(During the next 30 days, starting May 10th, CroatianSports will be giving “season grades” to 30 of Croatia’s most important football players: Starting XI, bench, fringe, prospects. Grades will be given on preseason expectations vs. actual season performance; not stats.)
Day 5: Joško Gvardiol
Season Grade: A
Grade for Croatian NT: A+ (no explanation needed)
Grade for Leipzig: A- (slow start to season, but found his consistency and has secured himself as one of the best defenders in the Bundesliga)
Season Highlight:
- Goal and amazing defensive display against Morocco in bronze medal match in Qatar
- Only goal and lock-down on Haaland in 1-1 draw to Man City in first leg RO16
- Best young player (robbed of the actual award) and arguably best overall defender of the WC at just 20 years of age
Team next season:
- One more season with Leipzig and solidify himself as a top 5 defender in the world (50%)
- Real Madrid, Man City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Bayern… the world is his oyster (50%)
What to improve next season:
There is nothing to concretely improve on for Gvardiol except just continuing to elevate every aspect of his game by every passing season. Continuing to mature in his decision-making and defensive position is important as his skill is sure to be world-class for the entirety of his career.
What the future holds:
- A big money move to a world-class club
- Many UCL/trophies and individual accolades
- International trophy (hopefully) with Croatia
Croatian players all the time level -o
this is the standard – not to divert.
World Class [Gold Type]
Luka Modric
Be Considered [Silver Type]
………………………………………
Decent Players [Bronze Type]
High Level –
Boban, Suker
Mid-level >
Rakitic, Mandzukic, Prosinecki, Boksic, Olic,
Niko Kovac, Perisic, Brozovic, Darijo Srna
Low level –
Robert Kovac, Dario Simic, Gvardiol,
Robert Jarni, Kovacic, Igor Tudor
ok laknat. get back in your cave.
Can you please start writing for the site
Everyday, it’s some amazing new insight
He should come to arsenal. Josko it’s the perfect next step
He was 100% the best player for Croatia by a country side. Writer of this piece has nailed it on the head.
and yet he says he has more room for improvement- a real student of the game- svaka cast Josko