The changes happening in Croatia were unknown to Šuker and the others, who were still abroad fighting for the nation.
But at the moment, their mood was far from good.
After the quarterfinals of the European Championship and a four-day match break, the final four teams had emerged:
Germany, Croatia, Spain, and Russia.
After Germany and Croatia qualified first, Spain easily defeated Turkey in their quarterfinal match.
It was just unfortunate for Turkey.
They had thought getting past the group stage meant they were about to begin a new chapter and perhaps become the dark horse of the tournament.
But unexpectedly, they were immediately thrown into a peak-level clash.
Facing a Spain team on the verge of launching its golden era, what could Turkey possibly do?
The entire 90 minutes passed without any real drama.
Spain won 3-0 with ease and booked their ticket to the semifinals.
Then, on the final day of the quarterfinals, Russia pulled off a dark horse miracle.
They eliminated a red-hot Netherlands, producing the biggest upset of the tournament.
In that match, Andrey Arshavin seemed possessed by a Tsar, with one goal and one assist, earning him Man of the Match honors as he led Russia past a mighty Dutch side.
Of course, post-match discussions exploded.
People speculated about the Dutch tradition of "infighting" and internal discord...
But there was no denying that Russia had broken through the odds and reached the semifinals.
Then came the semifinal draw—the most anticipated event of this year's tournament.
German football legend Franz Beckenbauer, with his "cursed hands", drew Spain and Croatia into the same bracket.
And just like that, the Euro 2024 semifinal matchups were set:
Spain vs. Croatia
Germany vs. Russia
Naturally, this was a dream scenario for Germany.
Facing any of the three other semifinalists would have been exhausting and risky for them.
Winning would have been uncertain, and it would have drained their energy, form, and focus.
But now? With Spain and Croatia forced to battle each other...
Germany only had to beat Russia, and they could reap the rewards in the final.
Germany was confident!
They believed the clash between Spain and Croatia would leave both sides battered and broken, no matter the result.
It was like when AC Milan faced Barcelona in the Champions League.
Milan won—but it was a pyrrhic victory, and they lost key players like Gattuso and Kaká in the process.
This would be no different.
German fans were bowing in gratitude to Beckenbauer's draw—to them, it was a divine blessing.
Meanwhile, Croatian and Spanish fans were cursing him.
"What the hell kind of draw is this!?"
"Germany or Russia, either one would've been fine! Why did we have to get Spain?!"
Dujmović complained through gritted teeth.
The draw was just too brutal.
It was Croatia's first-ever Euro, and they had marched all the way to the semifinals fairly smoothly…
Only to suddenly run headfirst into massive pressure.
Modern Spanish football was a world apart from most styles in the game.
Tiki-taka was now starting to show its sharp teeth.
"Either way, we would've met them eventually—whether in the semifinal or the final," said Šuker, tying his laces.
For him, having gone through battles with Barcelona, the pressure didn't feel quite so heavy.
Besides, this wasn't like AC Milan—this Croatian team had a real chance of beating Spain.
Even if it would be difficult.
Just look at Spain's squad:
Up front: Torres and Villa.
In midfield: Xavi, Iniesta, David Silva...
Even players like Xabi Alonso, Fàbregas, and Cazorla—all Champions League-level talents—were on the bench. That's how deep they were.
But Šuker felt that this Spain team was still in its early phase, just starting to step into their golden age. Their tiki-taka style hadn't reached its peak yet.
The 2010 Spain squad would be truly terrifying.
—
After the quarterfinals, there were only three days to prepare for the semis.
And during those days, a new disagreement flared up between Bilić and Van Stoyak.
"We must press! We have to press their midfield!"
"What good is pressing? Didn't I already say it? We have a tactical plan—why are you insisting on creating something brand new? This is the Euro semifinal!"Bilić roared:"You can be reckless, but I can't!"
"AC Milan and Ancelotti already showed the world how to beat Barcelona! That's how we beat Spain too! The blueprint is right there! Why risk it?!"
Van Stoyak shouted back:
"That blueprint is wrong!"
"You think Ancelotti didn't want to press Spain's midfield? Of course he did! But Milan couldn't do it—they were too old and lacked stamina! So they had to use clever tricks to disrupt Barcelona's passing!"
"But this is the Euros! No home-and-away matches! Can you ask the organizers to water the pitch for us? Can you guarantee it'll rain?"
Bilić:
"No, I can't guarantee that. But the tactics are still viable—even without a soggy pitch, we can defend properly!"
Van Stoyak:
"Defend how?! What are we, Italy? We don't have the foundation for catenaccio! We can't copy Ancelotti's methods! Turkey tried—they got smashed 3-0! That's the result!"
Bilić shouted back:
"They're not us! Their squad wasn't strong enough, their execution poor—but we're better than them. We can do it. We can replicate the plan!"
Van Stoyak was parched, his head spinning.
"You stubborn bastard... get Šuker here. Let's see what he says!"
"Fine. Let's bring him!"
Soon after, Šuker was dragged into the middle of the debate.
He stood between the two—completely stuck in the middle.
One was the head coach. The other was his tactical mentor and strategist.
They each had their stance, and now Šuker had a splitting headache.
"So, whose side are you on?"
Van Stoyak patted Šuker on the shoulder.
"Speak freely—no outsiders here."
Šuker rolled his eyes.
He let out a long breath.
"You really want me to pick a side?"
Bilić hesitated.
He suddenly realized—Šuker wasn't just another player.
Even though Srna wore the captain's armband, Šuker was the real leader of the locker room.
Every player from Dinamo Zagreb followed him.
Veterans like Šimunić and Šimić had played with Šuker at Milan—they were part of the Eastern European brotherhood and naturally sided with him.
In short, one word from Šuker carried massive weight in the locker room.
This was exactly why Šuker tried to avoid taking sides—he didn't want to divide the squad or fracture the coaching staff.
Looking at Bilić's expression, Šuker finally spoke:
"But the assistant coach has a point. That kind of passive tactic is only used when there's no better option. If we had the ability to press, no one would choose to sit back!"
"So, you support high pressing?" Bilić asked in a low voice.
Šuker sighed:
"Maybe it's worth a try."
When it came to modern football, tiki-taka had a clear counter strategy in the future.
But right now, it was still new—and no one really knew how to handle it yet.
Bilić rubbed his temples.
"We're seriously going to test a new tactic in a Euro semifinal? This is madness..."
Van Stoyak quickly chimed in:
"It's not a new tactic! We've used these before—we're just combining them differently."
"Can you guarantee success?" Bilić asked bluntly.
At that, Van Stoyak fell silent.
In truth, he couldn't guarantee anything.
"This situation is different. We've just made history by reaching the semifinals. The whole country is watching. Even if we lose, it won't be a disaster—we've already overachieved. But we can't afford a humiliating loss."
"We can't play with fire."
"If we try something new and then lose, what do you think the media will say?"
"'Arrogant', 'overconfident', 'cocky'—those labels will be stuck to our foreheads."
Bilić sighed:
"Sure, we can try. But if the tactic fails, I'm the one who takes the fall."
"You guys can just walk away. No one will blame you. Šuker will still be a national hero. You'll still be the assistant coach."
"But I will become Croatia's scapegoat. The guy who ruined everything out of pride and ego."
"One match could erase my entire career.I'll go from national coach to national disgrace—someone everyone spits on."
"All because of the prideful, arrogant Slaven Bilić."
"Call me a coward. Call me selfish. Call me weak. But I'm the head coach. And I have the right to set the tactics."
"I just don't dare to gamble."
Bilić's expression turned dark.