Croatia

Ciro Blazevic, Croatia’s footballing father, talked worlds into existence | Jonathan Wilson

08-Feb-2023 11:53:15 | The Guardian

‘Great motivator’, who has died aged 87, inspired his country in an unlikely charge to third place at the 1998 World Cup

You didn’t really interview Miroslav “Ciro” Blazevic. You just sat there, tossed some vague conversational gambit into the air and waited for the charismatic rush of anecdote to sweep you along, which was pretty much how he coached. He had an extraordinary energy – at 75 he went to China to manage the national Under-23 side, and had four jobs after that – and a profound love of football. But what he enjoyed most of all was to talk, particularly about himself.

Even 18 months ago, eaten by the cancer that eventually led to his death on Wednesday, two days short of his 88th birthday, Blazevic gave a lengthy interview for the documentary Croatia: Defining a Nation, and his part in leading the country to third place at the 1998 World Cup. It was as though by talking about his greatness and the greatness of those around them, he could make them great, could talk worlds into existence.