The first day of the European Cup matches concluded.

Poland drew 1:1 with Greece.

The Netherlands lost 1:3 to Czech Republic.

The group b matches on the first day of the European Cup ended, and a major upset occurred.

The Netherlands, the World Cup runner-up, actually lost to Czech Republic.

And surrounding the Netherlands' loss, various reports from media outlets like The Sun began.

First, The Sun was the first to break the news of infighting.

However, it was clearly part of a speculation.

Because there was no mention of Huntelaar's name in it, but instead it indicated a disagreement between Robben and Van Persie.

Although these two also had their squabbles, it didn't escalate to physical altercations.

For this, The Sun was fabricating.

However, their guess about the infighting was quite accurate; despite Van Bommel, the Netherlands' captain, strongly denying it, the match was played so poorly that the infighting couldn't be more obvious.

Under such circumstances, the Netherlands' trajectory in the European Cup began to become turbulent.

If they failed to resolve their conflicts, it would be difficult for them to advance further.

They should have secured a qualification spot in group b, or even finished first in the group, but perhaps due to the infighting, the possibility of their elimination was not non-existent.

On the first day of the matches, there was the explosive first match and the upsetting second match.

These all helped to build up the atmosphere of the European Cup.

And with this atmosphere, the fans became even more excited.

Because on June 10th, which was the second match day of the European Cup, the 'group of death' matches were about to begin.

In the first round, Croatia faced Portugal.

In the next round, Germany faced Denmark!

The match between Croatia and Portugal naturally attracted the attention of countless fans.

Especially this Croatia, which looked incredibly strong, what kind of performance they would put on was also arousing curiosity.

On June 10th, it was still in Warsaw.

After a day of European Cup matches, the fans' enthusiasm became even higher.

On this day, Croatia and Portugal fans became the most watched targets.

These two National Teams are very similar.

In European football, they both have the title of 'black shop'.

Both are export-oriented Leagues!

However, compared to the Portuguese League, which has already had its glory, the Croatian League has a lower gold content.

At least the Primeira Liga team, Porto, won the Champions League.

While Dinamo Zagreb, the powerhouse of the Croatian League, had its best performance in the Champions League as reaching the quarterfinals.

However, in terms of high-end combat power, Croatia is indeed superior.

"The media are all talking about you, saying you are the father of Croatian football!" Van Stoyak said with a smile.

They were about to head to the stadium, but Bešić was still looking down at various tactical documents and figures, ensuring everything was foolproof.

As the one who discovered players like Suker and Modrić, and built the strongest Croatia National Team in history, Bešić naturally had the right to enjoy these honors.

"Far from it!" Bešić waved his hand without looking up.

Van Stoyak was stunned for a moment, he only thought Bešić was being humble, and smiled; "You don't need to be humble, after all, these are all your achievements."

Bešić finally looked up, and he slowly said; "I am not being humble, there is indeed still some distance."

Now, Van Stoyak was stunned.

It's already like this, and there's still a distance?

Suker, Modrić, these people are all the results of Bešić's youth training!

Although Van Stoyak first contacted Suker, to be honest, without Bešić, Suker might have been playing in some obscure corner, making it difficult to have a chance to rise to prominence.

After all, not everyone is willing to give a 160-centimeter short player a chance!

Even if Suker grew taller later, it would still take a lot of time, and his growth would be greatly slowed down.

Bešić looked down and continued to look at the tactical sheet, saying; "Suker and Luka, these people were indeed discovered by me, but to be honest, I didn't expect their talent to be so outstanding, but their appearance greatly shortened the implementation time of my plan!"

"Originally, my plan would take about 30 years to yield the first batch of results, but the appearance of Suker and others accelerated this process. There are still ten years to go, and the overall strength of the Croatian League will increase!"

At this point, Bešić looked up at Van Stoyak again: "The key is the professional twilight years of this group of people like Suker."

"My training plan is a gradual process, using the first batch of players to drive the second batch, and the second batch to drive the third batch!"

"For example, when players like Srna choose to return to the Croatian League in their professional twilight years, their experience, skills, and so on can be given back to younger players. It won't take too long, just 1-2 years, for these young people to undergo a complete transformation!"

"And then this group of people will re-enter Europe, with a small number entering top Leagues and even powerhouses, and in the future, they will once again provide feedback and blood transfusion to the Croatian League. Only by repeating this can a healthy cycle be formed!"

"Now the plan has been launched, but the first closed loop has not been completed!"

"Only when Srna and others return to the Croatian League and drive the young people can the first closed loop be completed, then it will be the turn of Rakitić and others, and then Perisic, Kovacic, Brozović, and so on."

"Of course, I don't demand that all of them come back, but as long as a few come back, it will be a huge benefit for the Croatian League!"

Bešić slowly looked up, and he closed the tactical notebook in his hand.

"In this way, we can not only improve the competitiveness of the Croatian local League, but also continuously produce excellent talents!"

Click!

Bešić stood up: "We should go!"

Van Stoyak stared blankly at Bešić.

