Croatia's opening match was against Mexico on June 3, but they lost 1-0, and Olić, whom Ethan had been following closely, did not get onto the pitch.
However, while Ethan and Eva were watching from the stands, the World Cup broadcast cameras spotted them. The pair were shown whispering and laughing together no fewer than five times during the match.
As a Hollywood star, Eva was already famous throughout the entertainment industry. Ethan was also well known in football, as well as being a world-renowned billionaire.
Their relationship had always attracted considerable attention. To the director overseeing the World Cup broadcast, their presence in the stands was clearly more interesting than the match between Croatia and Mexico.
On June 8, Croatia faced Italy in their second group match, and Ethan and Eva once again appeared in the stands.
The cameras found them almost immediately. Although they had been warned after the previous match, the couple still appeared completely relaxed.
Croatia performed poorly in the first half and were placed under considerable pressure by Italy. Although they managed to avoid conceding, their position remained precarious.
Ten minutes into the second half, Italian striker Vieri finally broke the deadlock.
After falling a goal behind, Croatia manager Mirko Jozić boldly introduced Olić in attack.
As Olić prepared to come on, the television commentator explained that he played for New Manchester United in England's League Two.
He also questioned Jozić's decision, finding it difficult to believe that a player from the third tier of English football was ready to appear on a stage as important as the World Cup.
Martin Tyler, working on Granada Television's live broadcast, disagreed.
He believed Olić's pace, tireless running, and work rate could bring new energy to Croatia's stagnant attack.
Whether people trusted or doubted him, Olić did not know.
He stood beside the touchline, waiting for Vugrinec to leave the pitch.
After embracing his teammate, Olić bent down, pulled a handful of grass from the turf, pressed it against his chest, and prayed.
"You can do it, Ivica. You will be the first New Manchester United international to play at a World Cup.
"You will surprise everyone, because you are one of the Red Rebels."
Those were the words Ethan had used to encourage him several days earlier.
At the time, Olić had believed his chances of playing were extremely small.
Now his opportunity had finally arrived.
"Are you really able to see everything before it happens, Boss?"
Olić looked towards the stands, although he could not make out Ethan's position.
"If you are, then I swear I will prove you right, because I play for New Manchester United."
With that, Olić charged onto the pitch like a horse released from its reins.
During his time at New Manchester United, his technique had improved considerably, particularly his control and decision-making on the ball.
He could occasionally dribble past an opponent, although his awkward running style remained a frequent source of jokes among his teammates.
The moment Olić entered the match, Croatia's pressing in the attacking third became much more aggressive.
His exceptional stamina and relentless movement allowed him to harass Italy's defenders constantly, creating problems for their back line.
Even the commentator who had questioned his introduction was forced to admit that Olić had brought Croatia's attack back to life.
No one expected his opportunity to make a name for himself to arrive so quickly.
In the 73rd minute, only 15 minutes after coming on, Olić suddenly accelerated to intercept an Italian back-pass.
He burst through the defensive line and drove directly into the penalty area.
With Buffon rushing from his goal, Olić remained composed and lifted the ball over him to score Croatia's equaliser.
After scoring, Olić was overwhelmed with joy.
He sprinted towards the corner flag, dropped to his knees, and spread his arms wide as though embracing the entire stadium.
The supporters responded with thunderous applause.
From the moment he stepped onto the pitch, the Croatian had displayed extraordinary determination.
His relentless movement energised the entire team, and his equaliser kept Croatia's hopes of remaining in the World Cup alive.
At that moment, he was a hero to the whole of Croatia.
Olić's goal revived his teammates.
They began playing with far greater confidence, and every Croatian player, from the forwards to the defenders, seemed filled with renewed energy.
Only three minutes later, Olić tracked back into his own half and dispossessed Italy's number 17, Tommasi.
After exchanging passes with a teammate, he quickly appeared in the Italian half once again.
This time, with Cannavaro blocking his path, Olić wisely slipped a through ball into the space behind the defence.
Rapaić arrived from deep and finished the move, giving Croatia the lead.
One goal and one assist.
Olić's World Cup debut could hardly have been more impressive.
After falling behind, Italy became increasingly desperate.
They launched wave after wave of attacks towards Croatia's goal.
