Croatian Community in Dallas Gears Up for World Cup Match with Large Gathering

Klementina Mikus, a Croatian expatriate residing in Dallas, Texas, is at the forefront of organizing a significant gathering for the Croatian community. The event, scheduled for the evening before the Croatia vs. England match, is expected to draw a large crowd of Croatians and their families in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Mikus, originally from Valpovo, Croatia, has lived in the United States for 26 years and currently works in commercial banking at J.P. Morgan. She noted that the Croatian community in Dallas is larger than she initially thought. A Facebook group, DFW Croats, has grown to include around a hundred members, with new individuals joining as the match approaches.

"There are more of us than I thought. In the Facebook group DFW Croats (Dallas Fort Worth Croats) there were about a hundred of us – true, not all of them are Croats, but they are married to Croat women and men, and now, as the match with England approaches, new members have joined. Some of them I will meet for the first time," Klementina shared.

She became involved in organizing the event after attending a Croatia vs. Brazil match in Orlando earlier this year. There, she met fellow Croatians and learned about the fan association 'Mi Hrvati's' desire to organize something in Dallas. Mikus offered her assistance, and the initiative has since grown considerably, with expectations of several thousand attendees at a related parade.

Mikus's husband, Richard Mikus, is an American with Croatian roots, possibly descending from the Mikušić family. They have three sons. Richard is a real estate agent and a collector of vintage cars, including a 1982 Corvette and a 1959 Rolls-Royce. The upcoming match has generated significant excitement within the community, with many actively seeking company to watch the games. The prospect of their national team playing a World Cup match in Dallas is a source of immense joy and anticipation for the local Croatian diaspora.

“

There are more of us than I thought. In the Facebook group DFW Croats (Dallas Fort Worth Croats) there were about a hundred of us – true, not all of them are Croats, but they are married to Croat women and men, and now, as the match with England approaches, new members have joined. Some of them I will meet for the first time.