The friendly match between Croatia and Sweden in the Varaždin Arena had an incredibly emotional prelude, overshadowing the actual game and its result. Before the first whistle, captain 'cowboy' Ivan Martinović lifted a jersey with the number 17 and the surname Šarac, sending a strong message of support to his teammate and friend Josip. The gesture was met with thunderous applause from the stands, uniting the entire arena in thoughts for the 28-year-old handball player, who is currently fighting the toughest battle of his life.
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In the podcast 'Karijera u retrovizoru', host Milan Stjelja spoke with Martinović a few days ago, who expressed his intention to visit Šarac in Zagreb.
"I know it will all be fine. I wish him all the best and lots of health. I hope I can come to Zagreb to see him and talk to him, but I am sure he will return."
Seeing Martinović stand up for Šarac like that is the kind of sportsmanship we need to see more of. It's not just about the game, it's about the bonds and support between teammates. Who else in the league shows this kind of heart?