With the rest of the world, Damir Kreilach watched Croatia reach the World Cup Final with excitement and anticipation. Just how far could this underdog take its Cinderella story? With each round of the Knockout Rounds, the following grew larger and larger.
But few could do justice to just how far the nation had come since gaining independence 1991 and surviving the ensuing wars with neighboring countries to maintain that independence. Now, the landscape is much different, but the country still needed something positive to raise morale in the country and the success of Croatia in Russia at the 2018 FIFA World Cup was a near-perfect prescription.
Now a few days removed from the dramatic final loss to France, Kreilach reflects on just how important the World Cup run was to himself and to his country.
Damir Kreilach in his own words:
For me and for all of the people in Croatia, this is an amazing step. Above all, this is the biggest result in soccer – and in sports – ever for Croatia.
We are successful in a lot of sports – water polo, handball, basketball, tennis … but soccer is the favorite sport and the first sport in Croatia.
In our history in Croatia, 27 years ago we were at war. I don’t want to talk about the politics of that, because I feel like we have gotten beyond that. I was growing up in that time and in 1998 we finished third in the World Cup.
That was amazing … but this is even bigger.
For our history and for everyone in Croatia 20 years later, everyone in Croatia is on the same page. No matter our differences – political and otherwise – this result put everyone was on the same page.
Because of that, the welcome for the national team in Zagreb was amazing. To drive from the airport to the main square, you need about 15 minutes by car. The national team needed five and a half hours. We are a small country of four million people and 550,000 were there to welcome home the national team.
As I said, this means so much for me because now everyone knows about Croatia. And while the situation in Croatia might not be so good, this result can change a lot of things – in and out of sports – because we have to be positive and everyone is looking forward.
