There won’t be many conflicting emotions, in terms of allegiance, Sunday morning in front of TV sets from Victoria to St. John’s. But there will be at the Croatian Cultural Centre in Gordon Head as members of the community gather to watch Croatia play sa国际传媒 in a crucial World Cup group match.
“My heart is in both places,” said Rudi Ranogajec of Victoria.
“sa国际传媒 is my adopted country. Croatia is my roots.”
In a land of immigrants, the World Cup has always been sa国际传媒’s great cultural dance. It has been celebrated over the years from Holland House in Royal Oak to the Italian Leonardo da Vinci Centre in Vic West to the German Edelweiss Club in James Bay to the Portuguese and Greek halls on Elk Lake Drive.
The passionate Island Croatian community became the local focal point of the 2018 World Cup in Russia as it jammed into its Gordon Head hall and hung on every kick, pass and goal as their beloved homeland made a breathless run to the championship game. Ethnic homelands were easy to celebrate without sa国际传媒 in the World Cup. But it is now, for the first time since Island players Ian Bridge, George Pakos and Jamie Lowery played in 1986. That is complicating matters.
“Put the Croatia shirts away in the drawer and put on the red of sa国际传媒 and just get behind our country,” Canadian head coach John Herdman said, when the draw was announced in April.
That is easier said than done.
“My heart says Croatia and my heart says sa国际传媒. Mixed emotions for sure,” said Ranogajec, who was born in a refugee camp in Italy, as his parents fled communism in the former Yugoslavia.
Ranogajec, a former player who won the Jackson Cup in the 1980s with Victoria Croatia FC, said a draw today would suit him just fine.
“I hope both teams go through to the next stage,” he said.
That can only happen if sa国际传媒 and Croatia draw and certain other results occur in the group, which also includes world No. 2 Belgium and African-champion Morocco.
“I was really impressed with sa国际传媒 against Belgium. It was a beautiful performance and sa国际传媒 surprised a lot of people and should have won the game,” said Ranogajec.
“sa国际传媒 proved it is a threat against anybody. Croatia will have its hands full, especially if sa国际传媒 can stop [Luka] Modric. Everything goes through him.”
Unlike some in Croatia, Ranogajec wasn’t upset by Herdman’s comments about wanting to “F— Croatia” in the emotional swirl following the cruel loss to Belgium.
“He was just trying to rally the troops and keep the players pumped. But the comments will give Croatia a bit more fire,” said Ranogajec.
Said Herdman in his Saturday news conference in Qatar: “It’s a huge match. Our team is light, bright and ready to go. It’s going to be a defining moment for sa国际传媒 in this World Cup. It’s one of those do-or-die games to stay in the World Cup. We’re pretty excited, to be honest.”
