The world’s most outstanding 15 year-old footballer is none other than Croatia’s own, Luka Vušković.
Despite being born in 2007, Vušković has already proven to be the brightest star in Hajduk Split’s academy. The young center-back dominates the pitch defensively with his extreme size (195 cm, 6’4), unreal athleticism, and incredible anticipation. Believe it or not, he is also a prolific goalscorer and led Hajduk’s U-17 squad in goalscoring at the age of 14. Vušković is set to compete at the U-19 level next season, regardless of the four-year age gap as a 15 year-old. Not to mention he is also the younger brother of Croatia U-21 international Mario Vušković, so he sure does have the genes to succeed.
“Strength, grace, elegance, skills, football IQ. Lovely player to watch“.
Twitter’s most famous youth scout, Jacek Kulig, had that to say about Vušković – and much, much more. Kulig has over 200,000 followers on the app, and is best known for being the first person to bring future superstars into the spotlight through remarkably extensive scouting reports. His most recent report was done on Vušković, his first ever analysis on a talent born in 2007.
In each scouting report, Kulig provides each player with a “potential rating” out of 10. The most eye-catching aspect of Vušković’s report is the fact that he received a perfect 10/10 rating from the expert himself. Kulig noted that the young center-back indeed has “world-class potential”.
We personally reached out to Kulig to learn about the scarcity of a perfect rating. He replied, “It’s very rare. The player really has to be special and impress me A LOT”.
As seen above, it is evident that Vušković is the definition of a complete defender. Kulig listed a variety of his strengths, such as tactical intelligence, aerial duels, and versatility, without noting a single weakness. Normally, a player only 15 years of age would possess more weaknesses than strengths – but that’s not the case for Vušković, who seems to be developing at an exceptional level.
Vušković’s tremendous style of play is analyzed above. He is a danger to any team on both ends of the pitch, and has already developed the personality of a true leader. One thing always seems to be true for young Croatian footballers – bad attitude can completely destroy a growing career. Thankfully, similar to other talents such as Joško Gvardiol and Luka Sučić, Vušković seems to have his mind in the right place.
Luka Vušković is the real deal. Remember the name!
https://twitter.com/HNS_CFF/status/1541508018566795264
ZDS
https://www.getfootballnewsgermany.com/2022/official-wolfsburg-sign-croatian-midfielder-bartol-franjic/
Kovač building his crew at Wolfsburg.
Rebić reunion??
Gvardiol is a world class talent.
RB Leipzig was the move to stabilize his game on a European level.
Now he is ready for a break through!!
Conte brings that killer out of you.
Yes weren’t they also looking at sosa
So I guess they need an Lb
gvardiol is a great piece as he fits cb or lb if needed
I Think he would be good at Tottenham
He can handle the premier league I feel and also would mesh more with Perisic
Always a fan of multiple decki on the same squad
https://lastwordonsports.com/football/2022/06/26/tottenham-hotspur-target-josko-gvardiol/
Gvardiol to Tottenham rumours.
🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️
This is why we have borders. SHIT FOR BRAINS WANTS TO MIX WITH BLACKS FOR A BETTER SOCCER TEAM. STUPIDITY IS A CAPITAL OFFENSE.
Rukamet drains our small talent košarku talent pool.
Hezonja was the real “bust,” in the Živa Istina sense of the word.
He should of went to Kentucky for a year to learn how to be a baller.
Booker is no more talented and he is young super star.
@ Svima
I call BS on being too tall to be a nogometaš.
Look at Haaland.
I’ll take him leading our line any day of the week.
Why can’t this kid switch to striker and wreak havoc in the final third.
Nobody cares about anything but nogomet on here.
Other than iggy and tennis and soul champ with hoops.
Ok make it 95%
I regret bringing up the idea on here that height might impede his potential it’s taken on a negative life of its own.
Speaking of tall youth what happened to our hoops prospects in Croatia?
