Eurovision Singer Performs for Croatian Football Team in US, Meets John Malkovich

Croatian singer Roko Blažević, who represented the country at Eurovision in 2019, performed for the national football team in Virginia ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Blažević, now living in Los Angeles and studying music, shared photos of the event on Instagram, expressing his excitement about meeting players like Luka Modrić and Joško Gvardiol.

The event, part of the "Croatia in the Game - Tourism. Sport. Culture. Flavours." initiative, aimed to showcase Croatia to the American market during the World Cup. Blažević's presence as a musical guest was fitting, given his studies at the Los Angeles College of Music.

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I'm still processing this.

A surprising encounter of the evening was with Hollywood actor John Malkovich. Blažević mentioned discussing music and future plans with Malkovich, who was present for the premiere of the Croatian Tourist Board's new campaign, "Croatia - I Hear It's Beautiful." Malkovich, of Croatian descent, is the face of this campaign.

Blažević, known for his powerful voice and charm, previously won "Pinkove zvezdice" and competed in Eurovision with "The Dream." After stepping back from the spotlight for his studies, he released his first original song, "Exit Lane," in April 2024, signaling a new artistic direction.

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It was an incredible privilege to meet the players and perform for the Croatian national team.