Croatia were forced to defend with every player behind the ball, and Olić repeatedly appeared inside his own penalty area, making several clearances and helping his team survive dangerous moments.
They protected their 2-1 lead until the final whistle.
After the match, Olić was named Man of the Match.
During his post-match interview, he first thanked his teammates, manager, parents, and the coach who had first guided him as a young player.
"But above all, I am grateful to New Manchester United and Mr Mourinho.
"He trusted me and treated me as an important member of the squad.
"I also want to thank all my teammates. My technique is not outstanding and I make plenty of mistakes, but they continued to trust me and helped me improve.
"And I want to thank every Red Rebels supporter. They are the most passionate and devoted fans I have ever known."
By this point, Olić was trembling with emotion, and tears began running down his face.
"But the person I most want to thank is our owner, Mr Yu.
"He travelled all this way to watch me play.
"A few days ago, he told me not to care about what other people thought.
"We play in League Two. That is a fact.
"But we are not like any other League Two club.
"We are the Red Rebels."
Olić suddenly smiled.
"Do you know what the Red Rebels' tradition is?"
The reporter shook his head.
He genuinely did not know much about a club from League Two.
"We answer every doubter on the pitch.
"We make our response so clear that they have nothing left to say.
"Then we stand proudly and tell them our name.
"We are the Red Rebels."
With that, Olić turned and walked away, leaving behind a proud figure.
...
After defeating Italy, Croatia were filled with confidence and declared that they would also win their decisive final group match against Ecuador.
Jozić placed his faith in Olić and selected him in the starting lineup.
Olić did not disappoint.
Only 13 minutes into the match, he created the opening goal for a teammate.
Croatia then adopted a defensive counterattacking approach, and Olić's pace became particularly dangerous whenever they broke forward.
He repeatedly threatened Ecuador's goal but was unable to convert any of his own opportunities.
At another stadium, Italy defeated Mexico decisively.
Since Mexico had drawn with Ecuador in the second round of group matches, Croatia finished second in the group and proudly advanced to the last 16.
Their opponents in the first knockout round were South Korea.
The side known as the Taegeuk Warriors showed remarkable determination.
Combined with several favourable refereeing decisions, their aggressive approach caused Croatia considerable difficulty.
At the crucial moment, however, the equally tireless Olić once again made the difference.
Despite South Korea's relentless marking, his superior movement allowed him to create two goals for his teammates.
Croatia secured a place in the quarter-finals, while Olić was once again named Man of the Match.
His form continued to improve throughout the tournament.
In the quarter-final against Spain, Croatia survived wave after wave of attacking pressure.
Across 120 minutes, they refused to allow Spain a goal.
The match was eventually decided by a penalty shoot-out, which Croatia won 5-3 to advance to the semi-finals.
It was their second consecutive appearance in a World Cup semi-final.
Four years earlier, their hero had been Šuker, whose left foot was said to play football like a violin.
This time, the hero was Olić.
Coincidentally, both were left-footed players.
However, some observers argued that Olić would struggle to reach Šuker's level because his technical ability was far more limited.
They believed his success came from his extraordinary stamina and the fierce determination he displayed on the pitch.
Those qualities compensated for his technical weaknesses and provided exactly what Croatia needed most.
After eliminating South Korea and Spain, Croatia faced Germany in the semi-finals.
The Croatian players once again showed tremendous resilience, but Ballack scored the only goal as Germany won 1-0 and advanced to the final.
Although Croatia's campaign ended in the semi-finals, Olić still performed impressively against Germany.
His relentless running became one of the tournament's major talking points and attracted interest from numerous clubs.
Several experts even described him as one of the World Cup's outstanding performers and argued that he deserved a place in the tournament's Best XI.
...
While Olić had enjoyed a remarkable World Cup, the other player Ethan was following had received far fewer opportunities.
Kaká appeared for 18 minutes during Brazil's third group match against Turkey.
Although he performed well, his contribution was almost invisible beside the brilliance of the Three Rs.
He did not receive another opportunity after that match.
However, Kaká followed Ethan's advice.
He did not lose confidence and continued training with complete dedication.
Now his chance had finally arrived.
Ronaldinho had been sent off during Brazil's quarter-final against England and would be suspended for the semi-final.
The media immediately began debating who should replace him.
At that moment, Kaká knocked on Scolari's door.
(To be continued.)