CROATIAN WORLD CUP FOOTBALLERS DECORATED WITH NATIONAL HONOURS

( Editorial: --> 7271 ) ZAGREB, July 13 (Hina) - Members of Croatia's football team have received national decorations from Croatian President Franjo Tudjman for their stunning effort in the World Cup. The Croatian footballers captured third place and the bronze medal at France '98 which was the country's debut appearance in the world football championships, while striker Davor Suker won the title of best goalscorer at the Coup de Monde. President Tudjman awarded players and Croatian Football Federation (CFF) officials the decorations on Sunday night, following their return to Zagreb. "With the great results you achieved at the football World Cup, you made a huge contribution to the world's knowledge of Croatia and lifted its outlook," President Tudjman said congratulating the players and officials on their success. "All the eight million Croats in both the homeland and abroad were with you while you were leading sporting battles." He added that the team had made Croatia famous in a world which did not want an independent and democratic Croatian state, but wanted to keep Yugoslavia at any cost. "You were united with your national being, giving your contribution to your homeland and may the successes which you achieved bind you to continued efforts, (and) may they serve as a model to younger generations," President Tudjman told the players. For the exceptional success of the Croatian football representative team, convincing with its courage, self-sacrifice and gallantry in sporting competition in capturing third place at the 16th world football championships in France 1998, the President of the Republic decorated: CFF president Branko Miksa and Croatian national team coach Miroslav Blazevic with the Order of Prince Branimir with necklace; And national football representatives Zvonimir Boban, Davor Suker, Drazen Ladic, Aljosa Asanovic, Robert Prosinecki, Slaven Bilic, Igor Stimac, Robert Jarni, Dario Simic, Mario Stanic, Zvonimir Soldo, Goran Vlaovic, Krunoslav Jurcic and Alen Boksic, and CFF officials Dusko Grabovac and Zorislav Srebric with the Order of the Croatian Trefoil. The other 10 players in the team and 22 CFF representatives were awarded the Order of the Croatian Wicker-Work. "Thank you for enabling us to play for our Croatia and for establishing our Croatia," captain Zvonimir Boban told President Tudjman on behalf of his team. (Hina) mbr jn 131234 MET jul 98