Sucic: Modric and I were each our own masters in Milan, but we were lucky enough to still learn from him

October 10th Croatian midfielder Susic was interviewed by FIFA’s official website and talked about the World Cup, Modric and adapting to Serie A.

Talk about whether you are satisfied with your development in the national team

Of course I am satisfied. I am happy to become a regular player for one of the top national teams in the world early in my career. This team has finished second and third respectively in the last two World Cups. I know that every national team training session is a valuable opportunity to learn with these great players, and it is also an opportunity to prove my strength and show my value.

Croatian players have a huge passion for playing for the national team and we know what this means to our people. When I see players like Modric, Perisic, Kovacic, Kramaric giving it their all in every training session and game, I know they are the best examples of representing our country and achieving such great results. It is a great honor to play for Croatia and I know that I can only earn this privilege by consistently performing well on the pitch and maintaining the right attitude and behaviour. That's how our team operates and why we're so successful.

Talking about what we learned from Modric

It was very interesting that the two of us ended up in the same city, even though we were on opposite sides! But luckily Modric has had such a long career that many young players like me still have the opportunity to learn from him, see him play for the Croatian national team and feel his passion for football and competition. His strength is needless to say. Modric is one of the best midfielders in history. He is so comprehensive, he can always understand the overall situation first, find solutions to problems, and give everything to the team wholeheartedly. At the age of 40, he joined a new club and immediately became the leader of the team, taking Milan to a new level. All this shows how extraordinary he is.

Modric always leads by example. You can see how seriously he takes every training, preparation, recovery and tactical analysis, and always maintains a professional spirit and respect for his teammates, coaches, staff and media. We know that nothing lasts forever, but as long as he is with the national team we will cherish every moment, not only because he is the greatest Croatian player of all time, but also because he plays alongside us and it is a joy to share the dressing room with a partner who truly cares about the team and always wants to win.

Talking about the upcoming World Cup qualifiers that will determine whether Croatia can qualify for next year's World Cup

We have achieved incredibly good results in the past two World Cups, so our expectations for ourselves are very high. However, we also know that for a small country like Croatia, qualifying for the competition is already a huge achievement. I see that our veterans are still full of motivation and ambition, hoping to participate in the World Cup again. For those players who haven't played in a big game like this, it means even more. We got off to a good start in the qualifiers, and now it’s up to us whether we can successfully complete the task, successfully advance, and surprise the world again.

Talk about the memories of the 2018 World Cup

That period was probably the time when I was most emotionally involved in football. I was very affectionate for that generation of Croatian players and followed every game wholeheartedly. I witnessed the joy and happiness those victories brought to the entire Croatian nation and could not imagine one day being able to contribute to similar achievements. That generation of players inspired us all, and probably every small country that dreamed of competing with the big ones.

Talk about landing in Serie A

I know what a great club I have joined, and the club management has given me a clear plan and role positioning. Despite changing coaches midway through, I'm glad the adjustment process went as smoothly as they described. Of course, it takes time to adapt to a new team, a new coach, a new league, a new city, and a new language, but I brought with me high ambitions, a winning mentality, and the drive to win every game from Dinamo Zagreb and the Croatian national team. I was happy with my performance in the first few months and I had a few good games and told the team they could count on me. I am grateful to everyone at the club for the warm welcome and help that allowed me to quickly integrate into my new team.

Talk about Croatia coach Dalic and Inter Milan coach Chivu

Dalic has led Croatia to achieve extraordinary achievements. He also ushered in the 100th game of coaching the national team, which fully illustrates the stability of success since he took over the team. He places great value on unity, which is the basis of all achievements. I'm very grateful to him for giving me a chance and showing a lot of faith in me during the game.

Chivu was a great player, so he fully understands the pressure that comes with playing for a club like Inter Milan. Taking over a team after a coach who has had great success is never easy, but he has handled it extremely well and I believe this exceptional team is still very competitive.