Three Champions Leagues — an Inter Milan captain at 18 who became Chelsea and City's midfield engine.
Mateo Kovačić was born in Linz, Austria in 1994 to Croatian parents. Inter Milan signed him from Dinamo Zagreb at 18 — making him Inter's youngest captain in the process. Real Madrid paid £25 million for him in 2015 and he won three Champions Leagues. Chelsea signed him on loan and then permanently. He won the Champions League with Chelsea in 2021 and the FA Cup in 2022. Manchester City paid £25 million for him in 2023. His debut City season produced the Premier League title. He reached the 2018 World Cup Final with Croatia. His combination of close dribbling — his ability to maintain possession in tight spaces is exceptional — with pressing intensity and distribution range makes him one of the most valuable midfield players in European football. He accumulated remarkably few yellow cards for a player who engages in as many defensive duels as his statistics suggest. He represented Croatia 103 times across multiple major tournaments.
Champions League 3x (2014,2016,2018)
Career Honours
- Champions League 3x (2014,2016,2018)
- Premier League (2023)
- World Cup runner-up (Croatia 2018)