Petar Musa scores first World Cup goal at his MLS home stadium as Croatia briefly levels England
The FC Dallas striker's equalizer in stoppage time brought the score to 2-2 at halftime, though England ultimately won 4-2 in a World Cup group stage thriller.
There’s something almost cinematic about scoring your first World Cup goal in the stadium where you play your club football. Petar Musa did exactly that on June 17, 2026, burying Croatia’s equalizer at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas, the same venue he calls home as an FC Dallas player in MLS.
The goal, scored in the 45th minute plus five minutes of stoppage time, brought Croatia level at 2-2 after Harry Kane had put England ahead with two first-half strikes.
A tale of two halves
The halftime scoreline of 2-2 told a story of Croatian resilience. Musa and Luka Baturina both found the net for Croatia, answering Kane’s brace to keep the match delicately poised.
The second half told a different story entirely. England reasserted control through Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford, who each added goals to seal a 4-2 victory.
The match was part of the expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup, the first edition to feature 48 teams. With the tournament hosted across North America, Musa had the unusual luxury of playing a World Cup match on his home turf.
Where crypto meets the pitch
A Sorare digital collectible card tied to Musa exists on the Ethereum blockchain. Before his World Cup heroics, that card traded for roughly $3. Sorare is a fantasy football platform where player cards are minted as NFTs, and their value fluctuates based on real-world performance, media attention, and collector demand.