Alexandria, Va. – A Croatian cultural celebration at the national soccer team’s Alexandria hotel this weekend drew an unexpected Hollywood guest: actor John Malkovich, the new face of Croatia’s tourism push into the American market.
The event, billed as “Croatia in the Game,” was held at the AKA Alexandria — the Old Town-area hotel where the Croatian team is staying during the World Cup — and was dedicated to Croatian tourism, sport, culture and gastronomy, the Croatian Football Federation said in a post on its official Instagram account Sunday. The gathering was closed to the press and the public; the Brief was not present and learned of it through the federation’s announcement.
According to the federation, attendees included team officials and players — among them head coach Zlatko Dalić and captain Luka Modrić — alongside a delegation of Croatian dignitaries: Football Federation President Marijan Kustić, Tourism and Sport Minister TonÄi Glavina, and Croatian National Tourist Board Director Kristjan StaniÄić, among others.
The headline guest, though, was Malkovich. The two-time Oscar nominee, known for films including “Dangerous Liaisons,” “In the Line of Fire” and “Being John Malkovich,” is the star of a new Croatian National Tourist Board promotional film and, the federation said, lent his voice and presence to the Alexandria event.
A campaign aimed at America
Malkovich’s appearance is no coincidence of celebrity. The actor has deep Croatian ties — his ancestors emigrated to the United States from the Ozalj area of Karlovac County, and he was granted Croatian citizenship in Zagreb in May. This month, he became the centerpiece of a tourism campaign titled “I Hear It’s Beautiful,” which premiered in the days around the World Cup’s opening and seeks to present Croatia as a destination of culture and lifestyle rather than simply summer beaches.
By design, the campaign targets American travelers. Croatian tourism officials have said the effort is aimed especially at boosting the country’s visibility in the United States ahead of the 2026 World Cup, capitalizing on a decade of steady growth in American visitors. The promotional film was directed creatively by Pete Radovich, an Emmy-winning producer who, like Malkovich, has Croatian heritage.
The Alexandria gathering appears to be one stop in that wider push. Croatian officials have said additional promotional activities are planned around the team’s World Cup opener in the Dallas area — including an outdoor event and performances by Croatian musicians — when Croatia faces England on Wednesday.
Context for Alexandria
For Alexandria, the event adds a cultural coda to a base-camp stay that has already produced a city proclamation, a community event for hundreds of local youth, and daily training sessions at Episcopal High School. It also appears to deliver, at least in spirit, on the cultural exchange the city has anticipated: Mayor Alyia Gaskins’s June 10 proclamation welcoming the team spoke of celebrating Croatian culture during the team’s stay.
Because the hotel event was private, its connection to any city or embassy programming is not yet clear. The Brief has sought further detail from Visit Alexandria.
Croatia continues training in Alexandria before traveling to Texas for Wednesday’s opener against England, followed by group matches against Panama on June 23 in Toronto and Ghana on June 27 in Philadelphia.
