Josko Gvardiol has recently opened up about a time when he seriously considered leaving football to pursue a career in basketball.
Before his headline-grabbing transfer to Manchester City, Gvardiol had made a name for himself at RB Leipzig, impressing in nearly 90 appearances and establishing himself as one of the world’s top young prospects.
But his journey almost took a very different path.
Before he made a name for himself in Germany, Gvardiol was originally playing in his native Croatia for Dinamo Zagreb.
Limited game time and a lack of enjoyment from training and sitting on the bench left him questioning his future and it was during this period that the Croatian international thought of swapping the pitch for the basketball court, a sport in which he is also highly skilled.
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Yet he persevered, eventually breaking into Zagreb’s first team and helping the club secure back-to-back league titles in 2020 and 2021.
A £16 million move to Leipzig followed, where his performances earned him a £77 million transfer to City in 2023 – still the second-highest fee ever paid for a defender.
Gvardiol’s surprising revelation
“I was thinking about quitting because I like basketball as well,” Gvardiol recently told BBC Sport.
“I wasn’t sure about football any more because when you get to the training ground you don’t feel happy any more, you know?
“I was just trying to find other solutions and to feel happier than I felt before because all of my friends were playing basketball.”
The center-back admitted that while he had long dreamed of being a professional footballer, there were many doubts that crept in at the time.
“My dream obviously was to become a professional football player, but I didn’t know that I was going to go that far,” he added.
Nonetheless, Gvardiol has now become a mainstay in Pep Guardiola’s side, having featured in an incredible 55 of their 61 matches across competitions last term.
“If you go five years back and ask me, do you see yourself at Manchester City in 2023, ’24, ’25? I would say no chance, like really impossible,” Gvardiol continued.
“In my head last season I was like, ‘no matter what, how I feel, no matter if I am fit or not, I just want to play. I just want to compete to help the team.”
Manchester City news and related links
- Bernardo Silva sends strong message about post-Man City plans
- Manchester City nearing contract extensions for two key young stars
- Ex-Man City midfielder credits Pep Guardiola for shaping his career
