The mental performance of Croatians is impressive «kleinezeitung.at

By Marco Rose | 05.50, July 15, 2018

I'm really looking forward to attending the World Cup final. A World Cup is always something special and big. I already felt like that when, as a young fan, in 1990, I watched with a lot of enthusiasm Germany become world champion shortly after the fall of the Wall and the turnaround . Just when the team you applaud is far away, a World Cup
is fascinating.

This time, there is a good reason for me to cross my fingers for a team. At Red Bull Salzburg, we look forward to the Duje Caleta-Car to experience something special. Not only because he is one of our players, but also for him as a human being. He had an excellent season with the semi-finals of the Europa League. I wrote him before the win against England that a semifinal is enough this season – this time the final is due to him. He really managed that, and we all treat him wholeheartedly because he's a good boy. With Croatia, we have a team in the final, which goes against the general trend and over long distances, plays a very pbadionate and active football with a great willingness to run against the ball. In turn, France relies on the individual quality and speed that she has in mind. It will be interesting to see how Croatia will defend it.

Croatia fascinates me by following their own path. Everyone thought that they should be tired now. This is not just a matter of fitness, the head also plays an important role. A Luka Modric has at least 70 games of the season in the legs. You can only take off the hat what these guys are doing. It's quite impressive to see how the Croatian coach, with players who did well, formed a team that works. But other coaches have shaped this World Cup in Russia. At Gareth Southgate, the boss of the England team, I found him very nice, what a calm he gives off. It was also exciting to learn from the Belgian coach that he had never tactically lost a match.

Overall, we have seen a lot of good matches at this World Cup. That was, as far as you can judge from afar, in a good mood. And unlike many fears, politics did not become a big topic, but luckily it was finally one thing – about sports.