Croatian footballers depart for World Cup: 'We're excited, we'll give our maximum'

The Croatian national football team has embarked on their journey to the United States for the upcoming World Cup, departing from Zagreb Airport precisely at noon. With their first match against England just eight days away, Zlatko Dalić's squad is heading to North America to prepare for their group stage fixtures.

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We are excited, a big tournament awaits us. We will give our all to give our maximum in every game, to fight for each other. That's the most important thing.

Croatia is set to play England in Dallas, Panama in Toronto, and Ghana in Philadelphia. Before boarding their flight, defender Martin Erlić and striker Petar Musa shared their thoughts with the media. "We are excited, a big tournament awaits us. We will give our all to give our maximum in every game, to fight for each other. That's the most important thing," said Erlić.

Erlić acknowledged the team's preparation for England in their recent matches, recognizing them as a tough opponent. He admitted that while there are aspects of their preparation that went well and others that need improvement, they have sufficient time to refine their strategy. Regarding the conditions in the U.S., Erlić noted that the heat is comparable to what they experienced in Croatia and expressed confidence in their ability to adapt.

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In the last two games, we prepared for England. We have a tough opponent ahead, but we still have a week to prepare for the match.

Musa echoed the sentiment of readiness, stating that the team is prepared and looking forward to the World Cup. He highlighted the importance of everyone being healthy and ready for the opening match. Musa also commented on the climate and the air-conditioned stadium in Dallas, suggesting it would mitigate any issues related to the heat. He observed the significant excitement surrounding the World Cup in America, even though soccer is not the primary sport there.

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All of us had the chance to see what awaits us in Orlando. We are all ready and looking forward to the World Cup. The most important thing is that we are all healthy and ready, we are waiting for that first match.

Both players expressed satisfaction with the team's preparations, emphasizing the adequate time for training and execution of their plans. They are optimistic about their chances, carrying the momentum from a positive season, including Erlić's cup win in Denmark. The team is focused on adapting to the conditions and performing at their best on the world stage.

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We are very satisfied with how it went. We had enough time to train and do what we wanted. It was good. We played the match well, analyzed it, and tried to correct some mistakes from the first match against the Slovenians. We are going to the World Cup happy and satisfied.