PARIS. July 7: (AFP): Davor Suker wasn't exactly an unknown coming into Croatia's first ever World Cup campaign. But following a poor season with Real Madrid. "Suker-man's" star appeared on the wane.

Real moved in swiftly after Suker, then with Sevilla, blasted three goals at Euro '96 when Croatia reached the Suarterfinals only to bow to ermany.

But it didn't turn out to be a great career move, despite his first ever championship triumph in 1997. Last season saw him spending much of his time on the bench as Fernando Mor-eintes and Raul stole the limelight.

However Croatian coach Mirusiav Blazevic kept faith with the 30-year-old striker and from being Suker-sub with Real. He has blasted four goals at the World Cup to re-emerge in style from Spanish shadows.

Suker was marked out for greatness from an early age when he starred in Yugoslavia's World Youth Cup success in Chile during the 80s, scoring six goals. But ft would take a civil war and a change of country befor^he could make the leap to I lie senior World Cup stage.

He made Yugoslavia's 1990 squad, despite never having

won .1 full cap. But he never got off the bench and had to wait till February 1991 before winning his first cap.

Three months later he scored his first goal in a 7-0 European Championship victory over the Faroe Islands after coming on as a substitute.

Yet that was as far as Suker’s career for Yugoslavia went. Civil war took over, the Croatians in the squad declined to play, and that meant no 1992 European Championship and no 1994 World Cup.

At club level he had by then left hometown club Osijek for Dinamo Zagreb, where he fitted in immediately, becoming the club's top goalscorer.

That earned a move to Sevilla where, after modest totals of six and 13 In his first two seasons. Suker scored 23 times in the 1993-94 season, a tally only bettered by Brazilian Ro-mario, then at Barcelona.

Today. Suker has few identifiable weaknesses.

He has great technique and is not just a goalscorer. His left foot has good touch as well as power and he creates many chances for his teammates. His freekick ability is good too and he is no mean header of the ball.

He insisted during Euro '96: "I am not a Pele or a Maradona, the players I most admired. There is only one each of them."

But there are few players his equal when it comes to finding the back of the net at international level.

Suker missed Just one of 10 World Cup qualifiers, scoring five times and overall has netted a hugely impressive 33 goals in 39 appearances for Croatia.

Real appear to think he hasn't had his mind on the job recently — Suker has consistently been linked with a glamorous television presenter.

But his form for Croatia has been pretty consistent too — and semifinal opponents France know it. They would give much for a striker of his pedigree.