Josko Gvardiol rose to global prominence as ‘the man in the mask’ at the 2022 World Cup but had long since been destined for the top.
The Zagreb-born 21-year-old caught the eye in Qatar, but more for his unruffled dynamism at the heart of Croatia’s defence than for the black face mask worn to protect his broken nose.
Gvardiol, who on Saturday completed a £77.6million to Manchester City, was a stand-out player during Croatia’s run to the semi-finals and emerged as arguably the best young player at the tournament and certainly among the world’s best left-footed central defenders.
Argentina’s Enzo Fernandez received FIFA’s young player award, but Gvardiol was included in a five-man shortlist alongside the likes of Jude Bellingham and Morocco’s Azzedine Ounahi.
Dozens of British media outlets named him in their team of the tournament.
His career had already been on a steep upward curve after making his debut for Dinamo Zagreb aged 17 in 2019 and less than a year later he joined RB Leipzig for £13.8million.
Leipzig loaned Gvardiol straight back to Zagreb for the remainder of the 2020-21 season and he played a key role in his hometown club’s domestic double-winning campaign.
The Bundesliga club beat a host of European clubs to the teenager’s signature, including Leeds, who had offered a reported £19million under then head coach Marcelo Bielsa.
Gvardiol later revealed that he had been close to teaming up with Bielsa, who had regularly phoned him personally to convince him of his project at Elland Road.
But he opted for Leipzig and, in his first season at the Red Bull Arena, Gvardiol won rave reviews, helping them lift the DFB Pokal – their first major trophy – and qualify for the Champions League after finishing runners-up to champions Bayern Munich.
Leipzig also reached the 2022 Europa League semi-finals – they lost 3-2 on aggregate to Rangers – and, with Gvardiol integral to their success, Europe’s big guns moved in.
Chelsea’s reported offer of £77.5m in the summer of 2022 was rejected as Leipzig extended the Croatian’s contract until 2027 and he continued to impress.
He scored his first Champions League goal as Leipzig halted Real Madrid’s 16-game unbeaten start last season in a 3-2 win before the World Cup break, heading the German side into an early lead.
Croatia head coach Zlatko Dalic had no doubts Gvardiol was on the path to stardom when handing the then-19-year-old his first senior international start in their opening group defeat to England at Euro 2020.
Gvardiol started in every game at the Euros as Croatia lost to Spain in the round of 16 and Dalic’s admiration grew at the World Cup in Qatar.
Lionel Messi duped Gvardiol when setting up Julian Alvarez for Argentina’s third goal in Croatia’s 3-0 semi-final defeat, but that did not detract from the 6ft 1in defender’s immense contribution overall.
After Croatia reached the knockout stages in Qatar, Dalic said: “Gvardiol is the best central defender in the world. He’s so mature. The way he plays, with the grace he controls the ball – it’s amazing.”
Manchester City will be hoping Gvardiol can live up to such high praise.
Bowen: Victory at Newcastle 'a really big turning point' for West Ham
Jarrod Bowen praised the manner of West Ham's victory at Newcastle United and believes it will act as "a really big turning point" in his side's campaign.
West Ham won 2-0 at St James' Park in Monday's Premier League contest thanks to goals from Tomas Soucek and Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
The victory is just the Hammers' fourth in 12 league matches under Julen Lopetegui, who has seen his job as head coach called into question early in his tenure.
Bowen, who assisted Wan-Bissaka's goal, believes things are now starting to turn for his side after a slow start to the campaign.
Asked by Sky Sports if it could be a big win for Lopetegui, Bowen replied: "I think it is for everyone associated with the club. We've been disappointed with our start.
"We have to take responsibility and do our work. We haven't done that to a high enough ability this year. It was a real big moment and this is a really big turning point in our season.
"[Lopetegui] has come in with different ideas and playing from the back but also mixing it up as well.
"That's up to us to adapt too, and he has come in with fresh good ideas, especially for us attacking players. We are getting there."
