The big welcome is expected on Monday, July 16.
Croatia and Zagreb are preparing a spectacular welcome for the national football team, regardless of the World Cup final result against France, which will take place on Sunday at 17:00, reports Jutarnji List on July 13, 2018.
The organizing committee, hosted by representatives of the City of Zagreb, the Croatian Football Federation, and director Krešo Dolenčić, has already held a series of meetings, and today they have finalized an outline of the entire event.
According to the predictions, Croatia should leave Moscow the day after the final match, for example, on Monday at 11:00.
The flight from Moscow to Zagreb should take about two and a half hours, with the team’s expected landing around 13:30.
At that time, the program at Ban Josip Jelačić Square should already begin as tens of thousands of people are expected to join in on the festivities.
Because the national team could, by some estimates, be welcomed by up to 100,000 people due to their great success at the World Cup, some believed the reception would be arranged at the Square of the French Republic where the Bronze Generation was received in 1998. However, this idea was removed primarily because of its symbolism, because Ban Josip Jelačić Square is the central Croatian square.
“On that day, the eyes of the international public will be looking at Zagreb and that is why we decided to go with Ban Josip Jelačić Square,” the interlocutors from the organizing committee said.
After the team lands at Dr. Franjo Tuđman Airport, coach Zlatko Dalić’, Luka Modrić and all other representatives, hopefully with the World Cup trophy in hand, will be welcomed by the majorettes and thousands of fans, after which open buses will carry the representatives to the fans in the center of Zagreb.
The national team is aware that they are expecting a reception in Zagreb and it is almost certain that they still remember the images of 1998 when Boban, Šuker, Ćiro, and others were welcomed by thousands of fans with Croatian flags on the entire route from the airport to the Square. Such images are expected on Monday as well.
The team bus, as it is speculated, will most likely enter Zagreb by the side of Ulica Savezne Republike Njemačke, then by Avenija Dubrovnik, Avenija Većeslava Holjevaca Avenue, Ulica Hrvatske Bratske Zajednice, Savska and Ilica, and finally to the Square. The Zagreb police will also report on this route.
The team’s arrival at Ban Jelačić Square is expected at around 14:30, and soon afterward, the Square should see a performance by Wing Storm, an acrobatic group of the Croatian Air Force. The organizers are still waiting for the go-ahead by the Ministry of Defense.
The fans will be welcomed by the Zaprešić Boys, who should be the only performers at the reception, though some other songs may be allowed. According to the program, only fan songs and patriotic songs should be sung.
When ‘Moja Domovina’ is sung at the Square, red and white confetti should fill the sky along with thousands of red and white balloons.
“Many have called. They want to play, but we can’t put everyone on the stage. The team is our priority, they are our heroes,” the organizers said.
The entire program should last about an hour.
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