Croatia fans in amazement as team qualifies for World Cup final
THE day after the “historic” semi-final, bleary-eyed Croatian fans were still processing the enormity of the achievement.
THE day after the long night before, Croatian fans, bleary-eyed and full of wonder that their team had qualified for its first World Cup final, were still processing the enormity of the achievement.
“It’s historic, absolutely historic,’’ said Damir Culic, Chairman of the Croatian Community Council of South Australia.
Like many others, Dr Culic was operating on minimal sleep, grabbing an hour after the game before heading to work.
Dr Culic was one of around 300 people at the Croatian Sports Centre at Gepps Cross for the 3.30am Adelaide time kick-off watch the 2-1 win over England and kept the faith even after Croatia went behind early in the game.
“It was a great atmosphere when the goals fell in (for Croatia),’’ he said. “I’m sure they could have heard us in Croatia, it was very uplifting.’’
Branko Suica is president of the Adelaide Croatia Raiders Soccer Club, which hosted the party and was still celebrating in a city pub the following afternoon.
“It was one of those special things that can happen to certain teams at certain times,’’ he said.
Mr Suica is expecting as many as 600 fans to turn up to the Centre on Sunday night for the final against France and said everyone was welcome to join the Croatian party. With only 4 million people Croatia is the smallest nation to qualify for the World Cup since Uruguay in 1950.
There has long been a strong Croatian history in South Australia.
According to the 2016 census there were 1447 Croatian-born South Australians, while 8175 people claimed Croatian descent.
The Migration Museum is currently holding a Croatian exhibition and it traces Croatian influence in South Australia back to a sailor called Christopher Dabovic who arrived in 1854. Appropriately, given the massive influence Croats would have on the fishing and tuna industry in South Australia, Dabovic settled in Port Lincoln and was appointed Inspector of Oyster Fisheries by the colonial government.
In Port Lincoln yesterday, the Croatian tradition continued and the community came together to watch, celebrate and dream of World Cup glory.
There was a steady stream of migrants to South Australia after Dabovic. By 1930 there was a community at Berri, but the biggest wave arrived after World War II with migrantsfleeing the communist government in Yugoslavia. More arrived in the 1960s and 1970s to escape the continuing ethnic tensions in Yugoslavia.
Football was always a big part of the culture. The Croatia Adelaide Soccer Club started in 1952 and grew to be one of the most successful in the state. Nationally, many Australians of Croatian descent have played for the Socceroos including Mark Viduka, Mark Bosnich, Josip Skoko, Mile Jedinak and Eugene Galekovic. But Croatian influence has been felt all over.
Former Democrat leader Natasha Stott Despoja believes she was the first person of Croatian descent to be elected to the Australian parliament.
“Once Australia was knocked out, it was a clash of heritages in our household: my husband, Ian, is English and I am half-Croatian. The kids are also evenly divided,’’ she said.
“This morning’s game was incredible. While my heart breaks for England, it’s definitely beating for Croatia on this one!
“They’ve been the underdogs and still France is the favourite, but I am backing Croatia to win.’’
South Australians such as Los Angeles Olympic gold medallist Dean Lukin and Makybe Diva owner Tony Santic also have Croatian backgrounds. Santic was in Croatia for the game and was believed to be attempting a last-minute dash to Moscow for the final.
Lukin watched it on the Gold Coast and was full of confidence for the decider against the French.
“We’re going to flog them,’’ he predicted.
Dr Culic, who emigrated from Croatia as a three-year old, was happy for a country that only 25 years ago was involved in a brutal war for its independence as the old Yugoslavia broke apart.
“A lot has happened since 1995 but there are still minefields and there is still rebuilding going on,’’ he said.
“This will be a great fillip, a real big boost, emotionally and psychically.’’
SOCCEROOS OF CROATIAN HERITAGE
■ Mark Bosnich
■ Mark Bresciano
■ Ante Covic
■ Jason Culina
■ Eugene Galekovic
■ Steve Horvat
■ Mile Jedinak
■ Tomi Juric
■ Zeljko Kalac
■ Eddie Krncevic
■ Tony Popovic
■ Josip Skoko
■ Matthew Spiranovic
■ Mark Viduka
■ David Zdrilic
■ Ned Zelic