Josko Gvardiol was a big player at Manchester City, but during his playing career at Dinamo Zagreb, the Croatian considered quitting football for basketball.
Josko Gvardiol has admitted that he almost quit football as a teenager when he was playing for Dinamo Zagreb in his native country, considering turning to basketball in search of valuable opportunities.
The Croatian joined Manchester City in 2023 for £77m, making him one of the world’s most expensive signings. Prior to that, he made a name for himself at RB Leipzig, but only after a period of setbacks in Zagreb and persistence in the sport.
When Gvardiol was 16 years old, he was struggling to get game minutes in Zagreb’s youth teams and was unsure whether to give basketball a try. It is one of the most popular sports in Croatia, even more than soccer, and many of his friends were playing it.
The City defender told the BBC: “I was thinking of quitting because I also love basketball. I didn’t have confidence in football anymore, because when I go to the training ground I don’t feel happy anymore, you know? I was just trying to find other solutions and feel happier than before, because all my friends were playing basketball.”
Gvardiol’s patience eventually paid off and once he broke into the first team, Zagreb won back-to-back league titles. This caught the attention of Leipzig, who eventually moved him to the Bundesliga for £16 million, a record fee for a Croatian teenager. After two seasons in Germany, Pep Guardiola came calling.
read more: Jude Bellingham sends message to Thomas Tuchel as Real Madrid star ends goal droughtread more: Mo Salah slams Florian Wirths for his actions in Liverpool’s match against Frankfurt
The Croatian’s priority has always been to become a footballer, but he never expected his rise in the game to reach the pinnacle of English football. Gvardiol won the Premier League title with Manchester, but his rise continues to amaze.
He admitted, “Obviously my dream was to be a professional footballer, but I never thought I would go that far. If you went back five years and asked me, do you see yourself at Manchester City in 2023, 24, 25? I would have said no chance, it’s next to impossible really.”
Gvardiol has become an integral part under Guardiola, and his goalscoring exploits have added extra momentum to his batting efforts. The 23-year-old has played over 6,000 minutes for club and country over two seasons and last season, scoring 11 goals.
The defender played in 55 of City’s 61 games and missed just 140 minutes in the Premier League all season, but insisted he was determined to overcome the pain barrier to continue contributing to the team.
He said, “Last season, I was thinking in my head, “No matter what happens, no matter how I feel, regardless of my physical condition, I just want to play. I just want to play to help the team.” Especially in the summer, I felt it in my body.I had an injury (to my knee), but after six months, I finally felt better.”
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive Mirror Football content every day. Community members also receive special offers, promotions, and advertisements from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check it out whenever you like. If you are interested, please read our privacy notice.
Sky Sports Premier League and EFL package discounts
£43
£35
sky
Get the deal here
Sky has reduced the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 on their bill and offering more than 1,400 live matches from the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will broadcast at least 215 live Premier League matches next season, with an increase of up to 100 more.
