We need hardy boys - and girls - like the never-say-die Croatians

THE World Cup is going just the way I wanted it to. The Lionel Messi-led Argentina are still on track to go all the way to the trophy.

Tomorrow, Messi can lift the golden Cup in his fifth attempt and I hope he will save his best for last to deny the French who are determined to spoil his party.

After all, it will be his last day on the World Cup stage.

Argentina have been my favourites since the days of Diego Maradona and I have loved Messi as a superb replacement.

This year though, I have fallen for another – Croatia.

That team took my breath away, especially in the quarter-final against Brazil.

We were at the office, and the presses were already running at 2am. It was disappointing not to have the story of the battle in the paper.

But the Croatians more than made up for the disappointment. How calm and confident they were during the penalty shootout.

Led by Luka Modric, they were absolutely resolute.

They rose like giants that just refused to fall no matter how much they were pushed by the Samba boys.

They did lose to the other South American giants Argentina in the semi-finals but there was no question about their resilience. It deserves a standing ovation.

There were others who bowed out like champions, too. Morocco, for one, had a fairytale run until the semi-finals where they met their match in France.

South Korea and Japan were exemplary too, the Japanese in more ways than one.

Their fans were a different breed, cleaning up the stadium after every match. Humility is the mark of true champions.

I just loved the attitude shown by Croatians, Moroccans, South Koreans and Japanese. They didn’t win the title, but they won our hearts.

It’s a characteristic that we need in our Malaysian athletes.

This month, our national football team under South Korean coach Kim Pan-gon will go into the AFF Mitsubishi Cup.

They face teams like Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos, Singapore in the group stage. These are not exactly Brazil, Argentina or France but will the Malaysians walk tall, living up their name as Harimau Malaya? Or will they retreat with tails tucked firmly between their legs?

Can they stand solid like the Croatians?

The players seem determined to prove their worth. Winning will be good but the fans could live with heart-warming performances, the kind shown by Croatia and Morocco.

We beat Morocco before, in the 80s. And also the likes of South Korea and Japan. They have all gone on to the second round of the World Cup. Can we ever relive those heydays, or be as hardy as these teams?

There is also the Malaysian Open badminton in January where the home fans will be hoping for an end to the country’s title drought since Lee Chong Wei in 2018.

Even if we don’t win, a fighting show could be good enough to appease the home supporters, who are expected to show up at Axiata Arena in droves. (Tickets are already selling like hot cakes).

There is also the World Cup of hockey in India. Can our players rise up like bravehearts? We did once before – in 1975. Then, we were semi-finalists.

We need to fight like the players of that glorious team.

There are other major tournaments next year too – Cambodia SEA Games, Hangzhou Asian Games, World Championships for different sports, Paris Olympic Games qualifying tournaments and many more.

All these call for our sportsmen and sportswomen to fight with their hearts and souls. There should be no place for lethargic performances. Mediocrity cannot be good enough.

We must overcome adversities, clear hurdles without complaining. Our athletes need to show true sportsmanship on and off the field.

There are a few national athletes who have exceptional traits just like the Croatians, Moroccans and Koreans – but many still lack the confidence and courage.

They easily give in when pressure piles up on them.

We need mentally tough athletes – those who can withstand the challenges. Those who can be like my new love, Croatia.