Source www.CroatianPremiumWine.com: Boston Community at Half-Point: Happy and Hopeful.
The Boston Croatian Community scheduled the watch parties during FIFA is lucky to have a former professional soccer player join them for the commentary and celebrations at the Vatreni games. Marinko (Marco) Radakovic, is an American-Croatian actor living on the North Shore of Boston, Massachusetts. He played professionally in Croatia and the US.
“The Boston Croatian community has gathered for all the World Cup games, and we are honored Marco joined us and showed his genuine Croatian pride as well as shared with us his professional opinion, without any inkling of his success in the film industry. I am particularly pleased that he was able to spend time with the children who came all dressed up in kockice and brought many flags,” said Andrea Katic Bruno, educational director of the Croatian School of Boston. “We look forward to connecting with everyone again next Thursday to cheer on Vatreni again.”
Marco Radakovic with leaders of Boston Croatian community: Mirena Bagur and Andrea Katic Bruno
The community in Boston, including New England Friends of Croatia and Croatian School of Boston, is very open to including people visiting Boston, and it welcomed families from Zadar and Rijeka on vacation in the US, as well as local Americans who have recently travelled to Croatia and wanted to join the real Croatian community. The Friends of Croatia programs vary from educational to business and culture, and sports programs as well as social activities helping community in the area as well as supporting humanitarian programs in Croatia.
Breaking Stress with Croatian Flavors
The Tradesman Charlestown created Croatian pizzas (naming them Zagreb, Dalmatia and Slavonia) and served Croatian wines including Ilok Cellars Grasevina and Chardonnay, Dubrovacki Podrumi Malvasija, and Matusko Plavac Mali which all paired great with the bistro’s menu. That did break the stress a bit.
Source: www.CroatianPremiumWine.com: Croatian-inspired Pizzas with Croatian wines delight all, including sisters Nadine, Diane and Susan
Radakovic on Modric, etc.
Marco shared with the Bostonians his professional opinion on the game: “An unbelievable win today, and there’s one detail from this match that every young player needs to study. Everyone sees Luka Modrić’s magic on the ball, but his real masterclass today was his work rate off it. Time and time again, when Ghana pushed forward, you saw a global icon and playmaker tracking back, dropping deep into the defensive line, and fighting to win the ball back. That is what true leadership looks like. When your captain and most decorated player is working that hard defensively, it leaves zero excuses for the younger guys. It lifts the intensity of the entire squad.”
Marco added: “This as an absolute masterclass in humility, defensive discipline, and leadership from the Man of the Match. Class is permanent.”
When Croatian children asked him what he treasures from his soccer era, Marco replied: “In professional sports, you don’t get a second chance to make a play—you have to be fully present, disciplined, and locked in with your team. I bring that exact same athletic mindset to my work today. Whether I’m collaborating with a team to execute a seamless operation or stepping into a high-pressure environment where every detail matters, that competitive discipline is my foundation.”
Marco (Marinko) Radakovic was born and grew up in the neighborhood of Dubrava, a suburb of Zagreb. Marco was selected for the National Soccer Team at a young age of 14 and in high school led his team to a national title along with world-famous international players, including Alen Peternac of Real Valladolid and Zvonimir Soldo of Stuttgart. Marco moved to the United States to resume his career in professional soccer, which abruptly ended 1.5 years later due to a career-ending injury. His recent roles include films such as “Zero Day” with Robert De Niro, Jesse Plemons and Angela Bassett, and the new Netflix hit “Big Mistakes”.
Anyone interested in joining the additional watch parties during FIFA or any other programs in Boston, sign up for newsletter at www.FriendsofCroatia.org.
Author: Mirena Bagur, president of NE Friends of Croatia, and co-founder of www.Croatian PremiumWine.com, an online store shipping over 100 wines to most US states within a week