Something I have pondered myself for years !!
Imagine the best ever Yugoslav team !!
They could play veteran friendlies now !!
Love to see Robert Prosinečki play again
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If Yugoslavia still existed......
- Thread starter Temptation
- Start date
Something I have pondered myself for years !!
Imagine the best ever Yugoslav team !!
They could play veteran friendlies now !!
Love to see Robert Prosinečki play again
Sailor Mars
Well-known member
Do you not consider Kosovo to be a country?
BBZ8800
Senior Member
Ibrahimovic's father is a Bosnian and his mother is from Croatia. He was born in Sweden, that's where his nationality came from, but he could have been a Bosnian or Croatian NT easily, or Yugoslavian in this case.
Ibrahimovic is surely a no1.
Behind him, I don't rate Dzeko nowhere as high as you.
For me, Mandzukic is an absolute no1 after Ibrahimovic.
He played a CL final for Bayern vs Dortmund = scored
He played a CL final for Juve vs Real = scored a scissor-kick goal
He played a WC semi-final for Croatia vs England at WC 2018 = scored an extra time 2:1 winner
He played a WC final for Croatia vs France = scored a goal
Dzeko was a league tournament master.
Mandzukic, on the other hand, was a guy who delivered in the absolute highest-stakes KO matches.
** For example, Mandzukic has scored 5 WC goals from an open play at 2 WCs.
The same number as Ronaldo (till now) on 5 World cups.
Lewandowski has 1 goal for now on 2 Wcs.
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Temptation
Well-known member
Ibra chose to play for Sweden so let's not consider him. I know his origin very well. My Balkan friend said that he swears in Bosnian on the pitch at times.
But this thread is about the team Yugoslavia would actually have if it existed today. Ibra would still play for Sweden so let's leave these cases out. Many players are eligible for numerous countries so.......
In a Tournament format, Mandzukic would be more useful than Dzeko for sure.
L3v1s
Well-known member
Can't say I disagree with what you said. Mandzukic seems to be the bigger game player, though Dzeko had a good career aswell. He also contributed to that 3-2 win against QPR which won City the title. I probably picked him based on that, and the fact that he's an icon in Bosnia..
It's crazy that Ibrahimovic has such a huge cult following but in the bigger games he's been quiet more times than not. Mandzukic might have more iconic moments in finals if I'm not wrong on this one.
Nazario1985
Senior Member
if the ottoman empire still existed, they probably would have won the WC
How about the romans ?
How about the romans ?
Horatio
You're welcome
SIIIIIUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUu
Temptation
Well-known member
Windhook
Well-known member
I voted yes. But at second thought - rather no. Yugoslavia had their best run and squad IMO during the 1990 WC, eliminated only by penalties against Argentina. Events that unfolded after that infamous Dinamo Zagreb - Crvena Zvezda game in 1990 marked the end. Politically events were going on since the mid 80's of nationalism in each federation, so makes the question fictional, great one though, so congrats, Zidane82.
Croats had fantastic peak players (Boban, Prosinecki, Suker), Serbs were good as well (Savicevic, Mijatovic, Mihajlovic and Piksi Stojkovic) but they all played in similar positions and such rivalry on paper looks fantastic, but in reality creates tensions like we had last night with Cristiano Ronaldo. It's more toxic than positive. Usually teams that win WC have outstanding few individual leaders that make the difference.
Croats had fantastic peak players (Boban, Prosinecki, Suker), Serbs were good as well (Savicevic, Mijatovic, Mihajlovic and Piksi Stojkovic) but they all played in similar positions and such rivalry on paper looks fantastic, but in reality creates tensions like we had last night with Cristiano Ronaldo. It's more toxic than positive. Usually teams that win WC have outstanding few individual leaders that make the difference.
BBZ8800
Senior Member
Imo, Croatia has managed to slightly move away from "Balkan mentality" in the last few years with Modric and Rakitic.
Explanation: Balkan mentality is: delusion that you are the best, too much confidence, talent, but very poor work ethic.
If a Balkan Fc or midfielder plays one good game and papers hail him, he is dead and a ghost in the next 10 matches because he has bought into his own hype.
So, Balkan players often had tons of talent and good technique, but often they had poor stamina, poor workrate and they were extremely hot and cold in performances.
Another weird trait of them is: if they play as underdogs, like against Italy or Germany, they'll usually win 2:0.
But if in the next match they have to play against some minows like Cameroon or Latvia, they'll probably screw it and play 1:1.
In the next round, they'll again win 0:3 vs England.
These players and teams often played good only against good teams.
The best example of that was World cup 2002.
Croatia finished 3rd in 1998' and they had high hopes of WC in 2002'.
Before the cup, players and papers used to say: we are gonna repeat the semis.
Croatia was in a group with Mexico, Italy and Ecuador.
1. before the WC, fans agreed: it is very easy group, Croatia and Italy are going through
First match was against Mexico, fans thought: we are way better, that will be an easy game.
Mexico won 1:0.
2. after the first match, fans and media turned 180* degrees and said: we are shit, bench everyone, this is the worst team ever.
3. But then came the 2nd game vs Italy, where no one believed in that team anymore.
And of course, this is what happened:
5. guess what? Croatia played like shit again vs a minor team and lost 0:1 again and were KO'd.
6. fans and media made another 180* turn and again moved into = this is the worst team ever, sack coach, sack all the players - mode
Basically, this is the textbook example of Balkan mentality, going from hell to heaven or from a GOAT to WOAT 4 times in 7 days.
Only in the last few years with Modric and Rakitic (and Mandzukic somewhat), Croatia shifted their mentality towards more consistency, and technique was paired with some hard work, stamina and mental strength.
Hard to tell whether Croatia will get cured from "Balkan disease" in the future.
There are some chances since we parted way with Serbia (who is leaning more towards east) and lots of players plays in Europe where the work ethic is way stronger and they are learning their way of living and thinking.
But regarding your post, I don't think that a team from 1990 was any good, because those were all CMs and CAMs with tons of technique and not much work ethic.
Robert Prosinecki, who played both for Real and Barca, was famous for world class technique, zero running and smoking cigarettes during halftime.
He was finished as a player in a late 20s, unlike Modric who is still awesome aged 37.
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Messigician
Senior Member
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