Bowen overtook Paolo Di Canio with his 79th Premier League goal involvement for West Ham and is now behind only Michail Antonio (101) and Mark Noble (82).
Wan-Bissaka's strike early in the second half added to Soucek's 10th-minute opener, with that his fourth Premier League goal against Newcastle – against no team does he have a better record.
West Ham remain 14th in the league but are now just three points off the top-half places, with a home match against Arsenal next up on Saturday.
Lopetegui, who replaced David Moyes ahead of the 2024-25 campaign, was pleased with the win but believes there is more to come from his side.
"We are happy. I think that we played well," he told Sky Sports. "We played with one identity and we were able to overcome a very good team.
"They started well and it is always good to have more confidence. They had two chances and I think in the second half we did well and deserved to win.
"I am happy for the players, for the team and for the fans. They will have to drive a lot of miles so we are happy for them. We look forward to the next challenge. We are happy but we have a lot of work to do.
"We have to build as a team if we are to work and know what we want to do. I think about their play. That is the thing that we try to do.
"We have a lot of matches that we need to do and I believe in the future this team is going to be able to show the style as a team.
"The players believe and they are able to put in the focus every day. Each match is one incredible challenge in the Premier League."
Newcastle United 0-2 West Ham: Soucek and Wan-Bissaka relieve pressure on Lopetegui
Tomas Soucek and Aaron Wan-Bissaka scored as West Ham defeated Newcastle United 2-0 at St James' Park on Monday to ease the pressure on boss Julen Lopetegui.
Newcastle entered the game on a three-match winning run, including back-to-back victories in the Premier League, but it was a previously out-of-form West Ham side who came out on top.
Soucek profited from some poor Newcastle defending to head West Ham into a 10th-minute lead, coming after Alexander Isak had a goal rightly disallowed for offside.
Isak missed a good chance and Anthony Gordon was denied by Lukasz Fabianski, before Wan-Bissaka fired in his first goal for the Hammers eight minutes into the second half after being played in by Jarrod Bowen.
Fabianski had next to nothing to do from that point on as West Ham saw out a win that keeps them 14th but now within three points of Newcastle, who are 10th and still four points adrift of the top four.
Data Debrief: Happy Mondays for West Ham
West Ham have now won eight of their past nine Premier League games on a Monday, with the only exception in that run being a 3-1 loss at Arsenal on Boxing Day 2022.
Soucek's goal was his fourth against Newcastle in the Premier League – against no side does he have more – with each of those giving West Ham the lead.
Three of Wan-Bissaka's four goals in the competition have come against today's opponents, meanwhile, this latest one being assisted by Bowen.
The England forward has now been involved in 79 Premier League goals for West Ham – one more than Paolo Di Canio, and now behind only Michail Antonio (101) and Mark Noble (82).
USWNT goalkeeper Naeher to retire from international football
United States goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher is to retire from international football next month.
Naeher has won 113 caps for the USWNT and was a regular between the sticks during their most recent World Cup-winning campaign in 2019, also starting for Emma Hayes' Olympic Gold medallists in Paris earlier this year.
The 36-year-old, who has represented the Chicago Red Stars in the NWSL since 2016, will link up with Hayes' side for their upcoming friendlies against England and the Netherlands, but that will be the final camp she attends.
Naeher said in a statement posted to her Instagram account: "With immense gratitude and very thoughtful consideration, I have decided to retire from the international game.
"Having the opportunity to be a part of the USWNT for the past 15 years has been the greatest honour.
"This has been a special team to be a part of and I am beyond proud of what we have achieved both on and off the field. The memories I have made over the years will last me a lifetime.
"I know one chapter is ending, but I am so excited to continue to see the growth of this team going forward and what more they can accomplish."
Hope Solo (202) and Briana Scurry (175) are the only goalkeepers to make more appearances for the team than Naeher, who made her debut versus Argentina in December 2014.
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