The 2012 European Cup was comprised of 16 National Teams, divided into four groups.

First, the seeding was as follows:

Pot 1: Poland, Ukraine, Spain, Croatia.

Pot 2: Germany, England, Italy, Netherlands.

Pot 3: Russia, Greece, Portugal, Sweden.

Pot 4: Denmark, France, Czech Republic, Ireland.

In this seeding, based on Spain and Netherlands being the World Cup champions and runners-up, they should have been placed in Pot 1.

However, Croatia was too strong!

If it were placed in Pot 2, it would severely disrupt the Pot 1 teams.

No matter which group it was drawn into, aside from Spain and Netherlands which could still put up a fight, Poland and Ukraine might be heavily defeated by Croatia.

In their impression, Suker was not the type of person to give too much face to the host nations.

Unless qualification was already secured, it was almost impossible for Suker to go easy.

Therefore, Croatia could only be placed in Pot 1, so that the two host nations would not have to fear encountering this super strong team.

And based on the European Cup rules, one team from each pot was selected to form four groups.

The groups were as follows:

Group A: Poland, Netherlands, Greece, Czech Republic.

group b: Croatia, Germany, Portugal, Denmark.

Group C: Spain, Italy, Russia, Ireland.

Group D: Ukraine, England, Sweden, France.

Looking at the entire group division.

Group A and Group C had relatively clear qualification prospects.

Netherlands, Spain, and Italy had strong chances of advancing.

Group D was relatively weaker in terms of overall strength.

On the other hand, group b was definitely a 'Group of Death'.

Croatia and Germany, two championship contenders, were competing, with Portugal and Denmark also looking to stir up trouble.

It could be said that every match was extremely crucial.

And in the original timeline, group b was also a chaotic mess.

Netherlands, as a Pot 1 team, suffered internal strife, lost all three matches, and failed to advance to the knockout stage.

Germany and Portugal advanced together.

However, during the qualification process, Denmark also caused Portugal a lot of trouble.

And this time, group b included an even stronger Croatia, Germany's dominance in group b was no longer absolute, and it was bound to be another fierce battle.

Moreover, with Suker and Cristiano Ronaldo now in group b, the level of attention was extremely high.

Zagreb National Team Training Center.

After the first day of training camp, the players once again sat together chatting.

"The outside world is praising us too much!"

"We can't get carried away!"

Srna: "No matter what the outside world says, we just need to play our own matches well!"

"Isn't it good to be praised?" Dujmović pouted; "I actually feel pretty good, my long-range shooting accuracy has improved during this period!"

Everyone grinned.

They forgot that this guy was a show-off; the higher the attention, the stronger his desire to perform, and the better he performed.

Kovacic, Brozović, and other young players stood on the periphery, watching these big shots chat, unable to interject.

"How are you doing at Juventus?" Suker suddenly asked Kovacic.

Due to the matches, he hadn't paid attention to Kovacic's performance.

"I've re-signed with the club, and I should get more playing opportunities next season!"

Kovacic said truthfully.

This season, joining midway, there wasn't enough time to integrate, and after entering the second half of the season, he didn't have many chances to play.

But Juventus, in order to develop him, still gave him quite a few matches.

He appeared in both the League and the Italian Cup.

His performance was also quite good!

Although not overly stunning, he had already shown his talent.

This was also the reason why Juventus decided to buy out Kovacic's contract and develop him as one of their own.

And next season, he would undoubtedly get more opportunities, especially at the beginning of the season.

After all, the entire Serie A currently lacks young players, let alone talented young players.

Serie A has now come to a clear understanding.

It's difficult to attract top talents like Kaka and Suker as before; these super talents who have already shown performance and achievements are more likely to look towards La Liga and Premier League, with Serie A no longer in their consideration.

Therefore, Serie A no longer competes for these top talents; as long as they have talent, they can get opportunities in Serie A.

"Did Pirlo teach you well?" Suker continued to ask.

Kovacic nodded; "He takes good care of me. He's usually a very serious person, and although he sometimes doesn't smile much, I still respect him greatly."

Huh?

Suker looked astonished.

Pirlo, serious? Doesn't smile much?

What kind of persona was he trying to create?

During his time at Milan, he and Pirlo were known as the 'two biggest annoyances'.

However, Suker had no intention of exposing him; since Pirlo wanted to play this role, then let him play it.

"The group stage won't be easy!"

The topic returned to the European Cup.

Srna grinned; "First match against Portugal, second against Denmark, third against Germany!"

"How good would it be to decide the winner with Germany in the first match, instead of dragging it out until the third!" Mandžukić said.

Modrić: "I actually think this is a good thing. At least we can adjust our form through Portugal and Denmark. No one can guarantee that we are in great form right now. If we meet Germany in the first match and lose, we'll be in trouble!"

"What if we win?" Dujmović shrugged, he was an optimist; "If we win, it'll be much easier."

"How is Bayern's current form?" Suker asked Mandžukić.

