Croatia's football squad have donated a quarter of their money earned for reaching the World Cup finals to victims of deadly floods that have devastated the Balkans. Members of Bosnia-Hercegovina's World Cup squad, led by star striker Edin Dzeko, have also appealed for help for their stricken compatriots as they participate in a training camp near the disaster zone.
Croatia will take centre stage when they face hosts Brazil in the opening game of this year's World Cup in Sao Paulo on June 12. But almost 50 people have died and about 150,000 have been forced from their homes because of floods in Croatia, Bosnia and Serbia. Croatia coach Niko Kovac and striker Ivica Olic visited flood-stricken areas around Zupanja in the east of the country on Tuesday, cancelling all engagements to see the area where 15,000 people have fled.
"If we fight in Brazil like these people here on the embankments and in flooded areas than we will be good," said the coach, who was visibly moved by the disaster. "In this suffering I also see something nice, people who support each other." Croatia's squad have agreed to donate about 130,000 euros ($180,000), one quarter of the money they were given by the Croatian federation for reaching the finals in Brazil. "I have spoken to the team captain, Darijo Srna, and we have decided that the players and the coaching staff will renounce a part of their World Cup play-off win bonus," said Kovac.
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