the realization that this is it."

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To što je Hrvatska napravila na Svjetskom prvenstvu 1998. godine ušlo je u nogometne anale, možda smo bili nepoznanica dvije godine prije na Euru, ali sigurno nas nitko nije vidio u borbi za odličja SP-u u Francuskoj, a došli smo do te veličanstvene bronce.

Despite being aware of their capabilities, Bilić acknowledged the role of coach Miroslav "Ćiro" Blažević's infectious optimism. "He wasn't wrong when he said we would be world champions. We knew we could beat anyone, but that doesn't mean you'll be champions," Bilić explained. "We knew we were good, and Ćiro had that unbelievable optimism to lift us further."

Bilić also touched upon the high expectations from the Croatian public, media, and fans, which Blažević's presence amplified. "We in Croatia, the public, the media, the fans, always have high expectations, always demand the most from the national team. And we still had Ćiro who 'galvanized' us, and that means a lot," he concluded.

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Mi u Hrvatskoj, javnost, mediji, navijači, uvijek imamo velika očekivanja, uvijek se najviše traži od reprezentacije. I još smo imali Ćiru koji nas 'galvanizira' i to puno znači, ako te zbog toga pamet 'ne prebaci', a moraš bit