Musa: “We always want to make our fans happy and proud”

The powerful striker scored for Croatia in “his” Dallas on football’s biggest stage against one of the best national teams in the world, following a lengthy absence from the national team setup.

“I had been away from the national team for two years. I know how hard I worked and how much I wanted to do everything possible to get back into the squad. I know it’s not easy, but I kept working, playing well and being patient. I received the call-up and I believe I made good use of my minutes. I waited a long time for this opportunity, and I’m happy and grateful to be part of the national team during these recent cycles. Whenever I’m here, I’m ready, just like all the other players. That gives me the motivation to keep working.”

On his emotions after scoring against England:

“The emotions overwhelmed me. I wasn’t crying, but I was extremely happy. Scoring the equaliser in a match like that was a special feeling. At the same time, I was disappointed after the final whistle, but that goal gives me confidence going into the next matches. How many times have I watched it back? Not that many, maybe two or three times. I don’t really like watching my goals over and over. I prefer analysing the game and looking at what could have been done better.”

On England:

“We knew we were facing a top-quality team, with outstanding players in every position. There was no special preparation. We knew we had to start strongly and stay focused on every detail of the match from beginning to end. We analysed the game thoroughly afterwards and identified the mistakes we need to correct for the upcoming matches.”

On the match against Panama and the role of a centre-forward:

“The most important thing is to work for the team, to contribute both defensively and offensively, and to be ready in every attacking situation. There will probably be more of those than in the first match. You have to be prepared and available at all times. There are 26 of us here and we all share the same ambition. We’re working well, everyone is ready, and we’ll see what happens.”

On the support from Croatian fans in Dallas and Toronto:

“We can only be grateful to have fans like these all around the world. We want to repay them on the pitch by giving our maximum, making them happy and proud. Their support gives us extra motivation to be the best version of ourselves.”

On Ivan Perišić:

“After Luka, he is the greatest player in Croatian football history. He means a lot to our team. Having someone of that quality, character and personality alongside you is a privilege. I saw him making a run behind the defensive line and was watching where the ball might fall. He won the aerial duel and directed it exactly into the area where I was free, and that’s how the goal came about.”

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