Not a single one drafted last Thursday?
Roko Prkacin withdrew from last years draft after being projected to be a late first rounder and doesn’t even get drafted this year?Earlier years first round picks like ……
Luka samanic,hezonja,bender zizic all busts and who knows if Dario saric will come back from his ACL tear?
It’s sad what’s happened to our Basketball program!
Boris prkacin withdrew from this years draft due to injuries but I agree on the sad state of the basketball back home.
We had someone drafted in the second round
I usually rate maminjo as the number 2 poster on this site behind me, but this statement is just inaccurate:
“The reason why there are not that many 6’7″ footballers, is because there are not that many 6’7″+ people period.”
If that were the case, then the average height in the nba wouldn’t be 6’7”… but it is… because that is around the center of the ideal height distribution for basketball
If 6’7” were anywhere close to an ideal height for soccer, given the fame and fortune that comes with being a professional soccer player, you could be sure that 6’7” soccer players would be pouring in despite a smaller global pool to pull from…but they are not
it remains that the distribution for soccer players more than any other sport looks like that of the normal population + maybe an inch or so. Here is the data from the last world cup. Defenders are the tallest on average around 6 feet with the tallest in the tournament being around 6’6”.
https://www.topendsports.com/sport/soccer/anthropometry-worldcup2018.htm
or look at best player by height
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2898095-ranking-the-best-player-in-the-world-at-each-height
no one interesting at the high end, except goal keepers, and no one even here at 6’8”.
So sorry, someone start spiking Vuskovics milk with caffeine and put the breaks on this growth or simply see if he’s got any capacity to transition to a new sport
The very best Messi, seems to be extra short legs , and a very long torso, so it must be an advantage to be built low to the ground in soccer. Still seems like having tall people for set pieces has to be an advantage, esp. regarding re-directing crosses, unless they are from Dario Srna near the end of his career, and if you are a gopher, you better watch out.
Don’t most men max out their height at 15/16, or did you all have late growth spurts?
I don’t know if this was announced earlier or if I just saw this today, but Fifa is allowing a 26 man roster for the World Cup instead of a 23 man roster. This will surely allow Dalic to have the best of both worlds, some useful vets and some unbridled youth.
Hopefully, it does not work against us , such that it allows Dalic to delay his decision , to keep Vida and Lovren on the team, and he ends up using them at the last minute.
Based on the comments from Dalic, and from Modric in their interview after the win against France I sincerely do not believe he will go ahead and choose Lovren and Vida, I would hope he throws Vrsaljko in the mix as well. The only four who should stay from 2018 in my view are Modric, Brozovic, Perisic, and Kovacic. That’s from the individuals who played consistently in that tournament, and who continue to be a difference on the team from that generation of players, I think everyone else is considerably younger maybe with the exception of Kova.
Just my thoughts. We have what could very well be a major difference to our game, with these younger defenders coming on the team to not put them would only help Dalic shoot himself in the foot. It would be a detriment to the tournament for us to not play them and to not have them on the team. I don’t think he can afford to ignore this, nor do I believe that he is ignoring it.
I think that the 26 man squad will only help provide Dalic with further options to promote the younger players. He is surely aware that these older players cannot keep playing, the exception here is maybe Modric, because the guy is not normal.
First of all I really hope this kid makes it. I think he will be able to. His height could be an advantage and I hope he becomes a scoring machine attacker-striker (more exciting than defender) and makes millions of dollars and represents Croatia on the national team. Making it and becoming a star in any pro sport is extremely difficult. Even if you are amazingly talented you must have a lot of factors in your favor and be super disciplined, focused, determined Etc. Etc
Just because a scout says a player is awesome…he should be great etc and the kid doesn’t pan out doesn’t mean he is over hyping or doesn’t know what he is talking about. You can be super good at any sport but as you go to the top it’s super competitive and It’s just that tough. Look at it like a horse race. You want to find and collect your best horses and put them in the big race. All the horses are super fast and strong but only one wins. In NBA there are 30 teams and only 5 starters per team. So out of all the millions and millions of people out there playing basketball only 150 players are starting on an NBA team right now ..and out of those that make it there’s usually 1 maybe 2 star type players per team. It’s just that hard.