"Full strength!" Mandžukić shook his head.

Vukojević: "None of the main players are injured!"

Suker turned to Perisic; "What about Borussia Dortmund?"

"Same!" Perisic said concisely.

The Germany National Team is currently based on the Bayern Munich squad, integrated with outstanding players from within the Bundesliga.

Among them, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund account for the largest proportion of starting positions.

"It seems like it will be a head-on clash!" Suker shook his head.

Neither Germany nor Croatia had any injured players, so it could only be a head-on clash.

What's more, in the 2008 European Cup, Germany lost to Croatia.

With new and old grudges, Germany would inevitably go all out against Croatia in the group stage.

Even if Croatia wanted to preserve some strength and both teams worked together to eliminate Portugal and Denmark, such cooperation would almost certainly not exist.

It might be possible with Spain, but Germany would definitely not cooperate with Croatia.

"Why think about all this? It's not like we can't beat them!" Dujmović clenched his fist: "No matter if it's Germany or Spain, just take them down!"

"So dominant!" Mandžukić gave a thumbs up; "Anyone who doesn't know you would think you're the Ballon d'or Winner!"

"Go to hell!"

The two started bickering again.

On the third day, a batch of supplies arrived at the training base.

Not training equipment, but some clothing.

These were custom-made Croatia National Team exclusive suits ordered by the Croatian Football Federation.

Slightly casual black suits, with the Croatia national flag on the chest.

Dark grey undershirt, black vest, and black tie.

Wearing these suits immediately increased the oppressive presence of the Croatia National Team.

For the entire day, the Croatia players did not train; they were mostly engaged in poster shooting.

In the past, Croatia was a little-known team in Europe; no one paid attention to what they wore.

Therefore, Croatia would often just head out in their training kits, as no one cared anyway.

But now it was different.

European Cup favorites!

European Cup defending champions!

A galaxy of stars in the team!

With these conditions combined, Croatia's popularity was skyrocketing.

Before, they were like country bumpkins going out, and no one paid attention anyway.

But now, they had to project a strong image.

Moreover, in an era where football commercialization was prevalent, they clearly understood the necessity of packaging and presentation.

This could not only bring positive influence to the players but also attract more attention to the National Team.

Furthermore, this poster shoot was also a requirement from UEFA.

They had to combine suits with football.

To this end, after a day of effort, a collection of photos titled 'Croatian Suit Thugs' quickly went viral online.

The usually unkempt Croatian stars, with their slicked-back hair, had an incredible visual impact.

Of course, it wasn't just Croatia; soon, German, Spanish, and Portuguese versions also appeared, which to some extent warmed up the European Cup in advance.

"All this useless fuss!"

Suker was exhausted from the ordeal.

However, there was no other way, as it was a UEFA requirement; it was better not to be special if they wanted to participate in the European Cup.

Besides, it was only for one day; they just had to endure it.

Starting June 1st, the European Cup participating teams began arriving in Poland and Ukraine.

Croatia also departed on the 2nd, with the entire team heading to Poland to prepare for the tournament.

Warsaw, the Capital of Poland.

As the Croatia National Team arrived in Warsaw, the entire airport became incredibly lively.

The surrounding Polish fans waved their flags, welcoming the Croatia National Team to Poland.

For the local Polish people, they were fortunate.

Most of the European Cup matches were held in Ukraine, but Poland still secured the first round of group b matches.

That was Croatia against Portugal.

Although the clash between Croatia and Germany was also very attractive, securing this match was incredibly exciting for the local fans in Warsaw.

These stars, who normally could only be seen on television, were now standing before them, and they would even play in their newly built Warsaw National Stadium; there was nothing better than that.

All the way, enthusiastic Polish fans were shouting 'Suker's' name.

He was the center of attention wherever he went.

At this time, Suker also appeared in a casual suit as requested, but instead of a slicked-back hairstyle, his hair was simply combed to the sides with hair wax, forming a slightly parted look.

His tie was loosely tied around his neck, and with his tall and slender figure, he looked like a clothes hanger in a suit.

Of course, for Suker himself, training clothes were the most comfortable.

Suker and the other Croatia National Team players stood together, being heavily photographed by cameras.

From the moment they stepped out of the airport, the mandatory procedures made Suker feel a bit annoyed.

The flashlights were almost blinding him.

After finally finishing these procedures, the Polish official television station immediately pulled over a live broadcast vehicle.

"You've worked hard!"

Srna smiled and patted Suker's shoulder.

Modrić also smiled and said, "The more capable, the more work!"

Mandžukić: "This is what you get for eliminating me from the Champions League!"

Dujmović: "We're going to the car to turn on the air conditioning!"

Vukojević: "Let the big star do the interview!"

Amidst the banter of his close friends, Suker could only force a smile and accept the interview.

There was no other way; he was the representative star of Croatia.

Moreover, it was a request from the organizers, which was difficult to refuse.

After another half an hour, Suker finally returned to the bus and reunited with his teammates.

