Croatian Party in New York: 'We Can't Wait for the Matches!'

The streets of New York buzzed with anticipation on a Saturday morning, not just from the city's usual energy, but from a shared Croatian pride. Fans, many clad in national team jerseys, converged on Queens for a special event organized by the Mi Hrvati association: the unveiling of a massive, 100-meter Croatian flag.

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We go to Croatia regularly, and here we like to socialize with our people. There are big events, food is brought, games are played. It's very cheerful. We are big fans, so we passionately follow the national team's matches.

Sylvie Šimatović Ouzidane, whose parents hail from Croatia, has lived in America for over 30 years but remains connected to her roots through community gatherings. "We go to Croatia regularly, and here we like to socialize with our people," she shared, attending the event with her Moroccan husband, who sported both a Moroccan jersey and a Croatian checkerboard cap. "There are big events, food is brought, games are played. It's very cheerful. We are big fans, so we passionately follow the national team's matches."

The gathering attracted Croatians from all New York boroughs and even from further afield. Marino from Zadar and Marin from Split spoke of their plans to attend the Croatia vs. Ghana match in Philadelphia and potentially another game against Panama in Toronto. They discussed the costs, with tickets around 500 euros and travel expenses adding significantly to the journey to Toronto.

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The travel to Toronto is expensive, and there's a lot of driving. It might cost $180 for one-way travel costs.

Paola and Nina, also heading to Philadelphia, echoed the vibrant atmosphere. "There's a great euphoria, it will be great," they said. Nina described her day spent trying to secure a ticket, balancing work as a teacher with her passion for the game. "I waited all day to manage to buy a ticket. I'm a teacher and I was at work, so everyone was asking me why I had my computer with me and kept looking at the screen. I waited a long time, but it was worth it. We can't wait for the match."

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There's a great euphoria, it will be great.

Dillon, a U.S. citizen with Croatian roots who recently obtained Croatian citizenship, noted that while many American friends aren't football fans, Croatia's recent World Cup successes have raised its profile. "Everyone knows about Croatia now; Croatia had phenomenal results in the last two World Cups, so everyone knows Croatia is strong in football," he said. "I believe we can beat England and that Dalić's team will go far again."

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I waited a long time, but it was worth it. We can't wait for the match.