Chapter 85 - 83: Next Stop

Chapter 85: Chapter 83: Next Stop

May 28th, Matchday 33 of the Bosnia and Herzegovina Super League: Nemtal vs. Mostar Zrinjski.

This was the last match of the season, a game played after Mostar Zrinjski had already secured the championship title a week prior.

For this match, Mostar Zrinjski could have used their reserve squad, but instead, they fielded their entire starting lineup.

They immediately had Nemtal reeling.

As the last-place team in the Bosnia and Herzegovina Super League this season, Nemtal was already doomed to relegation. Their situation was bad enough, but they never expected to get utterly thrashed in their final match.

Suk was playing with incredible intensity, constantly directing his teammates.

"Pass the ball! Pass it to the captain, let the captain score!"

"Do you even know how to pass?"

"Make your runs! Create an opening for the captain!"

Suk shouted nonstop from the front line.

His objective for this match was simple: help Kosopech win the Golden Boot Award.

Currently, both Kosopech and Suq Bazhi were tied at 24 goals. If Kosopech could score just one more, he would have a much safer lead.

To win the Golden Boot Award, Kosopech was also running tirelessly during the match.

"Billiar!"

Suk raised his hand, calling for the ball.

Seeing Suk pull away to the far side, Billiar immediately launched a Long Pass.

Suk gently trapped the ball with the top of his foot, and the moment the opposing fullback pressed forward, he flicked the ball and burst into motion.

With a sudden show of Explosive Power, Suk instantly created distance, simultaneously cutting in from the side and charging toward the goal.

Suk’s sudden attack threw Nemtal’s back line into chaos. Everyone’s attention was fixed on him.

Just as they were trying to figure out how to stop him, Suk, having drawn two defenders, constantly adjusted the ball at his feet. Right before he was knocked over, he lightly poked the ball forward with the tip of his boot.

The ball rolled out from the crowd of players and arrived right in front of Kosopech.

Seeing the pass, Kosopech didn’t hesitate. He held off the opposing center-back and unleashed a furious shot.

SWISH!!

The ball hit the back of the net!

"Beautiful!!"

Suk scrambled up from the ground and high-fived Kosopech in celebration.

"It’s not enough!" Suk said to Kosopech. "Get a few more, I’ll set you up, Captain."

Kosopech gave Suk a strange look.

Even he, the candidate for the Golden Boot Award, wasn’t as anxious as Suk.

For Suk, he had to fulfill that promise.

Anyone could win the Golden Boot Award, except Suq Bazhi.

Fueled by this, Suk was full of drive!

At the 33-minute mark, Suk once again started Dribbling at the edge of the box. After consecutively beating two players, just as he feinted a shot, he was met with a violent slide tackle from the opposing center-back.

This reckless tackle resulted in a penalty kick being awarded against Nemtal.

As soon as Suk saw the penalty call, he jumped up, grabbed the ball, and thrust it into Kosopech’s hands.

"Captain! You got this!"

Kosopech grinned.

’In this game, Suk is just feeding me the ball!’

Kosopech did not disappoint Suk. He converted the penalty, scoring his second goal of the match—a brace.

This brought his goal tally for the season to 26.

"One more! One more! Get the hat trick!"

Suk cheered enthusiastically, but the expressions on the Nemtal players’ faces as they looked at him were starting to turn sour.

TWEET!

The whistle blew. Mostar Zrinjski was making a substitution.

When Suk saw that he was being substituted for Boamei, number 21, his face was full of confusion.

But the change had already been made, so he had no choice but to return to the bench.

"Why’d you take me out?" Suk pouted.

"Do you want to get your legs broken?" Van Stiake snapped. "If you keep playing like that, I guarantee their next tackle won’t be aimed at the ball—it’ll be aimed at your legs."

Suk froze for a moment. He had been so focused on padding Kosopech’s goal count that he had forgotten about Nemtal’s situation.

His behavior was indeed a bit like rubbing salt in their wounds.

Since he was subbed off, Suk decided to just wait patiently.

As he left the pitch, the 1,000-plus traveling Mostar Zrinjski fans in the stadium gave him a round of applause.

Their faces showed a mix of reluctance and sorrow.

Although winning the championship was exciting, parting ways was also painful.

After the previous match, Mostar Zrinjski had announced that Modric would be returning to Dinamo Zagreb at the end of his loan spell next season.

At the same time, they also announced Suk’s transfer to Dinamo Zagreb.

The two announcements had left the Mostar Zrinjski fans feeling extremely melancholic.

They had expected the two to leave someday. Given the talent of Suk and Modric, they wouldn’t be content staying in one small corner; they were destined for the grandest stages.

However, it had all happened too quickly.

Because of this, they had voluntarily traveled to Nem Port to send off the two Mostar Twins.

Although only a little over 1,000 fans had made it into the stadium, nearly 5,000 more were gathered outside, unable to get in.

After being substituted, Suk raised his hands and applauded the traveling fans, thanking them for their support.

Even though it had only been one season, this place was the true starting point of Suk’s professional career, and his feelings for it were incredibly special.

