FC Dallas forward Petar Musa celebrates as he leaves the field with his son Niki after a victory over the Houston Dynamo in an MLS soccer match, Saturday, March 21, 2026, in Frisco.
Smiley N. Pool/The Dallas Morning News
The Croatian striker who arrived at FC Dallas just two years ago will now represent his country in a match many have labeled one of the marquee showdowns of the World Cup group stage: Croatia vs. England.
The kid who once waited for the school bell to ring so he could sprint outside and play soccer is now walking onto one of the sport’s biggest stages.
Petar Musa’s path has never been straightforward. At 17, he left Croatia for Slavia Prague, a top club in Czechia and a regular in the Champions League.
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Then came five years of loans — including a short stint in Germany that hardened him — before Portugal, the place where everything finally clicked. Musa says he learned more about soccer there than anywhere else.
In February 2024, he joined FC Dallas on a four‑year contract after the club paid a record $9.7 million transfer fee.
Related: Everything you need to know about the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Dallas
His impact in North Texas has been immediate and historic. Musa became the first FC Dallas player with two hat tricks and has climbed to 46 goals in 77 matches — a scoring pace few in club history have matched.
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Musa, now 28, was only a few months old when Croatia finished third in its World Cup debut in 1998, just seven years after the country declared independence.
On Wednesday, he’ll play a World Cup match in front of the same local fans who have witnessed his rise since he arrived in North Texas.
Rising the ranks
In a recent interview with The Dallas Morning News, Musa said playing a World Cup match at Dallas Stadium (AT&T Stadium) would be “very special,” but above all, he described himself as a grateful man.
“For me, the most important thing in life is to be humble,” Musa said. “Be grateful for everything you have.”
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Convincing Croatia manager Zlatko Dalić to bring him back into the national team wasn’t easy, but Musa’s scoring form in MLS became a message impossible to ignore.
Related: A closer look at Petar Musa’s electric start in MLS: A shot at FC Dallas history and more
Musa had to wait nearly two years for another call‑up after his last appearance in October 2023.
Then, in November 2025, he became a household name in Croatia by scoring the goal that secured the nation’s place in the World Cup.
“It was amazing. The feeling was really hard to describe in words,” Musa said of the goal that sealed qualification against Faroe Islands.
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“I had been waiting for that moment for a long time, especially because with that win we secured our spot in the World Cup.”
Croatia was drawn into Group L alongside England, Panama and Ghana.
Related: What to know about Dallas’ World Cup teams
Back home, fans and media are closely tracking Musa’s performances at FC Dallas.
“When Musa moved to MLS, it came as a bit of a surprise,” said Daniela Rogulj, a San Diego–born journalist who has spent the past 11 years in Croatia, where she works as sports editor for Total Croatia News.
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“When you think about MLS in terms of a player’s career, if the choice is staying in Europe or going to the United States, most players would typically stay in Europe.”
On that point, Musa has been very clear.
“I’ve shown everyone that leaving Benfica for MLS that it was the right move. I haven’t regretted it one bit,” he said.
According to Transfermarkt, Musa’s current international market value stands at $14 million, and reporting from Yahoo.com indicates that several European clubs have already shown interest in signing him.
For now, Musa remains focused on making history with Croatia.
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Upcoming match
In the last two editions of the World Cup, Croatia has finished among the top three teams — including the 2018 final, where it fell to France.
The first step this time is Wednesday’s clash with England, a rivalry that has grown in recent years, fueled by Croatia’s win over the English in the 2018 World Cup semifinal.
England supporters had already endured one unforgettable heartbreak against Croatia — the 3–2 defeat at Wembley that denied the Three Lions a place at Euro 2008.
Related: How English fans evolved and what Dallas can expect with them here for the World Cup
Since then, the matchup has tilted back toward England. The Three Lions are unbeaten in their last three meetings with Croatia, winning two and drawing the other.
Stats aside, “The Moose,” as FC Dallas fans affectionately call him, dreams of hearing his national anthem echo through Dallas Stadium.
He insists Croatia is no underdog. Musa emphasized the team’s strength as a top‑15 FIFA‑ranked side, even if Croatia’s name rarely comes up when people discuss favorites to win the World Cup.
“A lot of people don’t talk about us, and that’s OK. We don’t care if someone chooses not to respect us,” he said. “We know what we are capable of doing.”