We were there: FC Dallas star scores World Cup goal, England sings a victory song

Unlike some of the pubs in town over the past few days, there have not been any reports of AT&T Stadium running out of beer during the FIFA 2026 World Cup. Yet, at least. It’s safe to assume that the England soccer supporters who reportedly drank a local bar dry on Tuesday night likely put a sizable dent in the massive stadium suds supply however.

Any World Cup match is a major occurrence, and anytime global stars including England’s Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Croatia’s Luka Modric take the pitch all at once, a match becomes a can’t-miss bonanza. But on Wednesday, the England vs Croatia group stage contest became the World Cup debut of a hometown hero, FC Dallas striker Petar Musa. Prior to the start of the tournament, it was not a foregone conclusion that Musa would start for the Croatian team, but perhaps it was simply meant to be, given they were playing so close to where his club team performs. Over the past couple of seasons, Musa has proven to be worth every penny of the club-record $9.7 million transfer fee that FC Dallas paid in 2024.

Although Kane scored a pair of goals and Bellingham helped ensure England’s victory with an impressive strike in the second half, a North Texas soccer buff will certainly be forgiven if the match’s highlight didn’t involve either of those all-world talents.

Just before the end of the first half, Musa nailed home a gorgeous volley past England keeper Jordan Pickford to bring his team even with England at two goals each, and to bring one of the more exciting halves of the 2026 World Cup thus far to a close.

England’s insane roster depth would prove to be too much for Musa, Modric and Croatia in the second half, as both Croatian stars were subbed out while England took control with a 4-2 lead that they would not relinquish. Similar to Sunday’s match between the Netherlands and Japan, however, supporters of both teams on Wednesday never let their voices be hushed, regardless of the score. Photographer Mike Brooks of the Observer was there. Below are the photos and notes from yet another stellar day of World Cup soccer in North Texas.