Petar Musa: FC Dallas to Croatia Journey gets Full Circle with World Cup 2026 Goal against England

When Petar Musa volleyed home Croatia’s crucial equaliser against England at the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Dallas, it felt like more than just a goal.

In the Group L encounter between England and Croatia, Musa’s late strike before the break means the teams are locked 2-2 at the break.

In the stoppage time of the first half, Musa broke through and volleyed past Jordan Pickford to score only his second goal for his country.

But it must feel like a full-circle moment for a striker whose journey to football’s biggest stage had unexpectedly passed through North Texas.

Petar Musa and Dallas – The Love Story which Brewed Success

Musa was a journeyman. From 2017-18 to 2023-24, he had spent time across six clubs, failing to settle anywhere. Slavia Prague was too much for him and none of the loan deals worked. And finally, a move to Benfica also lasted for just two years, and in 2024, he joined FC Dallas.

FC Dallas made a bold statement by signing Petar Musa from Benfica in a club-record transfer. Many questioned whether leaving European football for Major League Soccer might hurt his international ambitions. Musa himself later admitted that moving to MLS made him feel “a little bit far from the eyes” of the Croatian national-team setup.

Instead of fading from contention, the Croatian forward responded by scoring goals. Musa quickly became one of FC Dallas’ most influential players. He netted 16 league goals in his debut MLS season before following it up with an even stronger 2025 campaign, matching club legends with 19 goals across all competitions. By 2026, he was producing some of the best football of his career, earning MLS accolades and rewriting sections of the FC Dallas record book.

Petar Musa Lives World Cup Dream for Croatia

Those performances became impossible for Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic to ignore. Musa’s childhood dream was realised when he was named in Croatia’s World Cup squad. The call-up was the reward for years of perseverance, from the lower leagues in Croatia to spells in the Czech Republic, Germany, Portugal and finally the United States.

And inside a packed AT&T Stadium, only a short drive from FC Dallas’ home in Frisco, Musa has struck against England on the grandest stage. Set up by veteran Ivan Perisic, the goal capped a dramatic first half and reminded the football world that talent can flourish anywhere when given the opportunity.

For FC Dallas supporters, it was a moment of pride. For Croatia, it was a vital World Cup goal. For Petar Musa, it is the proof that his American gamble had become the pathway to his greatest footballing dream.