Biography
Who is Nikola Vlašić?
Early life and family background
Nikola Vlašić was born in Split, Croatia. He grew up in a prominent sporting family. His father, Joško Vlašić, worked as an athletics coach. His older sister is Blanka Vlašić, a well-known world champion high jumper. His mother, Venera Milin, is a former cross-country skier. His father originally comes from Dubrava, while his mother has roots in Jezera on the island of Murter.
Nikola began his football development at the Omladinac Vranjic academy. He later moved to the Hajduk Split academy at age 12. He excelled at the youth level. During the 2013–14 season, he played for the Hajduk U17 team alongside Andrija Balić. They formed a strong midfield partnership, helping the team finish the first half of the season in first place without losing a match. Following this success, he signed a professional contract and advanced to the U19 team.
Professional football debut
On July 17, 2014, Nikola made his senior debut for Hajduk Split. This appearance occurred during a UEFA Europa League qualifying match against Dundalk. He scored a goal during this game, making him the youngest scorer for Hajduk Split in international competitions at 16 years and 9 months old. Throughout that season, he appeared in 37 matches and scored four goals total.
In June 2016, Hajduk Split appointed him as vice-captain. He served as captain for the first time on July 14, 2016, during a Europa League qualifying match against CSM Politehnica Iași. He captained the side four more times during that campaign. In 2017, his performances led to a transfer to the Premier League.
International career and club moves
Nikola moved to Everton in August 2017 on a five-year contract. He scored his first goal for the club during a Europa League match against Apollon Limassol. After one season, he moved to the Russian club CSKA Moscow. During his time in Russia, he made a strong impact in the Champions League, scoring against Real Madrid in 2018. In December 2020, he received recognition as the Russian Footballer of the Year.
In August 2021, he joined West Ham United in the Premier League. He scored his first goal for the team in December 2021 against Watford. By August 2022, he moved to the Italian club Torino on loan, and the team later made the transfer permanent in 2023. Internationally, he debuted for Croatia in 2017. He played for his country in the UEFA Euro 2020, the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and the 2026 World Cup, where he scored a goal against Ghana.
Birthday and age
Nikola Vlašić was born on October 4, 1997, which makes Nikola 29 years old today. That birthday falls under the Libra sign. Nikola shares the date with 31 other famous people.
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