May 28th, Bosnian Premier League, Round 33, Njemtal VS Mostar Zrinjski.
This was the last game of the season, and also the game after Mostar Zrinjski secured the championship one round in advance.
In this game, Mostar Zrinjski could have used a substitute lineup, but they fielded their full starting lineup.
For a time, they kicked Njemtal into a daze.
Njemtal, as the last team in the Bosnian Premier League this season, and also a team destined for relegation, was already upset enough, but they didn't expect to be brutally crushed in the last game.
Suk was very active in this game, constantly directing his teammates.
"Pass the ball! Pass it to the captain, let the captain score!"
"Can you pass the ball or not?"
"Run and create space! Create an opening for the captain!"
Suk kept shouting on the forward line.
His purpose in this game was very direct, which was to help Kosopech win the Golden Boot award.
Currently, Kosopech and Suk. Bazdic both have 24 goals. If Kosopech scores one more goal, he will have a greater guarantee.
In order to win the Golden Boot award, Kosopech was also very active in running during this game.
"Biljar!"
Suk raised his hand for the ball.
Biljar saw Suk pulling to the far end and immediately launched a long pass.
Suk gently stopped the ball with the back of his foot, and at the moment when the opponent's fullback pressed forward, he suddenly flicked the ball and started.
With the instant burst of power, Suk immediately opened up the distance, and at the same time, he plunged towards the goal from the side.
Suk's sudden attack caused chaos in Njemtal's defense, and everyone's attention was focused on Suk.
Just as they were thinking about how to stop Suk, after attracting two defensive players, Suk kept flicking the ball to adjust, and before being knocked down by the opponent, Suk gently poked the ball with his toe.
The ball rolled out of the crowd and came to Kosopech's feet.
Seeing this pass, Kosopech didn't give way, he directly shot angrily while resisting the opponent's center back.
Swish!!
The ball went into the net!
"Beautiful!!"
Suk got up from the ground, and he celebrated with Kosopech by slapping his hand.
"Not enough!" Suk said to Kosopech: "Score a few more goals, I'll set you up! Captain."
Kosopech looked at Suk strangely.
Even this Golden Boot candidate was not as anxious as Suk.
For Suk, he must fulfill that promise.
Anyone can win the Golden Boot award, but Suk. Bazdic can't.
For this reason, Suk was full of energy!
In the 33rd minute, Suk once again began to dribble in the large penalty area, continuously dribbling past two people. At the moment when he feigned a shot, he encountered a violent tackle from the opponent's center back.
This rash tackle resulted in Njemtal being penalized with a penalty kick.
After seeing the penalty kick, Suk immediately got up from the ground, picked up the ball and stuffed it to Kosopech.
"Captain! Go!"
Kosopech grinned.
In this game, Suk was just feeding him the ball!
Kosopech did not disappoint Suk's expectations, scoring the penalty kick and completing a brace.
This also brought his goal count for the season to 26.
"One more! One more! Hat-trick!"
Suk shouted very happily, but the expressions of the Njemtal players looking at Suk were a little wrong.
Beep!
The whistle sounded, and Mostar Zrinjski made a substitution.
Suk looked at Boame, number 21, replacing number 99, with a face full of incomprehension.
However, the substitution had already been made off the field, and he could only return to the bench.
"Why did you substitute me off!" Suk pouted.
"Do you want to be crippled?" Van Stejak said unhappily: "If you continue to play like this, I can guarantee that the opponent's tackle will not be aimed at the ball, but at your legs."
Suk was stunned for a moment. He had been focusing on helping Kosopech score goals, forgetting Njemtal's situation.
This behavior was indeed somewhat inclined to rub salt in the wound!
Since he was substituted off, Suk waited honestly.
And when he left the field, more than 1,000 Mostar Zrinjski fans who had traveled to the away game also applauded him.
Their faces were filled with a trace of reluctance and melancholy.
Although winning the championship was very exciting, parting was also very hurtful.
After the last game, Mostar Zrinjski announced that Modric would return to Dinamo Zagreb at the end of his loan next season.
At the same time, they also announced that Suk would transfer to Dinamo Zagreb.
The announcement of these two news made the fans of Mostar Zrinjski extremely melancholy.
They had thought that these two would leave. According to the talents of Suk and Modric, they would not be content with staying in a corner. They would inevitably go to the most exciting stage.
However, this also happened too quickly.
For this reason, they took the initiative to run to Njem Harbor to see off these two Mostar Gemini.
Although only more than 1,000 fans poured into the stadium, there were nearly 5,000 people outside who could not enter.
After Suk left the field, he also took the initiative to raise his hand and applaud the traveling fans, thanking them for their applause.
