Domagoj Vida

Who is Domagoj Vida?

Domagoj Vida is a Croatian football defender who plays for the Turkish club Besiktas as well as the Croatia national team. Domagoj Vida can play in any defensive position but is most commonly used as a center-back or right full-back. Prior to this incident, he had several disagreements with Dinamo head coach Ante Cacic.

If you don’t know who Domagoj is, we strongly advise you to watch Croatia’s run to the 2018 World Cup Final.

Apart from Luka Modric, Vida was Croatia’s best player on their way to second place. Domagoj was, in fact, the tournament’s best defender.

But the 32-year-life old’s was not always rosy.

Instead, the Besiktas center-back has had to overcome numerous challenges during his 14-year career.

Vida has seen it all in his illustrious career, from being dropped due to altercations to being named the World Cup’s best defender.

And it is for this reason that we have written this article. Domagoj’s early life, his current days with Besiktas, and everything that happened in between is all covered in this section.

So, without further ado, let us begin.

Childhood and Family

Domagoj was born on April 29, 1989, in Nasice, Croatia’s easternmost town.

His mother, Zeljka Vida, worked as a housewife, and his father, Rudika Vida, was a professional footballer.

As a result, when they weren’t studying, young Vida enjoyed playing football with his brother, Hrvoje Vida.

Even at school, the Croatians could not stop thinking about football.

Domagoj joined the youth academy of his local club, NK Osi, as a result.

Vida stayed with the club for a few years after that before Osijek came in and swooped the young prodigy.

The Croatian would go on to make his professional debut at Osijek.

More Facts About Domagoj Vida

Football Career of Domagoj Vida

Domagoj made his professional debut in 2006, shortly after joining Osijek, at the age of 17.

As a result, the Croatian only made 12 appearances in his rookie season because he needed time to develop and adapt.

Nonetheless, Vida had impressed his manager enough to earn a starting spot the following season.

During his time in Osijek, he was known as Vida Vida.

That is exactly what happened as the talented center-back firmly established himself in the starting lineup.

Vida, for example, appeared in 22 games for the club, starting nearly all of them.

Domagoj remained with the club for another two years before joining Bundesliga giants Bayer Leverkusen.

At the time of his transfer, the Croatian international had played 95 games for Osijek, scoring six goals and assisting four more.

Domagoj signed a €3 million contract with the Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen on April 29, 2010.

As a result, it appeared that the Croatian center had made it to the big league, but it was not to be.

Leverkusen Bayer

Vida only spent one season with Bayer Leverkusen.

Vida, for example, only made nine appearances all season.

In fact, the 32-year-old made only one appearance in the Bundesliga, and that was as a substitute.

Domagoj joined Bayer in the hopes of becoming a star, but his time there turned out to be hell.

Vida decided to leave the club after only one season in order to find more playing time.

Domagoj’s wish for more playing time was granted when the biggest club in Croatia, Dinamo Zagreb, signed him for a reported €1.75 million contract.

Following that, the Croatian center-back established himself as a stalwart in the Dinamo backline, appearing in 47 games and leading the club to the league title.

However, the season was not without controversy, as tv footage from a Champions League match against Lyon showed Vida winking just after Lyon scored their fifth goal.

As a result, there were widespread rumors that the game had been rigged, with Vida being a prime suspect.

However, due to a lack of proper evidence, UEFA did not take any action against the club or the player.

The following season with Dinamo was possibly the worst of his career.

Domagoj, for example, was involved in numerous altercations throughout the season, limiting his appearances to only 28 games.

Vida was thrown off the bus on September 24, 2012, for opening a beer on the way to a cup match.

In addition, the Croatian international had numerous disagreements with his coach, which resulted in him being benched for several games.

As a result, Dinamo Zagreb decided to part ways with Domagoj.

Following that, many clubs expressed interest in the talented defender, but in the end, it was Ukrainian powerhouse Dynamo Kyiv that secured Vida’s services.

Dynamo paid Zagreb a transfer fee of €6 million for the Croatian center-back.

Domagoj then spent five years with the capital-based club, where he had some memorable moments.

Champions of the Ukrainian Premier League in 2014/15

Dynamo Kyiv won the Ukrainian Premier League in 2014-15.

Vida, for example, scored the game-winning goal against Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk to help his team win the Ukrainian Premier League for the first time in six years in 2014-15.

The following season, Dynamo Kyiv won the league title again, and Domagoj was once again a key member of the title-winning squad.

The Croatian international stayed with Dynamo for another two years before embarking on a new adventure.

Vida finished his time with Dynamo Kyiv having played in 161 games, scoring 13 goals and providing eight assists.

In addition, with the club, the Croatian footballer won two Ukrainian Premier Leagues. Overall, Vida’s time with Dynamo was filled with highs and lows.

Nonetheless, the Croatian center determined that a change of scenery was required to take his game to the next level.

Domagoj did the same when he moved to Turkish giants Besiktas for €9 million in the winter of 2018.

Many fans and pundits thought the fee paid for the defender was exorbitant.

Nonetheless, it had no effect on Vida, who maintained his impressive form.

In fact, Domagoj’s form for Besiktas was so good that the club decided to make him their highest-paid player.

Unfortunately, despite earning a large salary at Besiktas, Vida has yet to win a trophy in his two seasons with the club. Besiktas, on the other hand, is nine points off the top spot this season, with eight games remaining.