So let the scouts do there thing and spot talent and support and be positive to anybody trying to make it big and go pro because it’s definitely not easy. Good luck.
So 1000 + soccer players and as counterarguments you guys list 3 6’4’’ guys? I think that almost proves the point
And also notice, you list 6’4’’ guys and not 6’7 guys
Zlatan at 6’5’’ is a stretch and also a striker is the only place you can have that extreme height . Striker you live off your own action and positive actions are much more highly valued than mistakes are penalized. For example, you can give away the ball 9 times in the final third but score one header, it’s a good day
Defenders are reactive and taller guys just can’t adjust quick enough. And on defense it is not making mistakes that is valued. Head away 5 crosses…great… but let a wing turn you around once for a goal and it’s a terrible day
Just facts fellas. Let’s see if we can get vukosic a jump shot
Those weren’t just “3 guys” those were stars… there are a lot of players over 6’4, like Dino peric of dinamo as an example… everyone here is projecting 6’7… I played with plenty of kids that dominated size wise at 15 and never grew another inch
Croatians (and our neighbors) are the only countries in the World that seem to produce tall people who are coordinated and athletic.
Lots of tall white dudes in the NBA, but the most athletic, coordinated and skilled ones are always from the Balkans.
This is also true when it comes to other sports like tennis, waterpolo, and football. Nobody in the World can roll out 6’10” tennis players and 6’9″ water polo players, yet we do.
Most of the tall footballers are in the 6’4″ to 6’5″ range (like Dzeko, Arnautovic, Sesko, Ibrahimovic)…but you also had a few freaks like 6’7″ Kalajdzic and 6’8″ Nikola Zigic (who had his moments in La Liga).
The reason why there are not that many 6’7″ footballers, is because there are not that many 6’7″+ people period.
Striker seems like the most useful position for a freakishly tall footballer (especially if you have a Borna Sosa type as your wingback). Just ask Kalajdzic.
We’ll see how things go with this kid. If he were Nordic, German or English…then there would be little chance for him. But being from Croatia, he looks like he’s already very skilled and coordinated already.
He could turn out to be pretty good even if he does reach basketball height.
We’ve got so many prospects now it’s crazy. Most will bust out, but that’s fine. The volume we have now is great, and every year that an Ante Palaversa or Domagoj Bradaric type doesn’t make progress, a Kacavenda, Sutalo or Vidovic type takes a step forward ahead of them.
To wrap up with Markus, if this kid is 6’7’’ it’s game over. He’s not going to be a star and likely not going to be a player at all. Even 6,5 / 6’6’’ etc is too much.
There just aren’t players this tall that are any good,
Sure you can say but he’s so good now! But this is like a college running qb like tebow who can run in college but can’t at the next level when the players are a different caliber. Or one of those 7’4’’ tacko falls college basketball players who dominate college but can’t play in the pros cause the game is too fast
As soon as you wrote 6’5’m 15 year old it went from “this is interesting” to “well that’s a shame”
Stats are stats. They don’t lie. And overly tall people are not good at soccer and definitely not superstars. They are fringe and gimmicky
Zlatan is 6’5…. Could u imagine if he had mixed in with our latest gen
Pique 6’4
Vincent Kompany 6’4
How tall is Ibrahimovic?
Whether this kid is over hyped or not it’s still nice to read about our young talent.
Keep up the good work boys?
If you are worried about excessive
Start him on doing leg presses
Problem solved
height
Love to see Hajduk turning out the real dalmatinski talent.
The kid is born in February and is an obvious early accelerator, he may not grow so much more?
Why can’t he play striker at his size and skill and athleticism?
