Growing up in his hometown of Toronto, 21-year-old Inter Toronto goalkeeper Ivan Pavela grew up watching plenty of matches at Toronto Stadium.
Tuesday, however, when he makes his way to familiar grounds at the city's lakeshore, it will be unlike anything he's experienced before.
The Croatian-Canadian will get to watch Croatia take on Panama that night in their second match of Group L action at the 2026 World Cup.
"For me, it's once-in-a-lifetime to be able to go watch the national team I've been cheering for since I started watching soccer," Pavela told CPLSoccer.com. "On top of that, for them to be playing in Toronto, it's surreal."
Beyond his heritage, Pavela has plenty of connections to the sport in Croatia. As a teenager, he spent two years playing in the country before joining Inter Toronto in the Canadian Premier League ahead of the 2025 season.
In 2023, he signed with the U-19 side of Croatian club NK Lokomotiva. He then spent the following year with NK Dugopolje and the academy of the famed Croatian club Hajduk Split.
"It taught me a lot, because for a lot of guys there at that age [football] is their number one priority in their life," said Pavela. "A lot of those guys are finished school, and they have to play well to make money."
He says that there is pride and mentality among footballers in the country that extends all the way up to the national team and has been vital to making them one of the best in the world over the past decade. Croatia made it all the way to the World Cup final at Russia 2018 before falling to France, and finished third in 2022.
"I think there's just such a big unity and big passion to build Croatia as a footballing nation, and to keep maintaining this reputation that they've built up over the last 10 or so years," said Pavela. "I think it just comes down to players giving maximum effort, and not taking for granted what a privilege it is to play in the national team."
The one player who has pulled on the shirt more than any other in the country's history is 40-year-old national icon Luka Modrić. The six-time UEFA Champions League champion with Real Madrid, and 2018 Ballon D'Or winner, Modrić would make his historic 200th appearance for the Croatian national team if he steps onto the pitch on Tuesday in Toronto.
Pavela believes Modrić is the embodiment of the best aspects of this Croatian golden generation, and the grit, passion and motivation that have come to define them.
"Like many young Croatians in his generation, he grew up in a time when there was a civil war going on," said Pavela. "Even through his whole career, being rejected at certain clubs... even when he went to Real Madrid, there were a lot of questions about the transfer, is he going to be the guy for that team. He just kept going.
"He's the biggest icon in Croatia, regardless of sport. He's a true leader, and a true example of what it means to wear the Croatian shirt, and he's somebody that I've looked up to my whole life."
Tuesday's game is a big one for Croatia. After they fell 4-2 in a thrilling opener against England, they need a strong bounce-back performance and a win in order to put themselves in a good spot to advance to the knockout stage.
"I'd expect them to get out of the group," said Pavela. "And after that, it all depends on who you draw because there's a lot of good teams in this tournament."
He is hoping that Croatia can at least finish second in their group. Doing that would mean they would come back to Toronto for the Round of 32. "That'd be another one I'd think about going to," he says with a smile.
Pavela grew up supporting Croatia, he says, in part because he didn't really have a choice. Until 2022, there was no Canadian team to cheer for at the tournament. Like many across the country, he now has two national teams he is supporting in 2026.
He'd love to represent Canada at the senior level someday -- something he has already done with the U-20 national team. Pavela kept a clean sheet for Canada in 2024 at the Concacaf U-20 Championship qualifiers against St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
"Up to now, it was probably one of the most special moments in my career," he said. "Just being able to walk out and listen to the anthem, I had goosebumps before the game. It was something that I'm really grateful for, and I hope to get back to that at some point in my career."
He says this World Cup has proven that Canada is here to stay at the tournament for years to come -- especially a historic 6-0 win over Qatar that he says showcased the country's immense talent.
"It's great, because the better the national team does, the more exposure it raises within the country," said Pavela. "We're only going to benefit from the national team doing well, and hopefully they can keep bringing in results."
Less than two weeks in, Pavela says this World Cup has already had some incredible moments, and he can't wait to see what it delivers next.