As a result, we have complete faith in Besiktas and Vida to overcome the deficit and win this season.

But first, the league must resume because it has been impacted by the global Corona Virus epidemic (COVID-19).

Serious Head Injury

Vida suffered a severe head injury in 2017 while playing for Dynamo Kyiv after colliding with Cameroonian right winger Moumi Ngamaleu. He was covered in blood after the clash caused his head to crack open.

Croatia | Domagoj Vida

Vida’s international career began on May 23, 2010, with a 2-0 victory over Wales.

Domagoj was subsequently named to the UEFA Euro 2012 squad after excelling for the national team.

However, the Besiktas center-back would only appear once throughout the competition.

Domagoj’s first goal for the national team came in a friendly against South Korea on September 20, 2013.

Vida, likewise, made his World Cup debut in the 2014 World Cup.

However, the 32-year-old did not appear in any of Croatia’s games during the tournament.

Despite this, the Besiktas defender gained valuable experience that will serve him well in the future.

Vida then stepped up his game, vowing to be a starter by the time Euros rolled around.

Croatia, Euro 2016.

Vida is disappointed as Ronaldo revels in the background.

Domagoj did just that, appearing in three UEFA Euro 2016 matches.

Unfortunately, Croatia was eliminated by eventual winners Portugal.

Nonetheless, the Croatian national team has demonstrated enough talent to be regarded as a dark horse for the upcoming FIFA World Cup.

As a result of Vida’s outstanding performances, Croatia advanced to the final of the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

In fact, Domagaj was Croatia’s best player after Ballon d’Or winner Luka Modric.

For example, in the quarter-finals against host Russia, the 32-year-old scored a header to give his team a 2-1 lead in extra time.

Vida also assisted Ivan Perisic’s goal against France in the final, which gave Croatia the lead.

FIFA World Cup 2018, Vida Vida celebrates his World Cup goal against Russia.

France eventually won the World Cup, defeating Croatia 4-2.

Nonetheless, the Croatian national team outperformed all expectations, as no one expected them to reach the World Cup final.

Domagoj’s reputation also skyrocketed following his outstanding performances at the tournament.

As a result, on October 15, 2018, the Besiktas defender captained his national team for the first time.

Furthermore, the Croatian defender marked the occasion by scoring in Jordan’s 2-1 victory.

Vida had made 79 appearances for the national team at the time of writing, scoring four goals.

Domagoj’s quality and consistency suggest that no one will be surprised if the Croatian center-back goes on to make 100 appearances for his country.

Highlights and accomplishments

• In 2011-12, Prva HNL
• Croatian Cup 2011-2012
• Ukrainian Premier League seasons 2014-15 and 2015-16
• Ukrainian Cup seasons 2013-14 and 2014-15
• In the 2020-21 season, the Ukrainian Super Cup will be replaced by the Süper Lig.
• Turkish Kupas in the 2020-21 season
• In 2018, the Order of Duke Branimir with Ribbon was awarded to the 2018 FIFA World Cup runner-up.

Age, Height & Body Measurements

Vida is 32 years old at the moment, having been born in 1989.

The Croatian center-back, on the other hand, shows no signs of slowing down.

Instead, the 32-year-old has gained experience, allowing him to become a better defender.

Vida has a strong upper body.

Domagoj is also 6 feet (1.84 meters) tall, which is an acceptable height for a central defender.

For example, center backs must constantly compete with opposing center forwards for airballs while also keeping an eye on them on the ground.

As a result, a central defender must be strong on the ground and in the air, as the majority of goals are scored from set-pieces or by punting the ball straight from the goal line.

Similarly, Vida checks all of the boxes, which is why the Croatian international is regarded as one of the best center-backs in the world.

Salary, Wage, and Net Worth

Vida has a respectable net worth of $4 million as of 2021, primarily due to his football career.

Vida’s net worth should come as no surprise given that he is in his 16th year as a professional.

In addition, the 32-year-old is currently paid £70,000 per week or £3.6 million per year by his club Besiktas.

As a result, despite being a defender, Domagoj is the highest-paid player at his club.

Similarly, the Croatian international is valued at €8 million by the TransferMarkt website, which is commendable for a 32-year-old defender.

Vida’s total transfer value over his career stands at €17.75 million.

Quotes

I admire the Russian people.

This was purely intended as a joke for my Ukrainian friends.

Football is unrelated to politics.

I didn’t mean anything negative.

I regret that some media representatives have misinterpreted our communication.

It was clearly not a political message, but rather a simple thank you for all the support from Ukraine, where Vukojevic and I had spent several years.

Wife and Children

Vida is a defender by trade on the football field, but the Croatian international has scored big time off the field.

To clarify, Domagoj is happily married to Ivana Gugic Vida.

Similarly, Ivana was an economics student in high school before becoming Miss Croatia in 2014.

And it wasn’t until 2014 that the couple began dating.

Following three years of dating, the couple married in front of over 400 guests in June 2017.

Surprisingly, the couple’s son, David Vida, was also in attendance at the ceremony.

Interestingly, David was born in 2015, just a year after the couple began dating.

David wore a little black tuxedo to the ceremony, which stole the show on his parents’ special day.

Since then, the two lovebirds have remained out of the spotlight.

Instead, as Domagoj’s Instagram suggests, the couple is madly in love with each other.

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Online Presence

The footballer is not particularly active on social media.

He does, however, have an Instagram account with 318K followers.

You can keep up with him by following him on Twitter.