2024 has been the Year of the Moose for FC Dallas.
Petar Musa, affectionately dubbed "the Moose" on social media, joined the club for a record fee in February as one of the most high-profile signings in team history. Since then, the Croatian striker has tied FCD’s record for goals in a debut season (13, a tally he’s likely to break) and was named an MLS All-Star. By any measure, Musa’s been the bright spot in what’s been an uphill season for Dallas so far.
For Musa, though, 2024 has been a year of change.
Born in Zagreb, Croatia’s capital city, Musa was introduced to soccer as a 4-year-old by his mother: “Growing up, I was always with the ball. I think this was in my DNA, I fell in love immediately,” Musa told FCDallas.com from his new home in Plano, Texas.
Musa spent his entire youth career in his hometown, playing for local clubs Hrvatski Dragovoljac and NK Zagreb, where he signed as a professional at 17 years old. Two years later, Musa moved abroad for the first time to join Czech club Slavia Prague. Subsequent loan spells took him to Germany and then Portugal, where he eventually settled permanently with SL Benfica. At 25, Musa had already lived and played all around Europe and spoke four languages. But his biggest move was still ahead of him.
FC Dallas announced it had broken its transfer record (reportedly up to $13 million) to secure Musa’s services on February 1, three weeks before the 2024 season kicked off. “We've secured a world-class attacker in the prime of his career…Petar's signing marks a historic moment for us,” Technical Director André Zanotta said at the time.
“I didn't expect something like this in that moment,” Musa remembers. “I had a lot of offers from different leagues and countries. But for me, it was always a dream to come to (the) United States.”
Before making the first step towards that dream, Musa had some important business to take care of. He and his fiancé, Laura, were wed in Croatia before journeying across the Atlantic to start their new life together. And it really was a new life. Two months after their arrival, the Musas became parents for the first time and welcomed a baby boy, Niki.
“When he was born, my life changed. It changed everything,” Musa said. “Before, in soccer, I used to have some really hard feelings if something was going wrong on the field. I’d come home and I was pissed off for a couple days. But now when I enter the house and see him, it’s just a different mood and I’m enjoying being a father and husband every day.
“It’s changed everything, because now we’re building our family here in the United States, far from our two families. Sometimes that is not easy but I think that is part of life.”
Aside from missing his extended family and friends, Musa likes living in Dallas. It’s a big city, he notes, but prefers living in his quiet suburb just 20 minutes south of Toyota Stadium. And then there’s the food. He “loves Texas barbecue” but only allows himself to eat it once a month due to diet restrictions. Reading, hiking, watching movies and hanging out poolside are his main pastimes here in his new home.
Musa’s happiness off the field has led to success on it. He scored his first-career hattrick in June, beginning a streak that saw him record eight goals in seven games. The midseason goal flurry earned him a place in the 2024 MLS All-Star Game in Columbus with Laura and Niki watching from the stands.
It’s been a good start to life in Dallas. With a new wife and baby, a two-story home complete with pool and backyard, Musa is on his way to building his own little American dream in North Texas. On the field, though, he believes he’s still far from reaching his goals.
“I want to win the prizes. That's clear. That's why we train every day. That's why we play. Of course, sometimes it's not easy. It's up and down. But that's the sport. You need to be consistent in your work and trust the process.
“In the end, we want all to win something, but this needs to be as a whole group. And for me, I want to win the prizes with FC Dallas. It's not easy, there’s a lot of work front of us, but I think we are ready. I'm ready.”