Although it was only a season, as the true starting point of Suk's career, his feelings for this place were also extremely special.
However, Suk didn't feel melancholy for too long. People have to look forward. Before he came to Mostar Zrinjski, he had already thought about the issue of leaving.
In the arena, despite losing Suk, Modric shouldered the responsibility of passing and assisting.
In the 78th minute of the second half, Modric's long pass from the outside was lobbed into the opponent's penalty area, and Kosopech headed the goal again, bringing in another goal.
Finally, he completed the hat-trick!
At the same time, his season goal tally reached 27.
Now, Suker could finally relax!
And with that goal, this match came to a complete end.
The match was over, but the awards ceremony was still ongoing.
Everyone else had returned to the locker room early, leaving Suker, Kosopec, and Modrić behind.
They each had their own season awards.
Kosopec ultimately won the Golden Boot award for the season with 27 goals.
Suker Bazić, with 26 goals, once again claimed the Silver Boot.
Seeing this result, Suker secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
He almost had a shared nomination!
Next up was Suker's award.
Suker joined Zrinjski Mostar this season, and thanks to his outstanding performance, he received the Season's Best Newcomer award.
Modrić received nominations for Best Foreign Player and Best Player.
Modrić, with 12 goals and 13 assists in a single season, became the best-performing player in the Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
During the post-match interview, Modrić appeared noticeably more confident.
"First of all, I am very fortunate to have come to Bosnia to play football. I have improved a lot here. For any player, if he can survive in the Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina, he can adapt to any league in the world!"
"Secondly, I thank my teammates. We created a glorious season together, and that day is deeply etched in my memory!"
With that, Modrić looked at Suker.
I have nothing more to say!
Suker grinned and said to the camera; "When I first joined the Bosnian league, there was a lot of skepticism about me. I was too short, and they thought I shouldn't be playing football, but as you can see, I won everything! And I even got taller!"
Suker smiled happily, and Modrić next to him couldn't help but chuckle.
"Here, I met many excellent players, and I learned a lot from them."
Suker saw their coach, Vancetas, standing aside, looking at him, and he changed his tone.
"But the person I am most grateful to is our coach, Vancetas. I was someone who wasn't recognized, and he became the first coach to recognize me and bring me to Zrinjski Mostar. He discovered me and gave me the right guidance."
Vancetas was taken aback for a moment. He didn't expect Suker to mention him.
But soon, a hint of emotion appeared in his eyes.
Back then, when he insisted on bringing Suker to Zrinjski Mostar, he was under a lot of pressure.
"This trophy and the current me are all shaped by him! So, I'm going to give him a hug!"
Suker turned around with a smile, opening his arms.
Vancetas walked over laughing and picked Suker up.
He hugged Suker tightly, lifted him slightly, tears welling up in his eyes, his voice slightly choked.
"You will always be my pride!"
Suker smiled.
These were his heartfelt words. He was indeed very grateful to Vancetas.
But the most straightforward gratitude in his heart was for something else!
Thank you for letting me leave!
Finally, Suker and Modrić walked towards the fans, holding their medals.
They were saying goodbye!
In a few days, they would leave Mostar.
They would bid farewell to the Bijeli Brijeg Stadium, and also to the lovely fans and townspeople of Zrinjski Mostar.
They waved towards the stands.
The fans gave them enthusiastic applause.
"I will always follow you!"
"You are the best, I look forward to your future performances!"
"Go to a higher stage, you are destined to belong there!"
"Goodbye! Suker! Modrić! Show the world your talent!"
"Goodbye! Suker!"
"Goodbye! Modrić!"
"Goodbye! Our Twin Stars!"
In the sunset, the two young men's backs facing the stands were forever captured by the camera lens.
October 2018.
A young blogger held an old, yellowed photo in his hand and said to the camera.
"The story of Mostar has ended, and they achieved remarkable success that season."
"This photo is a souvenir given to me by that old lady. She said it was their last moment before leaving."
"During this month, we visited Mostar, Neum, Sarajevo, Banja Luka, Tuzla, and other regions to trace their footsteps."
"Now it's time for us to set off and leave!"
"Next stop, Zagreb. This is also a brand new beginning for their story. Davor Suker, Jarni, Štimac, Mandžukić, Vukojević, and other names that we are familiar with and yet unfamiliar with will begin to appear here one after another."
"In 2003, for the other teams in Croatia, they didn't even realize what kind of opponent they would face this season! The storm that swept across the Balkans and roared across Europe also began to brew slowly."
Speaking of this, the young blogger couldn't help but rub his hands and smiled; "I can't wait any longer. Let us continue to follow their footsteps and head to Zagreb. I have named this chapter 'Eve of the Storm'!"