Josko Gvardiol #4

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He is now one of the best defenders in the world, but at 16, Gvardiol wasn’t happy about how his development was going and even considered quitting football altogether and joining his father, Tihomir, in selling fish at the Dolac marketplace in Zagreb. In the end he took a mental map that a family friend made for him and hung it on the wall of his room. “SUCCESS,” it said in capital letters, while three other words were highlighted: discipline, top club and plan A. The Little Pep, as he’s been nicknamed from his very early days, has achieved it all, while remaining a remarkably down-to-earth guy who never lets fame get to his head. But what if things hadn’t worked out as a footballer, what would he have done instead? “Make pastries,” he quickly said when asked that question.

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