Joško Gvardiol — Croatia World Cup 2026 Squad

Josko Gvardiol announced himself to the world at the 2022 World Cup as a 20-year-old centre-back who played with the composure of a veteran and the aggression of a player with something to prove. Four years later, he arrives at the 2026 tournament as one of the most expensive defenders in football history and a cornerstone of both Manchester City and Croatia, combining left-footed technical elegance with a physicality that rarefies his profile among elite defenders.

Career Highlights

Gvardiol scored Croatia's opening goal in the 2-1 third-place playoff victory over Morocco at the 2022 World Cup, heading in from a corner after a surging run from centre-back that encapsulated his unusual skill set. He was named in the FIFA World Cup Dream Team and finished 17th in the 2023 Ballon d'Or voting. His transfer from RB Leipzig to Manchester City in August 2023 for a reported 90 million euros made him the second-most expensive defender ever, behind only Harry Maguire. In his first season at City, he scored five goals — extraordinary output for a centre-back — including a brace in the 4-0 win over Fulham.

Club Career

Gvardiol joined Dynamo Zagreb's academy at age eight and made his first-team debut at 17. A move to RB Leipzig in 2020 for 16 million euros proved transformative: under Julian Nagelsmann and then Domenico Tedesco, he developed into a ball-playing centre-back comfortable in a back three or back four. Leipzig won the 2022-23 DFB-Pokal with Gvardiol outstanding in the final against Eintracht Frankfurt. At Manchester City, Pep Guardiola deployed him primarily at left-back in his first season before moving him into his preferred centre-back role, where his left foot provides balance to a defence that had lacked it since Aymeric Laporte's departure.

International Career & World Cup History

Gvardiol made his Croatia debut in June 2021 against Belgium and established himself as a starter at Euro 2020, where Croatia reached the round of 16. The 2022 World Cup was his breakout: he started all seven matches, completing 90 minutes in every game, and produced a man-of-the-match performance in the quarter-final against Brazil where he completed 96 per cent of his passes and nullifiedVinicius Junior across 120 minutes. With 46 caps at 24, he is on track to surpass Darijo Srna's record of 134 appearances if he maintains his trajectory.

World Cup 2026 Outlook

Gvardiol will be 24 during the 2026 World Cup, entering his prime as a defender. Croatia's transition from the Luka Modric era places greater defensive responsibility on Gvardiol's shoulders. His partnership with Marin Pongracic or Duje Caleta-Car will determine whether Croatia can replicate their tournament consistency. Guardiola's tactical education has sharpened his positional discipline, and his experience of playing in front of Ederson at City translates directly to tournament football's high-stakes moments. He is the player Croatia can least afford to lose.