The biggest football success of SFRJ, which today marked FIFA, is a story about itself. It was an announcement for the arrival of an unprecedented generation, which unfortunately did not have the opportunity to stay together and show the world that Chile 1987 was not a coincidence.
October 25 is a date that has been entered in the annals of the Yugoslav sport and a day that is marked in Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenia. The best of these spaces has reached the world title, a success that was so high that it received a movie that was promoted last year on the 30th anniversary.
Yugoslavia, Yugoslavia, "From Vardar to the Triglav" were sung at the National Stadium in Santiago, and the players were greeted by 65,000 fans. Scenes from which even today, the elderly returns unforgettable and nostalgic images that unfortunately can not be repeated.
We are talking about the time Argentinahad Maradona, the Netherlands was proud of Van Basten, Brazil with the Baby, and the Germans with Matthias Zomer, Andreas Miller ...
In all this strong competition of leading teams, which will later become world-class top players, the youth World Cup in Chile won the selection which he thought would be only a participant in the group stage.
Nobody even mentioned the Yugoslavs who left without pressure and pumps, as well as with a reporter who reported from the scene. But in the end, they returned as heroes in their own country and as a team that showed the most beautiful football and the most effective attack with 17 goals.
Boban, Suker, Jarni, Prosinecki, Shtimac, Mijatovic, Mihailovic, Brnovic and the other golden children of the coach Mirko Jozic finished the World Cup innocent. In group stage, they were declared by 4 with each (Chile 4: 2, Australia 4: 0 and Togo 4: 1).
They put the real test in the quarterfinals in which the identical 2: 1 beat the giants Brazil and East Germany. There was a final match against West Germany, which after regular 1: 1 won the penalty with 5: 4.
Robert Prosinecki was named the best player of that World, and second-placed Davor Shucher with 6 goals.
"Everyone took it for granted that it would be only three matches in the group stage and then at home, so I was the only journalist sent to Chile. But first we beat the host, then we continued with victories and nobody gave us chances even though we played nice football. I was hoping that I would have little time for a walk, but I worked day and night. It was crazy, "said Toma Mihajlovic.
The so-called Chilenians, as well as the name of the film that this year was premiere in Belgrade, told many anecdotes of that unforgettable world championship in Chile.
They remembered how ridiculously they had the clothes they were traveling with, and how Shtimac and Boban were sitting with girls up to 5 am.
Predrag Mijatovic described the match at the first goal of the World Cup:
"So much I ran and I rejoiced that if there was not a gate, I would continue to run out of the stadium."
Robert Jarny distinguishes between this and present young generations.
"I remember that as children we could not bring our parents home, and today young people have to force them to get out and get out of that computer and telephones. In our time, we had to fight to get something. "
The most powerful memories are Davor Suker.
"In Chile, for the first time in our lives we saw kiwi and a remote control. Some even did not cradle our caviar. "
And Boban said:
"This World Cup has remained as a cornerstone of our lives and careers. Said in the style of Balashevik `We were once a generation '. We were the pride of all of Yugoslavia. Serbia and Croatia can hardly repeat any similar success in the near future. "
"In Chile, we were very young and we were not aware of what we expected, as well as eager to prove it because we played before the whole world. Forward did not push for unity and love for this sport. As the championship passed, we ripened as footballers and as people. When I was kidding my final penalty in the final, everything was muddling me in the stomach, regardless of youthfulness and the virtuosity of football that was normal for us dozens. "
Boban Babunski was the only Macedonian who was elected to that top generation of Yugoslavia, but despite being on preparations, he did not travel to Chile due to the strict Donco's uncle.
"The Yugoslav federation had already taken out a visa for me, I got the equipment, but two days before going to Chile I was suspended by coach Donchevski and I was banned from joining the national team. The coach was angry over the failure against Porto (he scored 0-3 in KESH with Vardar). He fined several players, among whom I was. It was very difficult for me, I did not play for 2-3 months and I even thought and quit my football career, "Babunski said in a statement.
Comments