Chapter 224: The Zebra Legion Attacks

Inside a private room at a restaurant in Croatia.

Davor Šuker, Boban, Štimac, and others gathered to celebrate Bilic's appointment as the national team head coach.

Bilic was deeply grateful to these old friends—without their strong recommendations, he wouldn't have stood out for this opportunity.

Without much fanfare, Bilic downed a large glass of red wine to express his thanks.

"Now comes the real test for you. You've got one season to prepare."

"Šimunić and the other veterans aren't happy with you."

"They're likely to be cut—they don't want to give up their national team spots."

"After the way they've been playing? Pathetic! And they still have the nerve to complain? Each of them is more shameless than the last."

The group began discussing how to shape the national team.

"Slaven, what's your plan?" asked Boban.

As head coach, Bilic had the final say in reshaping the team.

Bilic let out a long breath. "I'll keep Šimunić—just to save face for the old guard. But they'll need to compromise. The new Croatian national team will relegate those veterans to supporting roles."

Bilic couldn't remove all the veterans at once—too many political and personal factors were at play.

He would give up a few spots to appease certain interests, but in return, he needed room to maneuver.

"Your approach makes sense. If any of them act up, we can always leak it to the media and see who the public supports," said Štimac with a shrug. They were the "Golden Generation" and confident in their influence.

"We're all backing Bilic. The others will have no choice but to fall in line," said Davor Šuker. "So, what's your plan?"

Wiping his mouth, Bilic replied, "Šuker and Modrić—those two must join the national team. They're the foundation of my squad."

Silence followed—none of the others seemed surprised.

Davor Šuker smiled. "Šuker's been doing great at his club. Joining the national team will only accelerate his development."

Boban nodded. "Same with Luka."

Neither of them objected, and Bilic felt a wave of relief.

His biggest worry had been that they might insist Šuker and Modrić still needed seasoning and refuse to release them.

Sure, he could've forced it—but that would've caused a lot of drama.

"I don't need everyone. For now, I just want Šuker, Modrić, Srna, Vukojević, and Mandžukić in the squad. I won't reveal any decisions now—I'll make it public after the World Cup."

"We'll use the Euro qualifiers and the 2008 Euros to build the team. The real target is the 2010 and 2014 World Cups."

"But I'll need results early on to hold my position—ideally a strong showing at the Euros."

Bilic was under immense pressure.

Since their 1998 World Cup run, Croatia had been on a decline:

Out in the group stage at Euro 2004.

Failed to qualify for the 2006 Germany World Cup.

It had been a downward spiral since 1998, and now there was nowhere left to fall.

Bilic had no choice but to bet on the younger generation—the middle generation had proven hopeless.

Luckily, players like Šuker and Modrić were coming into their own.

After experiencing top-flight European football this season, they were ready for the national stage.

Ring ring!Davor Šuker's phone rang.

Soon after, Boban, Štimac, and Jarni's phones all buzzed too.

The room was filled with ringing.

Davor Šuker checked his screen—it was Šuker (the younger one) calling.

"Look at that! The eager kid couldn't wait to get in touch!" he laughed.

Boban chuckled too. "Luka called me."

Štimac added, "I got a call from Pranjić."

Bilic said calmly, "Don't say anything. Let them focus on their club matches."

At Šuker's Villa in Milan.

Young Šuker hung up. He'd gotten nothing useful out of Davor.

He was about to call Modrić when Luka called him first.

"Luka!"

"Šuker, did you call Davor?"

"Yeah. The old guy lied—said he didn't know anything."

"Same with Boban!"

"Pranjić called me too—Štimac gave the same vague answer. These old guys are clearly coordinating."

Modrić's eyes sparkled. "Should I call Bilic directly?"

Šuker grinned. "Better not. We're not even officially in the squad yet—reaching out to the head coach would be inappropriate. Could make things awkward."

"So we just wait?" Modrić scratched his head.

Šuker sighed. "What else can we do? Just focus on our performances. If we do well, Bilic will have to notice us when it's time to pick the squad."

They discussed it a bit more before hanging up.

Though Davor and the others urged them to concentrate on club football, it was hard to stay calm. Their minds were spinning with questions about the future of the national team.

Do we have a spot?What are the selection standards?What's the plan?

As the national team window opened, AC Milan's training ground was nearly empty.

Almost everyone in the squad was an international.

Only Šuker, who had not yet made the national team, stayed behind.

World Cup qualifiers in Europe were like a grand feast.

Europe had 13 spots for the 2006 Germany World Cup, with 51 teams vying for them.

Eight groups total—each group winner and the two best runners-up would qualify directly.

The remaining six second-place teams would go to playoff matches for the final spots.

And the competition was fierce—England, Italy, Germany, France, the Netherlands… the elite of European football.

One mistake and your campaign could fall apart.

Take Slovenia for example—they started strong against Italy, playing a bruising, high-energy game that almost knocked the Azzurri off balance.

But Italy's "Silver Fox" Marcello Lippi wasn't easily rattled. After a long qualification run, Italy advanced smoothly, even securing qualification one round early.

Slovenia, on the other hand, faltered in the second half and missed out.

Norway surged at the end, finishing second in the group and moving on to the playoffs.

As for Croatia, they finished fourth in their group—eliminated early.

A week flew by.

When the AC Milan players returned, they were all in high spirits.

Having secured a spot in the World Cup brought a collective sigh of relief.

Though it was just the beginning, it was a key milestone for players like Gattuso.

Maldini, though retired from international football, still attended the qualifiers as a guest, serving to boost the squad's morale.

Thanks to these preparations, Italy qualified comfortably.

With World Cup duties behind them, the players refocused on their club obligations.

October 17 – Serie A, Round 7.

After a one-week break, the league resumed. AC Milan traveled to face Cagliari.

In this match, Šuker and Kaká both started and played the full 90 minutes.

Having held back all week, Šuker exploded on the field, delivering another top-tier performance.

He led Milan's attacking transitions and in the 71st minute, took a pass from Inzaghi, beat a central defender, and scored with a toe-poke finish.

"GOAL!!! Šuker!!!"

"What a performance from Šuker again—not only orchestrating Milan's attacks but also scoring himself!"

"This Croatian super-talent has fully integrated into the Milan squad and plays a critical role!"

Commentator Aldo Serena exclaimed, "I can't wait for the next match!"

"An Italian showdown—Juventus will visit San Siro to face AC Milan!"

"Juventus boasts stars like Ibrahimović, Trezeguet, Nedvěd, Cannavaro, Buffon, and Del Piero. What will they bring to the table against Milan?"

"And can Šuker maintain his incredible form against such a strong opponent?"

"All of this sets the stage for a massive clash!"

"On top of that, Milan also has to prepare for their upcoming Champions League match against PSV Eindhoven. Next week will be a brutal schedule!"

With high-profile matches in both Serie A and the Champions League, the pressure on AC Milan was enormous.

But the team was at full strength.

Even their bench could hold its own against most opponents.

Ancelotti was not worried.

For him, this felt like Milan's peak in recent years.

With two fully competitive squads, they were ready for any challenge—even a wave of injuries wouldn't cripple them.