Striker Dado Prso rose from obscurity to fame during Croatia's Euro 2004 qualifying campaign and is set to be their main driving force at the World Cup.
The 31-year-old, praised by fans and coaches alike for his fighting spirit, remains the bedrock of the nation's hopes of matching their fine run to the semi-finals of the 1998 World Cup in France.
The tall, pony-tailed Rangers forward is equally at ease dribbling on the left flank, delivering defence-splitting passes or finishing off scoring chances with a shot or a header.
The only lingering worry, which has coach Zlatko Kranjcar closely following Prso's medical record, is the persistent knee injury that led him to announce that he would retire from international soccer after the World Cup.
Even though he later indicated he might reconsider, the tournament in Germany is very likely to be his last major competition in the national team shirt.
Serious knee troubles almost forced him to quit football altogether and have taught Prso -- a devoted family man whose private life rarely makes headlines -- to enjoy every game.
Although one of the few Croatia players with a touch of world class, Prso was a late starter.
His spells at local clubs Zadar, Hajduk Split and Pazinka went largely unnoticed. Only his move to France in the mid-1990s opened the window of opportunity.
He played for Rouen, Saint-Raphael and Monaco in France, where he also got married. Prso won the French title with the principality club in 2000 but was later sidelined for eight months with a severe knee problem requiring multiple surgery.
In the 2003-04 season he played for Monaco in the Champions League and hit the headlines by scoring four goals in an 8-3 win over Deportivo Coruna at the Stade Louis II in a group game. They went on to reach the final, losing 3-0 to Porto.
His part in that campaign brought him to the attention of clubs across Europe and he signed for Rangers. Last season he helped the Glasgow outfit to become the first Scottish team to reach the Champions League knockout stages.
