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Podcasts Take Two
World Cup 2014: Croatian community in LA roots for their homeland team
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Jun 12, 2014
Listen • 4:22
World Cup 2014: Croatian community in LA roots for their homeland team
In the first of our series looking at L.A.'s communities through the lens of the World Cup, KPCC visits fans of underdog Croatia as it goes up against top-ranked Brazil.
Three-year-olds Roko Bilan and Aiden Zuvich don the jerseys of the Croatian national team.
Three-year-olds Roko Bilan and Aiden Zuvich don the jerseys of the Croatian national team.
(
Josie Huang/KPCC
)
A Croatian-American dance troupe perform a style of Slavic folk dance called Kolo in San Pedro.
A Croatian-American dance troupe perform a style of Slavic folk dance called Kolo in San Pedro.
(
Josie Huang/KPCC
)
Adriana and Loren Blazevic, with their son Ante at the Croatian independence festival in San Pedro.
Adriana and Loren Blazevic, with their son Ante at the Croatian independence festival in San Pedro.
(
Josie Huang/KPCC
)
Luka and Ilia Pilic are 12-year-old twins rooting for the Croatian soccer team in the World Cup.
Luka and Ilia Pilic are 12-year-old twins rooting for the Croatian soccer team in the World Cup.
(
Josie Huang/KPCC
)

In the first of our series looking at L.A.'s communities through the lens of the World Cup, KPCC visits fans of underdog Croatia as it goes up against top-ranked Brazil.

The World Cup starts this afternoon at 1 PM with a match between host country Brazil and Croatia. Brazil is favored to win, but the Croatian community in Southern California still has hope.

RELATED: World Cup 2014: Where to watch your country’s team

National pride is a big part of the World Cup, and as KPCC's Josie Huang found out, that may be even more the case for Croatia.