Josko Gvardiol: The Man City Defender almost gave up football for basketball

Josho Gvardiol’s £77M move to Manchester City from RB Leipzig in August 2023 made him the second most expensive defender of all time.

But the 23-year-old Croatia International has revealed that he almost gave up his “dream” Football career to play for Dinamo Zagreb.

“I’m thinking about stopping because I like basketball too,” the centre-back told BBC Sport.

Aged 16 and struggling to get game time for Zagreb’s Youth team, Gvardiol considered ways out of football.

“I’m not sure about football anymore because when you get to the training ground you don’t feel happy anymore, you know?

“I’m just trying to find other solutions and feel happier than I’ve ever felt because all my friends are playing basketball.”

Gvardiol rebuked his time and broke the senior team, winning back-to-back titles with Zagreb and signing a Bundesliga leave for a teenage Croatian.

He impressed in his two seasons in Germany and after 87 appearances for RB Leipzig, Gvardiol signed a five-year deal with Manchester City in 2023.

Harry Maguire is the only manager in world football who has moved for more money, joining Manchester United from Leicester City for 2019m.

“My dream was obviously to become a professional footballer, but I didn’t know I would go that far,” added Gvardiol.

“If you go back five years and ask me, do you see yourself in City City in 2023, ’24, ‘I can’t do the impossible.'”