Father's meticulous plan forged star footballer Nikola Vlašić

Joško Vlašić, father of Croatian footballer Nikola Vlašić, shared the meticulous and long-term strategy behind his son's rise to professional soccer. He described how, when Nikola was just four years old, he began treating his son's football development as a personal "project." This involved constant practice, whether in the living room, elevator, or on school playgrounds, often drawing bemused reactions from neighbors.

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We played football everywhere – in the living room, in the elevator, on school playgrounds.

Vlašić recounted the intense emotions following Croatia's 2-1 victory over Ghana, a win that secured their advancement in the World Cup. He expressed immense pride in Nikola's performance, noting that the journey to this point has been "enormous" and too complex to explain briefly. He highlighted that Nikola's success wasn't a matter of luck or innate talent, but the result of years of systematic work, planning, and sacrifice.

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I am very proud of Nikola. I know everything he has been through from the beginning until today. Honestly, I would need an hour to sit down in peace and tell his story. And the journey was long, enormous. It cannot be told in a few minutes.

He firmly believes that a parent must guide a child's sporting path, especially at a young age when they cannot make such significant decisions themselves. Vlašić explained his philosophy: directing children toward sports where they have the best chance of success and personal satisfaction, rather than letting them waste years on a path that offers neither. He meticulously documented every training session, keeping detailed notes on exercises, results, and progress, a practice he continues to this day.

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There is no secret formula behind Nikola, but years of systematic work, planning, and sacrifice.