In the ever-changing landscape of international football, every move made by the national team is under intense scrutiny. Recently, a statement by Croatian coach Ivan has sent shockwaves through the domestic football scene, igniting a flurry of heated discussions. When the media posed the weighty topic of the prospects for the national team's 18-strong match to the venerable Ivan, his bold declaration of "leading the national team to directly qualify for the 2026 World Cup as one of the top two in the group" immediately caused a stir, completely disregarding the winding and treacherous path of the playoff escape route.
At first glance, Ivan's confidence seems somewhat out of place. After all, the national team's journey to promotion has been fraught with thorns and traps, extremely perilous. Looking back at the 36-strong tournament schedule, the national team's performance was truly heart-wrenching. In confrontations with Singapore and Thailand, the national team suffered consecutive setbacks, precious points slipping away like sand through their fingers, pushing them to the brink of despair, their situation precarious. The away game against South Korea ended in a dismal 0-1 defeat, and they only managed to squeeze into the top 18 with a meager goal difference advantage, the whole process akin to dancing on a razor's edge, where any misstep could lead to utter failure, leaving fans' hearts in their throats.
Entering the early stages of the top 18, the national team still couldn't shake off their slump. In the first three rounds against strong football nations like Japan, Saudi Arabia, and Australia, the shadow of three consecutive defeats quickly descended, their ranking plummeting like an out-of-control roller coaster, plunging them to the bottom of the group, mired in difficulties and unable to extricate themselves. Rounds four and five brought a glimmer of hope as they faced Indonesia and Bahrain, securing two victories, but this was short-lived as they were defeated in round six by Japan, once again relegated to the bottom of the rankings. Hope and despair tugged at each other, and fans' emotions rose and fell, enduring great torment.
Despite the national team being mired in such a quagmire, Ivan remained resolute, his tone growing increasingly firm in front of the media. This was not groundless boasting or a momentary display of stubbornness, but rather had solid supporting reasons behind it.
Firstly, let's look at the initial situation Ivan inherited when he took over the national team, which was akin to taking on a hot potato, much like setting sail in a sudden storm. He assumed command in March when the season had just begun, time pressing down on him like a tight-fitting hoop, severely restricting his actions. Even the most basic opportunity to assess the true level of the players was scarce, let alone arranging warm-up matches to polish the lineup, which was an unattainable luxury. With no choice, he had to opt for training through actual competition, dealing with fierce battles while exploring the latent strengths and potential of the players. Under such an unfavorable start, it was wishful thinking to expect remarkable results in the short term, so the outside world should indeed show more understanding and tolerance for the national team's unsatisfactory performances in the early stages.
Shifting our gaze to the Asian Cup at the beginning of the year, that was another major blow to the national team. At that time, the national team resembled a team weighed down by old age, a typical representation of the aging squad on the field, with an average age ranking among the highest in the participating teams. On the stage of the group stage, the national team's performance was heartbreaking, failing to win a single match or score a goal, such an embarrassing record striking like a series of sharp hammers upon the hearts of fans filled with expectations. This severe predicament was like a ticking time bomb buried on the road of the national team's development, urgently awaiting Ivan to defuse it, making drastic reforms and reshaping the team imperative.
Ivan is no ordinary individual; he demonstrated extraordinary courage and decisiveness. Under his strong push, the national team embarked on a transformative journey of breaking old molds and establishing new ones. A group of "old-timers" who once held key positions in the team gradually became marginalized, even former absolute mainstay Wu Lei had to temporarily step aside from the starting lineup, ceding the stage to those vibrant young talents with limitless potential. Young talents like Bai Helamu, Lin Liangming, Wang Haijian, Jiang Shenglong, and others emerged like bamboo shoots breaking through the soil in spring, gaining precious opportunities to shine and being vigorously promoted and utilized. Such a massive blood transfusion may seem light-handed, but it actually contains astonishing courage and profound wisdom. Many previous famous football coaches, even masters like Lippi, harbored reservations about this, wanting to do it but not daring to easily take this step. However, Ivan implemented it swiftly within half a year, infusing the national team with a vibrant spirit and fresh hope.
Ivan's confidence is not only derived from the profound changes within the team, but also from the external situation, which unexpectedly developed in a direction favorable to the national team's pursuit of the top two goals in the top 18. Before the tournament, no one could have predicted that the Australian and Saudi teams would suffer successive upsets at the hands of Indonesia and Bahrain, while the national team managed to secure full points from the latter two teams, thus not widening the point gap dramatically. This fleeting opportunity, like a meteor streaking across the dark night sky, was captured with keen insight by Ivan, lighting a beacon of hope for the national team's journey forward.
More crucially, Ivan's efforts at the helm of the national team have earned him comprehensive recognition and staunch support from the Chinese Football Association. The association trusts him implicitly, granting him full autonomy in selecting players, allowing him to build the team without constraints according to his tactical vision and strategic layout. Moreover, the association has responded positively to his proposals, vigorously promoting the process of naturalizing players. Through the association's tireless efforts, Oscar has embarked on the long journey to naturalize in China, and Serginho will begin the naturalization process in January next year. Ivan is well aware of the lack of firepower in the national team's midfield and attack, and if Oscar and Serginho can join after naturalization, it would be like adding two sharp blades to the national team's attacking line, undoubtedly greatly enhancing the offensive power and adding significant weight to the remaining four rounds of events next year, brightening the national team's path to chase the World Cup dream.
During his tenure as the national team's coach, Ivan has demonstrated his superior coaching skills and far-sighted strategic vision. His style is steady yet bold, with exquisite control of subtleties. When pressure needs to be applied, he does not hesitate, skillfully igniting the fighting spirit and latent potential of the players; when morale is low, he transforms into a warmhearted encourager, nurturing the players' hearts with trust and support like a spring breeze melting snow. He is like an experienced helmsman who has weathered many storms, firmly steering the ship through the tumultuous waters of the national team, guiding it towards the shores of the World Cup. Although the road ahead is still shrouded in mist and filled with unknown challenges, under his leadership, the national team has reignited the fire of hope, and fans are eagerly waiting for the national team to write a stunning chapter under his guidance.