But Suk didn’t remain sad for long. One had to look forward. Even before coming to Mostar Zrinjski, he had already thought about the day he would leave.

On the field, despite losing Suk, Modric shouldered the responsibility of passing and assisting.

In the 78th minute of the second half, Modric lofted a Long Pass from outside into the opponent’s penalty area, where Kosopech headed it home, scoring yet another goal.

He had finally completed his hat trick!

His goal tally for the season now reached 27.

At last, Suk could feel a sense of relief.

And with that goal, the match came to a definitive end.

...

The match was over, but the awards ceremony was still to come.

Everyone else had already returned to the locker room, but Suk, Kosopech, and Modric remained behind.

They all had their own season awards to receive.

Kosopech, with 27 goals, ultimately won this season’s Golden Boot Award.

Suq Bazhi, with 26 goals, won the Silver Boot for the second year in a row.

Seeing this result, Suk breathed a sigh of relief.

’That was a close call! They almost tied!’

Next up was Suk’s award.

Suk had joined Mostar Zrinjski this season, and thanks to his outstanding performance, he received the Best Newcomer of the Season award.

Modric was nominated for Best Foreign Player and Best Player.

With 12 goals and 13 assists in a single season, Modric had become the best-performing player in the Bosnia and Herzegovina Super League.

During the post-match interview, Modric was clearly much more confident.

"First, I’m very fortunate to have had the chance to play in Bosnia and Herzegovina. I’ve improved a great deal here. For any player, if you can survive in the Bosnia and Herzegovina Super League, you can adapt to any league in the world!"

"Second, I want to thank my teammates. Together, we created a glorious season. That day is now deeply etched in my memory!"

With that, Modric looked at Suk.

"That’s all I’ve got."

Suk grinned and addressed the camera. "When I first joined the Bosnia and Herzegovina League, most people doubted me. They said I was too short, that I shouldn’t even be playing soccer. But as you can see, I’ve won everything! And I even grew taller!"

Suk laughed happily, and Modric, standing beside him, couldn’t help but chuckle.

"Here, I met a lot of excellent players, and I learned a great deal from them..."

Suk saw their Head Coach, Van Stiake, standing off to the side, looking at him. He changed his tune.

"But the person I’m most grateful to is our Head Coach, Van Stiake. I was someone nobody believed in, but he was the first coach to recognize my potential. He brought me to Mostar Zrinjski, he discovered me, and he gave me the right guidance."

Van Stiake was taken aback; he hadn’t expected Suk to mention him.

But soon, a touch of emotion showed in his eyes.

Back when he had stubbornly insisted on signing Suk for Mostar Zrinjski, he had been under immense pressure himself.

"This trophy and the person I am today were all shaped by him! So, I’m going to give him a hug!"

Suk smiled, turned around, and opened his arms.

Van Stiake walked over, laughing, and swept Suk up into a hug.

He held Suk tightly, lifting him slightly. Tears welled up in the corners of his eyes, and his voice was thick with emotion.

"You will always be my pride!"

Suk smiled.

That was what he truly felt; he was genuinely grateful to Van Stiake.

But deep down, his most heartfelt gratitude was for something else entirely.

’Thank you for letting me go!’

Finally, Suk and Modric walked toward the fans, holding their awards.

It was time for them to say goodbye.

In a few days, they would be leaving Mostar.

They would bid farewell to Jirinsky Stadium, and also to the wonderful fans and townspeople of Mostar Zrinjski.

They waved to the stands.

The fans responded with thunderous applause.

"We’ll always follow you!"

"You’re the best! I can’t wait to see what you do in the future!"

"Go on to a bigger stage! That’s where you’re destined to be!"

"Go! Suk! Modric! Show the whole world your talent!"

"Goodbye, Suk!"

"Goodbye, Modric!"

"Goodbye, our Mostar Twins!"

In the evening glow, the image of the two youths’ backs as they faced the stands was forever captured by the camera’s lens.

...

「October, 2018.」

A young blogger held an old, yellowed photograph and spoke to the camera.

". . .The Mostar story has come to an end. They achieved something truly remarkable that season."

"This photo was a memento from that old lady. She said this was the final moment before they left."

"Over the past month, we’ve traveled to Mostar, Nem Port, Sarajevo, Banja Luka, Tuzla City, and other areas to retrace their steps."

"Now, it’s time for us to depart!"

"Next stop, Zagreb. This is where a brand new Chapter of their story begins. Davor Suker, Jarni, Stimac, Mandzukic, Vukojevic, and so on—these names, both familiar and foreign to us, will start to appear..."

"Back in 2003, the other teams in Croatia had no idea what kind of opponent they were about to face that season. A storm, born in the Balkan Peninsula and destined to roar across all of Europe, was slowly beginning to brew..."

At this point, the young blogger couldn’t help but rub his hands together and say with a smile, "I can’t wait. Let’s continue to follow in their footsteps and head to Zagreb. I’m naming this Chapter ’Eve of the Storm’!"