The performance of the Croatia World Cup squad is touching a nerve with ethnic Croatians now living in the Okanagan.
As Croatia prepares to play the World Cup soccer final on Sunday against France, members of the Okanagan Croatian Cultural Club from Penticton to Vernon are caught up in a global groundswell of pride for their heritage and their team害羞草研究所檚 undergo-like performance on the pitch.
Kate Sarac, the incoming president for the club, said with a population of only four million, the success of the team so far has unleashed a renewed sense of pride in their country, both back home and abroad.
害羞草研究所淪occer is a uniter. It is bringing us together,害羞草研究所� Sarac said.
| Croatians catching World Cup fever in Kelowna are Karla Gill and Maryann Gill. Photo: Contributed |
害羞草研究所淭hey must be exhausted from having to work so hard to reach the final. It has just been incredible to watch.害羞草研究所�
Led by the diminutive Luka Modric, a star with Real Madrid, and others such as Domagoj Vida, Ivan Rakitic and goalkeeper Danijel Subasic, Sarac says this is the best team Croatia has fielded since the 害羞草研究所�98 squad that reached the World Cup semi-finals.
That year, it was France that eliminated Croatia 2-1 in the semi-final.
害羞草研究所淚t is so weird that 20 years later we are playing France again, 害羞草研究所� Sarac said.
Sarac said she was living in Croatia back then, and was caught up in the excitement with all her native countrymen, a similar scene today she calls 害羞草研究所渏ust nutty.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淚n the town square in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, people are gathered to watch the games on the big projection screen along with live music, fireworks and people waving flags. We are not the richest country in the world but our country害羞草研究所檚 economy is expanding and we are culturally rich.害羞草研究所�
Asked why soccer is such a unifying force around the world, Sarac said for Croatia it害羞草研究所檚 because everyone can play and identify with the sport like no other.
害羞草研究所淓veryone can play. All you need is a ball and group of players and you have a team. Everyone knows the rules and how to play. In Croatia, kids play everywhere害羞草研究所攐n the street, grass fields and even gravel.害羞草研究所�
As a young team, the national Croatia soccer squad is also emblematic of a regeneration of their country害羞草研究所檚 heritage among young people in the Okanagan and across Canada.
害羞草研究所淲hen I started with the club two years ago we had 88 members on Facebook, and today that is now about 160. We are trying to get the younger generation more involved in our club,害羞草研究所� she added.
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