He eventually made his full international debut on 12 October 2010, coming on as a half-time substitute for Luka Modrić in a friendly match against Norway in Zagreb, which Croatia won 2–1. On 17 November 2010, he made his competitive debut in a 3–0 win at home to Malta in the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying, replacing Ivan Rakitić in the 69th minute.
The passage describes the player's first international appearances for Croatia, highlighting his debut in both friendly and qualifying matches.