He definitely needs to play with an age group more congruent with his size and physicality.
I would put him up top and let him go beast mode.
After years of training, it seems this board has finally come over to my side where sure we can get excited by some youth but we need to stay realistic that they are often overhyped and the Odds of them ever becoming great are still slim. I’m glad my teachings are having effect
I’m afraid with vuskovic, things are not going to work out. He’s too tall at this age, and once he gets to 6’7/6’8’ range he’ll becoming pretty worthless as a soccer player. There is a reason there just aren’t that many soccer players that size and it’s simply that this game is played 90 percent of the time on the ground and big guys don’t have the agility for that
Maybe we can use his athleticism and get him into hoops or handball before it’s too late
It’s not YOUR SIDE it’s the side of being pragmatic and using common sense to evaluate whether a kid can truly make it long term!
People once said that Luka Modric was too short to play the game. How is this not the same but a reversed argument??
Let the kid play. Ante is only commenting on what he sees. There is some nicety to his ability and passing.
“Things are not going to work out”.
You’re not merely suggesting the possibility that he may not pan out but instead you seem to be definitively stating that he won’t make it, and for some stupid reason like height? Your “teachings” are just pessimistic bullshit without any sort of merit. He likely won’t grow to 6’7/6’8 since he’s an early sprouter and may just stop at 6’4-6’6. I was 6’ at 14, thinking I’d reach about 6’4-6’5 but I’m now 6’1 at full height. It’s actually quite rare to continue on a linear growth path as a teenager. Luka is most likely at the top of his growth curve.
I don’t think height affects how well you play in a position necessarily. To me that argument makes very little sense. John Stockton was an exceptionally short basketball player bit he was pure class and an exceptional basketball player. Luka Modric was told he was too short, now he is one of the best Midfielders in the world with five champions league titles. There is a plethora of shorter or taller players, irrespective of their positions who are exceptional at the sport they play. This argument that people are making does not make any sense at all to me.
It’s not based on stats, per se, because there are many people who have deviated from those stats and from what we consider to be the norm quote end quote.
I think it comes down to desire, drive, sheer talent, and discipline. Height doesn’t fall into any of these categories and I don’t believe it is a deterministic factor at all of how good you will be.
as long as he is not an idol worshiper, he will be blessed for his talent and become our savior _ lgbt has worsened the situation for children today | pay attention to their schedule
We like Luka and Hajduk but stop the hype and putting pressure on these young players. Let them play bro!
When should be start reporting on these guys then?
I agree Ante, it’s not about hyping it’s about discussing their talent at this time. Potentially this is a way for us to find the right discussions to help develop that talent further.
I think it makes no sense to throw negativity in the mix this soon. It makes no sense to be exceptionally critical when he has that ability and crisp passing at that age it definitely shows something. Whether he is towering over players or not he could still be quite the player one day.
Worth looking into.
I think when they start growing some chest hair and hair on their chin.
Sutalo stanisic and sucic
Sutalo and stanisic had huge roles in beating France in France a mostly A team France
Which we never beat. In a game where France probably actually wanted to win. Yes I know it’s nations league but still
They are professionals but especially stanisic Kid plays and actually gets some minutes in Bayern. Lays down proper batina on mbappe pretty well the best forward in the world
You think he is like oh ya I’m so excited to go play for the u21s
These kids need to be incorporated
Sucic will get his turn we all know we will the other two but fuck the u21s
We already know mostly what juranovic cc bring
Let’s see stanisic and sutalo Back there a bit more
Gvardiol and sutalo do look like an amazing pair
But maybe gvardiol and erlic can be a more secure Pairing to start the World Cup
There is no way lovren becomes top match fit at his age getting transferred in summer
Why could we not use him as a Striker. He could the next coming of Peter Crouch. He is probably going to end up being 6’10”- 7′ , if he is 6’4″ @ 15 years old. Can you imagine him in goal or just think of the corner set ups.
