Zagreb, (IKA) – On July 16, in a special program broadcast by Croatian Catholic Radio devoted to the Croatian national soccer team’s historical triumph, the winning of the silver medal at the FIFA World Cup in Russia, Archbishop Đuro Hranić of Đakovo-Osijek pointed out how our Croatian national team teaches us what can be accomplished through unity, order and work.
“Slavonia has celebrated our national team’s success joyfully and proudly,” said Archbishop Hranić. “Croatia, together with all the Croatian people, is truly proud and happy due to the great triumph of our national soccer team. All of us congratulate our coach and all the soccer players, especially Luka Modrić, who was awarded the Golden Ball as best player in the tournament. Here in Slavonia, in the Archdiocese of Đakovo-Osijek, we are proud because there are three distinguished players from our region on this team. Yesterday, we even saw two of them carrying Croatian flags inscribed with the names of their cities. There is Mandžukić from Slavonski Brod, Vida from Donji Miholjac and Rakitić, who actually was not born in Slavonia but his ancestors came from Sikirevci. We are truly happy and think that our national soccer team provided a powerful lesson: when we are united, when we know how to be humble, when we do not argue, when we support each other, there is much that we can do together and there are such riches concealed in our people, in the Croatian citizens. This is a lesson for all of us to join together, become united in a special way and engage in various aspects of public life and political activity. Differences can exist but in essential matters we truly need to look out for the interests of our nation, to be generous, unselfish, ready to sacrifice ourselves and our comforts and place ourselves in the service of the general good. Our soccer players have truly accomplished this. We congratulate our coach, who united them so beautifully that they breathe as one for Croatia. None of them, as clearly evident from their statements, is focused on his personal glory and success but they are all looking to promote the general good of Croatia in international relations for the benefit our entire Croatian homeland and its affirmation in international relations. This is truly beautiful and we can be happy and proud of our national soccer team,” said Archbishop Hranić in his statement, adding that today the team deserves a fitting welcome with full honors. This success by the Croatian national team, said Archbishop Hranić, could contribute to our loving our homeland more and appreciating the value of our homeland and the Croatian person. By loving our milieu and our Croatian nation, we will be better able to confront challenges and difficulties. He also mentioned the example of the Croatian soccer player Luka Modrić, as well as the difficulties and conditions he had to overcome, as reported these days in the media, in order to become the best soccer player in the World Cup. He succeeded, even though he did not have the ideal conditions, and worked hard, said the archbishop. “Thus all of us together have to know how to accept the opportunities offered to us and not wait for everything to be served to us on a platter. Sometimes we tend to look for what is easier, simpler and more comfortable for us personally, and fail to look out for the general good of the nation. There are those who leave Croatia because they truly cannot wait any longer, because they are not offered any opportunities, but there are also those who think that foreign countries will offer them more. The Croatian national soccer team has shown us what can be achieved with unity, harmony, order and work. Many leave owing to the disorder in our society, because there are no clear rules and principles, or because existing rules and principles are not respected, because there is so much corruption, political partisanship and nepotism; because work and the success of the individual are not valued and because one does not advance according to one’s abilities, expertise, and competences, but according to other criteria. This introduces disorder, demoralizes people and contributes to their decision to leave the homeland. Sport is always something that teaches. It has great educational value, not only for the players but, as we see, sport and its principles must also be respected in everyday life in order for a society to go forward. Therefore, we have reason to rejoice but also to learn from our Croatian national soccer team, which encourages us not to wait for ideal conditions but, with effort and diligence, to create a new atmosphere and be a wholesome alternative, since our national soccer team is a wholesome alternative for our current Croatian society,” concluded Archbishop Hranić.