Seeing Suker return to the bus, Bešić also nodded to the driver.

The bus slowly drove out of the airport, heading towards their hotel.

The Warsaw National Stadium hosted the opening match of the 2012 European Cup.

That is, Poland VS Greece!

As a host country's event, it naturally attracted the attention of local fans.

However, compared to these, the first round of group b, Croatia VS Portugal, also received great attention.

After all, this was another direct confrontation between Suker and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Croatia is very strong, that's right!

But Portugal is not a weak team in Europe either.

Although there is a certain gap in strength, the outcome is still unpredictable.

There is still nearly a week until the match begins.

During this period, they focused more on adaptive training locally and also participated in some activities arranged by the organizers.

As for Suker, driven by Zorancic, Suker held two autograph sessions in Warsaw.

During this process, they were also studying Portugal.

Portugal has officially entered the Cristiano Ronaldo era from the Figo era.

This is the same logic as Croatia.

Players like Suker, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Messi have become the pillars of their respective National Teams; they are no longer the younger brothers but undisputed locker room leaders.

And this season, besides Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese squad includes Moutinho, Nani, Pepe, and others who need to be watched.

Thinking of this, Suker felt a headache coming on.

Germany and Portugal, these are both semi-final level teams in this European Cup!

Although Croatia has also reached a historical peak, it can't withstand such a difficult group.

If it weren't for the endorsement of the European Cup Fair Play Committee, Suker would have almost thought that after the World Cup, they were being targeted by UEFA again.

But this time it was clearly not; it was just pure bad luck!

The second and third seeded teams, almost the strongest teams in each seed, were Group D together.

At the same time, Portugal was also studying Croatia's lineup.

But the more they looked at the lineup, the more despairing it became!

Paulo Bento became the Head Coach of Portugal in 2010; as one of the representatives of Portugal's golden generation, he has continuously created value for this National Team.

But now, Paulo Bento has complained more than once.

"Why is it group b!"

Paulo Bento rubbed his temples.

If placed in other groups, he was still confident about advancing.

But group b is a hornet's nest!

Poke it and it explodes!

First round against Croatia, second round against Germany!

It can be said that compared to Croatia, Portugal is under greater pressure.

Although they have Cristiano Ronaldo, Croatia also has Suker, and their squad is more complete, with no obvious weaknesses.

They have also gone through the baptism of the 2008 European Cup and the 2010 World Cup.

It can be said that, like the outside world, Paulo Bento also believes that this Croatia team will be incredibly competitive in the next two years.

Only a historically strong team like Spain can contend with them!

And they drew Croatia in the first pot and Germany in the second pot.

Their luck was simply unparalleled!

Many smaller teams thought they had bad draws and complained everywhere in front of the media.

What are they complaining about?!

Portugal is in hell mode!

But as the Head Coach, no matter how difficult, he had to bear the pressure.

"Are there no injury casualties in Croatia at the moment?" Paulo Bento asked his assistant.

The assistant shook his head; "According to the latest news, Croatia is almost at full strength."

"Didn't they undergo a central defense reorganization? How was their performance?"

"The performance was very stable!" The assistant paused, then continued, "During the European Cup Qualifiers, Croatia advanced with a perfect record, so their problems couldn't be seen at all; the opponents' strength was not enough to expose their issues!"

Paulo Bento rubbed his temples again.

The opponents were not strong enough, so no problems were exposed.

And in the first round, Paulo Bento was confident that Portugal's ability was enough to make Croatia take them seriously.

Regardless of the outcome, they could indeed reveal some aspects of Croatia's play.

And in the second round, they would play Germany, which would also reveal some aspects of Germany's play.

Isn't this just purely providing intelligence to these two teams!

But even so, they had no choice but to play.

"Let's try for a draw!"

Paulo Bento also wanted to win, but he really didn't have the foundation or ability to do so.

For Portugal, a draw was already the best outcome.

Against Croatia, strive for a draw.

Against Germany, aim for a draw and fight for a win!

This way, Portugal would have enough Capital to observe.

Once Croatia defeats Germany, Portugal is not without hope of advancing as the second-place team in the group.

So, for Portugal, it is essential to draw with Croatia, as this will provide the basis for subsequent operations.

As soon as he thought of this, Paulo Bento couldn't help but sigh, "Why can't this generation of Ronaldo produce so many excellent players like Croatia!"

If it were just one Suker, it would be easy to target him with tactics and numbers.

Perhaps Croatia's situation would be similar to Portugal's.

But the problem is, Croatia not only has Suker but also Mandžukić, Modrić, Rakitić, Srna, Vukojević, and others.

The explosive emergence of talent has elevated Croatia's status in football.

At the end of the 20th century, even if Croatia reached the World Cup semi-finals, they were considered a dark horse.

But now, if Croatia doesn't reach the semi-finals, that would be an upset.

This is also the recognition of Croatia by fans worldwide.

Although Croatia is not a traditional powerhouse, they are definitely a new force!