FRANCE 98 – General Media News Template

Croatian dangerman Davor Suker is out to make his country’s World Cup rivals pay for a miserable season during which he lost his touch at Real Madrid.

The Croatians are making their World Cup debut in France having acquitted themselves well at Euro 96, where they bowed out to eventual winners Germany.

And a strike tandem of in-form Suker and AC Milan’s Zvonimir Boban would make the world sit up and take notice as the talented but temperamental eastern Europeans bid to live up to their reputation as Europe’s answer to the Brazilians.

Suker says the squad is confident of qualifying from Group H, where they face Argentina, Japan and Jamaica, their first opponents next Sunday.

“I feel really good. I want to explode at the World Cup,” said 30-year-old Suker, who paid the price for a lean season at Real by being left on the substitutes bench in the European Cup final against Juventus last month as goalscorer Predrag Mijatovic received the nod in attack.

But Suker, who had endured a six-month barren spell from October, resurfaced with a vengeance last weekend, when he blasted a hattrick including two penalties against a hapless Australia. “On our day we can beat anyone-but maybe we can also lose to anyone,” Suker said.

“But our will to win is enormous,” he insisted. Veteran playmaker Robert Prosinecki and Ardian Kozniku, who also scored against Australia, are Croatia’s other potential stars this summer. But their chances will largely depend on how successfully they can replace injured Lazio striker Alen Boksic, who has had a knee cartilage operation.