On the match against England...
“My teammates have already said a lot over the past few days. The most important thing is that we translate everything we’ve worked on during our preparations onto the pitch and try to execute all of the coach’s ideas. The team is ready, and we’re facing a difficult match. We must not give them too much space because they have quality individuals who can decide a game with a single move. But we’re ready and looking forward to the first match.”
On his Premier League experience with Southampton...
“That season is behind me now, but it’s not something I remember fondly because we were relegated and I didn’t play as much as I wanted to. Still, it was a valuable experience. I got to experience English football, the stadiums, and the atmosphere. I’m ready for England.”
On experience at major tournaments...
“It’s very important. Most of us have experience from major competitions — European Championships, World Cups, and the Nations League. We know it won’t be easy, but that’s exactly the challenge.”
On Croatia’s opening match of EURO 2020 against England...
“When you lose the opening game at Wembley, the memories can’t be great. However, it was a valuable experience. We had quite a few problems even though we played a fairly good match. Some parts of that game could be useful to us now because we know their qualities.”
On the anticipation ahead of the opening match...
“When you watch the other matches, you naturally want to be out there on the pitch yourself. We were scheduled to play in the final round of opening fixtures. The most important thing is to be ready when we step onto the field and not let our desire overwhelm us. We have to stay calm, keep a cool head, and know exactly what we’re doing. Hopefully, it will go well.”
On his impressions of English players...
“Kane impressed me in our match against England at the European Championship, even though he didn’t score. His movement and positioning — you can clearly see he’s a master of the game and knows exactly what he’s doing.”
On his first memory of a major tournament involving the Vatreni...
“I remember Vienna and EURO 2008, especially that match against Turkey, which brought us great disappointment.”
On the children in Alexandria and Croatian fans...
“Every time we come back from training, there are plenty of children waiting for us. We really appreciate their support. It’s not pressure — it’s motivation. We want to repay them, as well as our fans in America and around the world, in the best possible way and make them happy. I saw the Croatian flag in New York, which was great to see, and I hope we’ll see the same in Dallas. Let people enjoy it and celebrate.”
On his memorable Premier League match against Arsenal...
“That’s one of my favorite memories from England. Arsenal were fighting for the title at the time. I came off the bench, and I could never have imagined stepping onto the pitch at Emirates Stadium and scoring a goal. The match ended 3–3. The pressure was immense — you could really feel it — and it’s something I still carry with me today.”
