>>16668634>Same genesNope.
We're closer to Swedes than Croats genetically.
>Similar historyWut?
West Slavs and South Slavs had little interaction with each other generally speaking.
>Similar standard of livingSo what?
>Ten times the populationBy that logic every World Cup would have to be won between China, India, USA and Indonesia and yet they all suck.
During commie times, there was a lot of incentive for players to get good because the commies in charge allowed professional players a more privileged lifestyle.
Now we're living in free market capitalism so the state-sponsored privilege is no longer there and apparently our players need it to perform well.