Mateo Kovačić facts for kids
Kovačić with Chelsea after the 2019 UEFA Europa League final
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 6 May 1994 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Linz, Austria | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.77 m | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Central midfielder | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Current club | Manchester City | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2007 | LASK | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2010 | Dinamo Zagreb | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–2013 | Dinamo Zagreb | 43 | (6) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013–2015 | Inter Milan | 80 | (5) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015–2019 | Real Madrid | 73 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018–2019 | → Chelsea (loan) | 32 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019–2023 | Chelsea | 110 | (4) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023– | Manchester City | 48 | (5) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| National team‡ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008 | Croatia U14 | 2 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008 | Croatia U15 | 2 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009–2011 | Croatia U17 | 15 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011–2012 | Croatia U19 | 6 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011–2014 | Croatia U21 | 7 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013– | Croatia | 108 | (5) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Honours
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† Appearances (Goals). |
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Mateo Kovačić (Croatian pronunciation: [matěo kǒʋatʃitɕ]; born 6 May 1994) is a talented Croatian footballer. He plays as a central midfielder for the Premier League club Manchester City. He also plays for the Croatia national team.
Kovačić started his professional career at just 16 years old with Dinamo Zagreb. There, he won two league titles. He then moved to Inter Milan in 2013. In 2015, he joined Real Madrid, winning many trophies, including three UEFA Champions League titles. Later, he played for Chelsea, where he won another Champions League, the UEFA Europa League, and other major cups. He was even named Chelsea's Player of the Year for the 2019–20 season. In 2023, he joined Manchester City and won the Premier League in his first season.
Born in Austria, Kovačić played for Croatia's youth teams. He joined the senior national team in 2013. He has played in three FIFA World Cups and three UEFA European Championships. He helped Croatia reach the 2018 World Cup final and the 2023 UEFA Nations League final.
Contents
Mateo Kovačić's Football Journey
Early Days and Youth Career
Mateo Kovačić started playing football at a very young age. He joined the local LASK club's academy. When he was 13, big European clubs like Ajax and Bayern Munich noticed him. But his family decided to move to Zagreb, Croatia. There, he joined the famous Dinamo Zagreb academy.
In 2009, Mateo had a serious leg injury. But he worked hard and returned to the field in May 2010. He played in a friendly match for the under-17 team.
Starting Strong at Dinamo Zagreb
Just a few months later, in October 2010, Kovačić began training with Dinamo Zagreb's senior team. On 20 November 2010, he made his professional debut. He scored a goal in a 6–0 win, becoming the youngest goalscorer in the league's history! He was only 16 years and 198 days old. In his first season, he helped Dinamo win the league title.
In the 2011–12 season, Kovačić became a regular player. He helped his team reach the UEFA Champions League group stage for the first time in 12 years. At just 17, he played against Real Madrid. He also scored a goal against Lyon, becoming the second youngest scorer in Champions League history. He helped Dinamo win their seventh league title in a row. He was even named "Croatian Football Hope of the Year" in 2011.
Moving to Inter Milan
First Season in Italy (2012–13)
On 31 January 2013, Kovačić joined the Italian club Inter Milan. He made his debut just three days later. On 14 February, he played his first European game for Inter in the 2012–13 UEFA Europa League. He impressed everyone with his skills and got a standing ovation from the fans. Inter's manager called him a "star for the future."
He became a regular starter for Inter in the second half of the season. He even got an award from Inter fans called "Gentleman Revelation of the Year."
Building Up at Inter (2013–2015)
Kovačić had some small injuries in 2013, but he kept playing regularly. The new Inter manager, Walter Mazzarri, gave him a new role in midfield. In September 2014, he signed a new contract with Inter until 2019.
He started the 2014–15 season very well. He scored three goals in a Europa League play-off match. He also scored his first league goal for Inter in a huge 7–0 win. He continued to score important goals, showing his talent.
Joining Real Madrid
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On 16 August 2015, Kovačić moved to the Spanish club Real Madrid. He signed a six-year contract. He was the fifth Croatian player to join Real Madrid.
He made his debut four days later. He scored his first goal for Real Madrid in an 8–0 win in December 2015. In his first season, he played 34 games. He helped Real Madrid win the Champions League title.
In 2017, he scored his first league goal for Real Madrid. He was part of the team that won the Spanish league and another Champions League title. In the 2017–18 season, Real Madrid won their third Champions League in a row, and Kovačić was part of that historic team.
