Croatia – Z. Boban: “To play in this World Cup makes us very proud”

-You are wearing the Croatian jersey for the first time in a World Cup: how do you feel?

“When I played with Yugoslavia, I was thrilled to wear the jersey, I respected it, yet I always felt Croat. At that time, I would have liked to have played for Croatia because the dream of all Yugoslav sportsmen of Croat origin for the last 13 centuries has been to represent their motherland. Today, the dream has become a reality even though the war between us and the Serbs has taken a heavy toll.”

-You are someone who has been made popular by the media: how are you retaining your special worth?

“I think that I am considered as a role model for the youth of my country, and deservedly so. I have always been conscious of the privilege of my social position in this regard, and always try to give off a good image of myself. Of course, nobody is perfect and as St Paul, once said, “we are all cloistered in sin” … well it’s the same with me. In the life of a man, there are three roots to respect: culture, love of ones’ own and their land, faith and family. Each day, I try to modestly live up to these convictions because I am aware of my public profile and responsibilities. I think that it is necessary to always try and get to know oneself better if one is to evolve. The first job of a man is to behave like one. The problems that I have confronted during my life have helped me mature and grow up faster. At the age of 18 I was already captain of Dinamo Zagreb, which caused me problems (during a Yugoslavian league match, BOBAN attacked a Serb policeman who was beating up a Croatian supporter; he was suspended, and widely talked about when the political climate was very tense). Today I have no regrets, and stay loyal to my principles.”

• Do you pay the price for your fame?

“Even though as a public figure, I am often judged, I never forget that, in front of God, we are all equal. In our time, without money, football will not have the same importance. My position when faced with such high economic stakes, I try to remain loyal to the image of the sport and keep a cool head. I’m still passionate about playing, being with the lads, and in brief, football. I am playing to win but I also know that defeats can provoke progress. For us Croatian players, to play in this World Cup is a joy, and makes us very proud. We have known each other for ten years and at our age (the average age of the Croatia team is 28) it is possibly the last chance to play a World Cup final together. To conclude, I would like to say just one more thing: I love this game!”