He rarely admired a person, but at this moment, listening to Bešić's plan, his mind buzzed slightly.

Benefiting the present generation and benefiting future generations!

Once this cycle truly develops, the Croatian League will receive a continuous stream of experience and technical feedback, and by using these to drive young players, it can not only strengthen the competitiveness of the local League but also accelerate the cultivation of these new players.

Bešić was not building a youth training school at all, but a country's youth training system and model!

Inside the bus, the Croatia players were ready to depart.

Suker and Srna sat in the front row, next to Bešić and Van Stoyak.

At this time, Van Stoyak suddenly leaned over and whispered to Suker; "You should show more respect to Mr. Bešić, he is an amazing person!"

Suker: "???"

Are you sick!

Why are you suddenly acting up!

Suker rolled his eyes, closed them slightly, and adjusted his state.

The other Croatia players were also doing the same.

Before a big battle, one must concentrate their attention. Matches are ever-changing, and any slight lack of attention can lead to irreversible situations.

Warsaw National Stadium was once again in a frenzy.

It was even more enthusiastic than yesterday.

After all, this match was a highly anticipated one.

Croatia faced Portugal.

Both sides were strong European teams!

At the same time, various participating teams in the European Cup were also watching this match.

Apart from Germany, who needed to prepare for their next match, players from Spain, England, Italy, France, etc., were all paying attention.

Both Portugal and Croatia were worth their vigilance.

Especially Croatia.

Just as the media analyzed, their data also told them that this Croatia was the strongest team in this European Cup.

Even Spain, as the World Cup champion and the 'Bullfighters' legion, dared not say they could win.

"Croatia's overall strength is very strong, and all positions are too balanced!"

"There isn't any weakness! The only weakness might be their center-back pairing, right?"

"It's just that they lack experience, but they are more active and proactive, and with their full-back Srna directing and commanding, it's not a big problem!"

Xavi, Iniesta, Puyol, and other Barcelona-affiliated players gathered together to chat.

They sat on the left side of the conference table.

While Casillas, Ramos, Alonso, and other Real Madrid-affiliated players sat on the right side.

The two sides were clearly separated, with almost no communication.

This was also the fragmented situation of the Spain National Team caused by Mourinho's constant rhetoric.

Spain's Head Coach Vicente del Bosque looked at this scene and shook his head slightly.

He was also incredibly distressed in his heart.

Although no conflict erupted, the contradictions still existed.

Refusing to communicate was also one aspect.

It wasn't obvious during the match; they still performed their respective duties, but off the field, they simply didn't communicate.

This was like a ticking time bomb that made him anxious.

Vicente del Bosque also reported this issue to the Spanish Football Association.

But the Spanish Football Association was also in a difficult position!

Mourinho had won eight trophies for Real Madrid in two seasons!

Facing such a distinguished Head Coach, even if the Spanish Football Association was dissatisfied, they couldn't drive him away!

Real Madrid would definitely not agree!

Under the current circumstances, they could only take one step at a time.

"Croatia's attacking midfielders are too fierce!" Ramos frowned.

Just thinking about Croatia's attacking midfield combination was a headache.

Although Portugal was also very strong, they wouldn't have the same dominance in games as Croatia.

Undoubtedly, Portugal was likely to play very passively in this match.

On the television screen, the warm-up session for both teams' players had already begun.

Warsaw National Stadium was also a scene of excitement.

On the field, Suker was warming up.

As one of the two most watched players in this match, Suker was the center of attention wherever he went.

The camera was practically glued to him, with even a dedicated camera constantly focused on him, capturing his every move.

Suker didn't mind, or rather, he was already used to it.

Under Van Stoyak's lead, the entire Croatia National Team warmed up.

Substitute players warmed up on their own, while the starting players followed Van Stoyak for a more in-depth warm-up routine.

Soon, the warm-up session ended, and players from both teams walked towards the player tunnel.

Suker and Cristiano Ronaldo happened to walk into the tunnel together, and the camera immediately captured them.

However, the two did not exchange any glances and walked straight to their respective locker rooms.

Inside Croatia's locker room, Srna was fully dressed and looking for his armband.

"Here! Captain!"

Suker stood up, took the captain's armband from the side, and walked over with a smile.

"I'll put it on for you personally!"

Srna extended his arm with a smile, Suker slipped the armband on, pressed it firmly, and then patted it twice with force.

"The defense is up to you!"

Srna nodded: "Don't worry!"

After a pause, Srna took a deep breath and said loudly; "Guys, gather 'round!"

The Croatia National Team players, including Head Coach Bešić and Assistant Coach Van Stoyak, gathered in a circle, putting their arms around each other's shoulders.

Srna spoke passionately:

"I want you to remember now, this is the European Cup stage, unlike club competitions, we are fighting for our country!"

"When we put on this jersey, we need to remember that in far-off Croatia, tens of thousands, even millions, of fans in the stands are waiting for our performance!"

"We must give them a wonderful match!"

"Newcomers, don't feel too much pressure. If you're unsure what to do, your teammates around you will remind you. Don't be afraid to fight, dare to make a move! Understand?"