Time at Chelsea
Loan and Permanent Move (2018–2020)
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On 8 August 2018, Kovačić joined the English club Chelsea on loan. He made his debut ten days later. In May 2019, he started in the Europa League final, which Chelsea won 4–1.
On 1 July 2019, Kovačić officially joined Chelsea permanently. He became a very important player under the new manager, Frank Lampard. He scored his first Chelsea goal in November 2019 in the Champions League. In December, he scored his first Premier League goal. In August 2020, he was named the Chelsea Player of the Year.
Winning More Trophies (2020–2023)
In September 2020, Kovačić played his 100th game for Chelsea. After a tough start to the 2020–21 season, he found his best form again. He helped Chelsea reach the Champions League final. On 29 May 2021, he played in a Champions League final for the first time in his career, coming on as a substitute. Chelsea beat Manchester City 1–0 to win the trophy.
In September 2021, Kovačić scored a goal and made an assist in a 3–0 win. In January 2022, he scored a fantastic goal against Liverpool, which won him the Premier League Goal of the Month and Chelsea Goal of the Year awards. He also captained Chelsea for the first time in an FA Cup match. In March 2023, he captained Chelsea again in the Champions League and scored a goal in a league win.
Joining Manchester City
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On 27 June 2023, Mateo Kovačić signed a four-year deal with Manchester City. He made his debut in August 2023. He won his first trophy with City on 16 August, helping them win the 2023 UEFA Super Cup in a penalty shootout. In December 2023, he scored his first goal for Manchester City in the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup semi-final.
In the first match of the 2024–25 Premier League season, Kovačić scored his second league goal for Manchester City against his former club Chelsea.
Playing for Croatia
Youth National Teams
Kovačić played for Croatia's national teams at different youth levels. He started with the under-14 team in 2008. By 2011, he was a regular player for the under-19 and under-21 teams.
Senior National Team
Early Years (2012–2018)
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In March 2013, Kovačić made his debut for the Croatian senior team. He played in a World Cup qualification match against Serbia. He helped Croatia qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
At the 2014 World Cup, he played in all of Croatia's group stage games. On 7 June 2015, he scored his first goal for Croatia in a 4–0 win.
In 2018, Kovačić was part of Croatia's squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. He helped Croatia reach the final, where they were beaten by France. This was a huge achievement for the team.
Recent Years (2018–Present)
Kovačić continued to play for Croatia in the UEFA Nations League and Euro 2020 qualifiers. In November 2020, he scored two goals in a match against Portugal. These goals helped Croatia avoid being relegated in the Nations League.
In May 2021, he was selected for UEFA Euro 2020. He played well in all the group stage matches, helping Croatia reach the knockout stage. In June 2022, Kovačić captained Croatia for the first time. At the 2022 FIFA World Cup, his performances were highly praised as Croatia finished in third place.
On 3 June 2024, he played his 100th international game for Croatia in a friendly match.
How Mateo Kovačić Plays
Style of Play
Mateo Kovačić is known for his amazing technical skills and great dribbling. He is a very flexible midfielder who can play in different positions. He is often called a 'number 8' or a 'Box to Box' midfielder. This means he can defend, move the ball forward, and create chances.
He started as an attacking midfielder at Dinamo Zagreb. But at Inter Milan, he learned to play deeper as a deep-lying playmaker. One of his best moves is to get the ball deep in his own half and then run forward with it, weaving past opponents. He is also very good at passing the ball.
Kovačić is excellent at keeping the ball and winning it back quickly. He can use his strength and quick changes of speed to get out of tight spots. He is one of the best players at dribbling past opponents. He is also very good at staying calm and keeping the ball when other players are trying to tackle him.
About Mateo's Life
Mateo Kovačić was born in Linz, Austria. His parents are Bosnian Croats who moved there before the Yugoslav Wars. Mateo is a Catholic and goes to church every Sunday. He can speak five languages: Croatian, German, English, Italian, and Spanish.
In 2017, Kovačić married his girlfriend, Izabel Andrijanić. They had their first child, a boy named Ivan, in October 2020. His godfather is the famous Croatian footballer Luka Modrić.