That’s a CB?
The guy looked like he was playing the deep lying midfielder role. Nice passes.
…and yea, the kid will likely be at least 6’8″ for sure. He could be a Jan Koller type for us. Freakishly tall, but enough technical skill to make the necessary move or two, to get into scoring position.
Will be interesting to see how he (along with Igor Matanovic who is still 19) will end up.
He can play CB or CDM
@kromiza. He ain’t going to be 7 foot tall FFS. He’s not stojko vrankovic. He won’t grow no more maybe perhaps an inch and he should be good. Let the boy mature
Exactly
People here seem to think growth is linear and constant but it isn’t
He’s more than likely reached his peak height or is damn close to it
Doubt he grows past 6’6
Hopefully not the second coming of Filip Benkovic.
May he stay injury free and continue to progress and stay hungry.
We talk about halilovic Balic and brekalo who I still think will pan out and their slight frames…that’s a big reason they don’t succeed.Luka being a big defender takes that out of the equation.. I just hope he stops growing,those 6’6” defenders can be easily turned 1V1 by quicker slighter framed attackers.
Just watched LIVE Draw for U21 EURO play offs. We did not have much luck, we drew Denmark one of the tougher teams in the draw. First match at home in September, clashes with the seniors NL matches. I wonder what will happen with players such as Sucic, Sutalo and Stanisic ? U21 or the seniors ?
Bišćan had his chance.
Hopefully Dalić isn’t stupid enough to hand over players that is needed for the senior team, like Sučić, Stanišić and Šutalo.
This would hurt our World Cup preparations.
Agree.
However, knowing Dalic he will release them for the U21.
Yea, he’ll probably field an Erlic/Gvardiol CB partnership, so he can give Sutalo away to the U21s.
I’d love to see a Sutalo/Gvardiol pairing…especially since Sutalo’s favored position is RCB and Gvardiol’s is LCB.
Playing to young, fast, technically gifted CBs in their favored positions is what I want to see.
Hope is positive, let’s hope he doesn’t flop
We can only hope that he becomes a good or even a great player ? You can never tell with teenagers they look the goods at 14,15 and 16 years but then they stop and do not develop any further. Remember Alen Halilovic, at 15 years of age they were calling him Croatian Messi. Another example is Josip Brekalo, who as a 15 and 16 year old was superb on the left wing and people were predicting that he was going to be a superstar. I remember watching him play for Croatian youth teams and also thinking WOW this kid is going places.
As we all know Halilovic has been a huge flop and Brekalo’s career has not taken off as many people were predicting. Brekalo going to Wolfsburg at 18 years of age was a mistake and his career has stagnated ever since. He should have stayed at Dinamo for a few more years before leaving HNL.
Please note that Brekalo, if I recall correctly, had the highest Sofra Score in the Serie A this past season. Thus high output and extremely consistent. With time he will “fill out” physically and cover that weakness in my opinion.
He literally looks like a giant among dwarfs
Is this the huge reason for his domination? Growing more rapidly?
At that age, being tall, one would think it is a detriment since your body has to catch up with what your brain is telling you to do. One tends to be a little uncoordinated until the body catches up with the brain. Growth spurts can be a hindrance in development. Side note: When he succeeds in the upcoming years I bet that we will see more fellow Croatian Sportasi who have a propensity due to height to choose Handball, Waterpolo or Basketball decide they want Soccer to be their sport of choice. Perhaps the HNS will have a two to 3 6’4″ starters! It will be so in my opinion.
Wow
What’s with all the defensive talents
Look out Italy we gonna take over as the Adriatic defensive kings
And thank God it’s not one of our Guys hyping him up with homer glasses so we can’t shit on our own
Wishing you all the best kid and see you in 2026 World Cup;)
If anyone can crack Croatia at 19-20 it sounds like this kid can
Please God can we just see one amazing keeper prospect coming up!!!