Alexandria got a memorable brush with World Cup excitement this week when Croatia’s national soccer team gave local children a front-row view of their training session at Episcopal High School.

According to The Zebra, Croatia’s World Cup squad welcomed Alexandria kids to watch the team up close at the historic Old Town-area campus, offering young fans a rare and inspiring glimpse of elite international soccer right in their own backyard.

The visit was a natural fit for a city that has embraced the 2026 World Cup spirit wholeheartedly. With Croatia using Alexandria as a base during the tournament, the team’s willingness to open a training session to local youth turned what could have been a routine practice into a community moment that families won’t soon forget.

The excitement didn’t stop there. Croatia also held its final Alexandria press conference this week, with star defender Joško Gvardiol and team representative Moro speaking to media, capping off the squad’s time in the city in style.

For Alexandria’s young soccer fans — many of whom may have only ever seen top-tier players on a screen — the chance to stand pitchside at Episcopal High School and watch World Cup athletes train in person was the kind of experience that sparks a lifelong love of the game. It’s a reminder of what it means to host a global event: the world comes to your neighborhood, and sometimes, it stops to say hello.

Sources: thezebra.org, The Alexandria Brief