Career Statistics
Club Appearances and Goals
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Dinamo Zagreb | 2010–11 | Prva HNL | 7 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 9 | 1 | ||
| 2011–12 | Prva HNL | 25 | 4 | 7 | 1 | — | 12 | 1 | — | 44 | 6 | |||
| 2012–13 | Prva HNL | 11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 8 | 0 | — | 20 | 1 | |||
| Total | 43 | 6 | 10 | 1 | — | 20 | 1 | — | 73 | 8 | ||||
| Inter Milan | 2012–13 | Serie A | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | — | 18 | 0 | ||
| 2013–14 | Serie A | 32 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 35 | 0 | ||||
| 2014–15 | Serie A | 35 | 5 | 1 | 0 | — | 8 | 3 | — | 44 | 8 | |||
| Total | 80 | 5 | 5 | 0 | — | 12 | 3 | — | 97 | 8 | ||||
| Real Madrid | 2015–16 | La Liga | 25 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 8 | 1 | — | 34 | 1 | ||
| 2016–17 | La Liga | 27 | 1 | 4 | 0 | — | 6 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 39 | 2 | ||
| 2017–18 | La Liga | 21 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | 7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 36 | 0 | ||
| Total | 73 | 1 | 10 | 0 | — | 21 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 109 | 3 | |||
| Chelsea (loan) | 2018–19 | Premier League | 32 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 12 | 0 | — | 51 | 0 | |
| Chelsea | 2019–20 | Premier League | 31 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 47 | 2 |
| 2020–21 | Premier League | 27 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 0 | — | 42 | 0 | ||
| 2021–22 | Premier League | 25 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 44 | 2 | |
| 2022–23 | Premier League | 27 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 1 | — | 37 | 2 | ||
| Total | 142 | 4 | 17 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 44 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 221 | 6 | ||
| Manchester City | 2023–24 | Premier League | 30 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 46 | 3 |
| 2024–25 | Premier League | 18 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 24 | 4 | |
| Total | 48 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 70 | 7 | ||
| Career total | 385 | 21 | 48 | 2 | 16 | 0 | 106 | 8 | 14 | 1 | 570 | 32 | ||
International Appearances and Goals
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Croatia | 2013 | 7 | 0 |
| 2014 | 12 | 0 | |
| 2015 | 5 | 1 | |
| 2016 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2017 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2018 | 12 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2020 | 7 | 2 | |
| 2021 | 12 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 16 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 6 | 2 | |
| 2024 | 11 | 0 | |
| Total | 108 | 5 | |
- Scores and results list Croatia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Kovačić goal
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 June 2015 | Stadion Varteks, Varaždin, Croatia | 20 |  Gibraltar |
2–0 | 4–0 | Friendly | |
| 2 | 17 November 2020 | Stadion Poljud, Split, Croatia | 63 |  Portugal |
1–0 | 2–3 | 2020–21 UEFA Nations League A | |
| 3 | 2–2 | |||||||
| 4 | 28 March 2023 | Bursa Metropolitan Stadium, Bursa, Turkey | 93 |  Turkey |
1–0 | 2–0 | UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying | |
| 5 | 2–0 |
Trophies and Awards
Club Trophies
Dinamo Zagreb
- Prva HNL: 2010–11, 2011–12
- Croatian Cup: 2010–11, 2011–12
Real Madrid
- La Liga: 2016–17
- Supercopa de España: 2017
- UEFA Champions League: 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18
- UEFA Super Cup: 2016, 2017
- FIFA Club World Cup: 2016, 2017
Chelsea
- UEFA Champions League: 2020–21
- UEFA Europa League: 2018–19
- UEFA Super Cup: 2021
- FIFA Club World Cup: 2021
- FA Cup runner-up: 2019–20, 2021–22
- EFL Cup runner-up: 2018–19, 2021–22
Manchester City
- Premier League: 2023–24
- FA Community Shield: 2024
- UEFA Super Cup: 2023
- FIFA Club World Cup: 2023
- FA Cup runner-up: 2023–24
National Team Achievements
Croatia
- FIFA World Cup runner-up: 2018; third place: 2022
- UEFA Nations League runner-up: 2022–23
Individual Awards
- Croatian Football Hope of the Year: 2011
- Chelsea Player of the Season: 2019–20
- Chelsea Goal of the Season: 2021–22
- Premier League Goal of the Month: January 2022
Orders
Order of Duke Branimir: 2018
See also
In Spanish: Mateo Kovačić para niños
