Manchester City defender Josko Gvardiol has revealed he once came close to quitting football entirely before his rise to becoming one of the world’s most expensive defenders.
The 23-year-old Croatian, who joined City from RB Leipzig in August 2023 for £77 million, told BBC Sport that he almost walked away from his “dream” career while struggling for game time as a teenager at Dinamo Zagreb.
“I was thinking about quitting because I like basketball as well,” Josko Gvardiol said. “I wasn’t sure in football anymore because when you get to the training ground you don’t feel happy any more, you know? I was just trying to find other solutions and to feel happier than I felt before because all of my friends were playing basketball.”
When Gvardiol was 16 years old, he struggled for playing time at Dinamo’s academy and lost his passion for the game.
But he eventually broke into the first team, winning back-to-back league titles and leaving on a high with a domestic double before joining RB Leipzig in 2021 for £16 million, a record fee for a Croatian teenager at the time.
Two strong seasons in Germany saw him make 87 appearances and attract interest from Europe’s biggest clubs. His £77 million move to Manchester City made him the second-most expensive defender in football history, behind Harry Maguire’s £80 million switch to Manchester United in 2019.
“My dream obviously was to become a professional football player, but I didn’t know that I was going to go that far,” Gvardiol said. “If you go five years back and ask me, do you see yourself at Manchester City in 2023, ’24, ’25? I would say no chance, like really impossible.”
Now a vital part of Pep Guardiola’s system, Gvardiol has become known for his composure, strength, and tactical intelligence. Last season, he featured in 55 of City’s 61 matches, logging more than 6,000 minutes for club and country.
“In my head last season I was like, ‘no matter what, how I feel, no matter if I am fit or not, I just want to play. I just want to compete to help the team,’” he explained. “I could feel it on my body, especially in the summer. I had a [knee] injury but now it’s finally good after six months.”
Guardiola has been full of praise for the 23-year-old’s development. “We cannot forget last season he was one of the most important players,” the City boss said.
“He’s so young, physically outstanding, can play in two roles perfectly, listens a lot, wants to improve, and that will help him become a better player.”