Vida, Lovren, and Strinić, the three players about to start, quickly shouted: "Understood!"

"Guys!"

Srna extended his hand.

Everyone placed their hands on top.

"Croatia, give us the rhythm!" Srna shouted loudly; "Fight!"

"Fight!! Fight!! Fight!!"

Everyone roared three times, then followed Srna out of the locker room.

Bešić silently watched his disciples walk towards their battlefield, looking at their passionate speeches and performances, a hint of relief appearing on his face.

His efforts had not been in vain!

These young people were representing Croatia, and they would surely achieve many honors.

In the player tunnel, as Croatia arrived, the Portuguese players, who had been waiting, frowned slightly.

Although they didn't turn their heads or look back, they could still feel immense pressure.

Portugal was not a weak team in European football, but Croatia was definitely a T1-level strong team in European football at the moment.

The team was full of stars and possessed formidable abilities.

For them, this match was a difficult battle.

Cristiano Ronaldo wore the captain's armband for Portugal, and he was at the very front, constantly taking deep breaths.

He also knew how much pressure there was in this match.

In club competitions, he had Modrić to help him, but in the National Team, he could only rely on Moutinho and others.

On the other hand, his opponent, Suker, was still in a formidable state.

At this moment, the Referee signaled; "Prepare to enter the field!"

The players from both teams felt a jolt.

Their first European Cup match was about to begin!

Whoosh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!—

The cheers from the crowd surged intensely.

The cheers of tens of thousands of fans seemed to want to overturn the entire stadium.

Whether Croatian, Portuguese, or local fans, they were all very much looking forward to this match, and their enthusiasm was incredibly high.

The starting lineups for both teams are as follows:

Croatia (4-2-3-1):

Goalkeeper: Subašić.

Defenders: Srna, Vida, Lovren, Strinić.

Midfielders: Perisic, Vukojević, Rakitić, Modrić, Suker.

Forward: Mandžukić.

Portugal (4-3-3):

Goalkeeper: Patrício.

Defenders: Coentrão, Alves, Pepe, Pereira.

Midfielders: Moutinho, Veloso, Meireles.

Forwards: Cristiano Ronaldo, Postiga, Nani.

Looking at Portugal's lineup, Bešić raised an eyebrow slightly:

"Midfield inverted triangle formation!"

Van Stoyak nodded; "A 4-1-2-3 with a single defensive midfielder, Veloso dropping deep!"

Bešić; "Is this an attacking formation?"

"Hard to say!" Van Stoyak: "If you add high pressing, then it's to curb our midfield's ball distribution!"

Bešić nodded; "Let's try to test them out with ball control on the left wing first."

With Suker, Modrić, and Rakitić on the left wing, ball control was not a concern.

This was also the best way to test the wing.

Croatia's playing style was different from Poland and Greece in the opening match; they weren't reckless, nor would they suddenly go all out against their opponents.

They would progress gradually, relying on the squad's suppressive power to constantly compress the opponent's space while penetrating the ball into the goal.

The strength of this Croatia National Team lay in its versatility!

If you wanted them to play intricately, they could.

And once intricacy wasn't effective, Croatia could immediately switch to a 4-3-3, playing long balls with two wingers and a target man.

At worst, they would highlight Suker's individual ability with the 'Dog Frisbee' tactics.

Srna, Rakitić, and Modrić were the three 'Flying Disc Throwers'!

Only Suker couldn't handle it!

There was no situation where they couldn't feed him enough!

Suker!!!!!!!!—

Suker!!!!!!!!—

Suker!!!!!!!!—

Ronaldo!!!!!!!!—

Ronaldo!!!!!!!!—

Ronaldo!!!!!!!!—

Fans from both sides were shouting the names of their respective star players.

And coincidentally, the two were also in direct opposition, which added to the sense of conflict.

However, neither of them looked at the other, and no sparks flew.

Cristiano Ronaldo constantly exhaled, adjusting his state with small, quick steps.

Suker, on the other hand, was doing his characteristic bouncing and hopping.

Under the camera, the big battle was on the verge of breaking out.

"Let's take it slow first!"

Suker raised his right hand and said loudly.

The other players also nodded one after another.

In the first half, Croatia kicked off first.

As the whistle blew, commentators around the world simultaneously erupted.

"This is the second day of the 2012 Poland-Ukraine European Cup, the first round of group b! Croatia against Portugal!"

"The match begins! The match begins! The first match of the 'group of death' group b kicks off!"

"Croatia versus Portugal, a clash of giants in the European Cup! Can defending Champions Croatia secure their first victory!"

"Can Portugal defeat the formidable Croatia and achieve an opening victory? Can Ronaldo lead Portugal to victory?"

Under the passionate voices of numerous commentators, the match began.

But unlike the excited commentators, Croatia, after the match started, did not immediately launch an attack. Instead, their two wingers tucked in, forming a passing network, constantly making probing passes.

On the other hand, Portugal also cautiously held their positions, and after the first wave of high pressing, they did not continue to exert force but stood ready!