Croatia fans take over Texas for Downtown Dallas parade ahead of World Cup match

DALLAS - A massive crowd of Croatia fans marched through Downtown Dallas for a parade and celebration in support of their national team.

They're here, of course, to see the match-up between Croatia" and England tomorrow.

Massive Downtown Dallas parade

What we know:

The celebration kicked off at 7:15 p.m. at Civic Garden Park off Main Street in Downtown Dallas.

Dallas police estimate about 3,000 fans marched with their giant white and red checkered flag, which is roughly the length of a football field.

The parade ended in Ferris Plaza, where several fans were spotted cooling off in the fountain. 

However, police said there were no arrests or emergency incidents.

What they're saying:

On the ground, the Croatia banner was held up by fans chanting with pride after traveling thousands of miles for the game.

"It means everything. It means everything to us," an excited fan said.

"I'm so proud of my country," added Duje Skare.

For Dustin Bencik, it's a once-in-a-lifetime trip for his family from California. He introduced FOX 4 to his son, Zlatko, who is named after the Croatian coach.

"As our family grows, we carry on the tradition," he said.

Croatia vs. England at Dallas Stadium

What we know:

Croatia's national team, which arrived in Dallas on Monday evening, got one final training session in on Tuesday morning at SMU.

The nation of just 4 million people has performed like a goliath at the World Cup, with six trips and three podium finishes. That includes a third place finish in 2022 and a loss in the final to France in 2018.

Luka Modric is the unquestioned leader at 40 years old. The former Ballon d'Or winner – an honor only given to the world's best players – is ready for his 199th career national team appearance.

He might be on the field with FC Dallas superstar goalscorer Petar Musa, whose 12 goals in Major League Soccer so far this season are tied with Lionel Messi.

What they're saying:

"The most important part is to do your best and my aim, my objective in this tournament is to enjoy it, to do my best but also enjoy it. I know I am toward the end of my career, so the most important part here is to do one's best and to enjoy each match, each game, each training with these guys. A lot of young players, so I feel rejuvenated with them," Modric said during Tuesday's team news conference.

What's next:

Croatia and England will face off at 3 p.m. on Wednesday at Dallas Stadium.

Croatia fans explore North Texas landmarks

Local perspective:

Earlier in the day, Croatians who spoke with FOX 4 were getting a taste of Texas, as we caught up with a group at the famed Fort Worth Stockyards, taking pictures and sampling some local favorites for the first time.

"So far so good. We love the food and the welcoming of the American people," said one fan supporting Croatia. "So this is my first after trying a Corona, but this one is pretty much okay."

The fan compared beer here to beer in his country and described it as lighter and easier to drink more of.

Dig deeper:

Over in Downtown Dallas, it wasn't hard to spot team Croatia fans as they were decked out in their red and white checkered shirts.

This Matreic family is from a small town outside of Croatia's capital, and it is their first time in Dallas.

"It's really strange. The buildings are very tall. We don't have that in Croatia," said Nico Matreic. :I'm so satisfied because I like history."

They wanted to see the longhorn statues in Pioneer Plaza near the Dallas Convention Center. The cattle are all dressed up for the FIFA World Cup. They also stopped by Dealey Plaza to see where President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.

"For us, it's an interesting history because we learn when we are kids, you know," said Andre Matreic.

With a bit of American history and food under their belt, their focus will shift to celebrating and supporting their national team at the parade through Downtown Dallas on Tuesday night.

FIFA World CupTexasWorldDowntown Dallas