Josip Šutalo
Josip Šutalo is a central defender born on 28 February 2000 in Čapljina (in Bosnia and Herzegovina, but naturalised Croatian). His main attributes are his composure on the ball, his playmaking ability from the back, and his defensive effectiveness when marking opponents.
His footballing development is primarily linked to Dinamo Zagreb, whose youth academy he joined in 2014. After making his first-team debut on 30 October 2019 in the round of 16 of the Croatian Cup, he was loaned out to Istra 1961 in January 2021 to gain experience. He returned to Dinamo in July of the same year, establishing himself as an undisputed starter and a mainstay of the defence. With the capital city's club, he won 5 Croatian league titles, one Croatian Cup, and one Super Cup, while also making regular appearances in the Champions League and Europa League.
In the summer of 2023, his excellent performances attracted interest from Europe's top clubs, prompting Ajax to sign him for over €20 million. In Amsterdam, he experienced a spell of ups and downs, heavily influenced by a complicated period for the Dutch side and a few injuries. Nevertheless, he managed to rack up 108 total appearances across three seasons, even wearing the captain's armband on several occasions.
On 22 August 2026, he moved to Italy to join Lazio on a loan deal with an option to buy, making his debut for the Biancocelesti on 12 September 2026.
At international level, Šutalo progressed through all the youth ranks before becoming a key figure for the Croatia senior national team, making his debut in June 2022. Wearing the Croatian shirt, he won a prestigious bronze medal at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and a silver medal at the 2023 UEFA Nations League, while also playing a leading role as a starter in both Euro 2024 and the 2026 World Cup.
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