EURO 2024: The happy and sad colors of Yugoslav football

The Yugoslav national team once left a mark with two runner-up finishes at EURO 1960, 1968 and the Olympic gold medal in 1960. After the country split, it still left its mark on the international arena with impressive achievements of the Croatian, Serbian, Slovenian or Bosnia and Herzegovina teams with unique technical, disciplined and passionate characteristics. In particular, the Croatian team is the leading flag with the runner-up position at the 2018 World Cup and the 2022 - 2023 Nations League, with the Golden Ball 2018 icon Luka Modric, the Golden Boot and Silver Ball 1998 Davor Suker and many other great players.

At 39 years old, Luka Modric cannot help Croatia have a perfect EURO

However, at EURO 2024, the fairy tale could not last. Luka Modric still scored, kicking the ball into the net of the Italian team. But the miracle of the 39-year-old midfielder was not enough to help the Croatian team pass the group stage. In the group with Italy and Spain, the plaid team with the "old guard" Brozovic, Perisic, Kovacic... now on the other side of the career slope, let Albania hold a 2-2 draw and lost 0-3 to Spain. Before returning home, Luka Modric still confided that he was not ready to say goodbye to the national team. Admiring the passion and desire of this star, but that also shows that Croatian football is facing the problem of the next generation of players not being ready to fill the gap left by their seniors.

In Group C, the Serbian team finished last with 2 points. The team's biggest mark, unfortunately, came from the scandals off the field. First, goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic was involved in a brawl at a bar before the match, or before that, captain Dusan Tadic made disrespectful remarks towards head coach Dragan Stojkovic. Even after the Serbian team was eliminated early from EURO 2024, the Serbian Football Federation (FSS) faced a wave of criticism for the bonus distribution scandal, when the players did not receive any money, while officials "got rich" with hundreds of thousands of dollars. Specifically, Secretary General Jovan Surbatovic, Vice President Nenad Bjekovic and Director Stevan Dika Stojanovic each received 107,000 USD. Team director Miroslav Tanjga received $53,000, while CFO Surbatovic received €48,000. The money was taken from the $10 million bonus the FSS received for the team's two draws at EURO 2024. But the people who contributed most to the results - the players - received nothing.

In summary, the only representative from Yugoslavia to make it through the group stage of EURO 2024 is Slovenia, ranked 3rd in Group C, just above Serbia. Coach Matjaz Kek and his team impressed with 3 draws against opponents Denmark, England and Serbia. The team with the second lowest total squad value at EURO 2024 (only 141.55 million euros, less than star Phil Foden, who is valued at 150 million euros) advanced thanks to the strengths that have become the trademark of Yugoslav football. Stars such as goalkeeper Jan Oblak (Atletico Madrid) or striker Benjamin Sesko (RB Leipzig) have become solid supports for a less famous team that plays with cohesion, discipline and passion. Ahead of this "small" team is championship candidate Portugal, led by superstar Ronaldo, in the round of 16 match that will take place at 2:00 a.m. on July 2. To be able to continue, Matjaz Kek and his team will need maximum effort and a little miracle. But the spirit of Yugoslav football in the past, including the story of the Serbian team, has not written miracles in the world of football. Having held the "Three Lions" or the "Tin Soldiers" Denmark to a draw, what else is there to "hinder" Slovenia?

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/euro-2024-nhung-gam-mau-vui-buon-cua-bong-da-nam-tu-1852406292222151.htm