Kristijan Jakic

Kristijan Jakic is a midfielder in Croatia's preliminary squad for the 2026 World Cup, named by Zlatko Dalić with the final 26 still to be confirmed. The FC Augsburg midfielder is 29 at kick-off and has 16 caps and two international goals for Croatia, a defensive midfielder who can also cover at centre-back and right-back.

Croatia came through their UEFA qualifying group as winners in November 2025 and are in Group L, where they meet England. Jakic is among the midfielders in Dalić's provisional squad, a versatile option across midfield and the back line for the 4-2-3-1 should he be named in the final 26. Luka Modrić is the Croatia captain, wearing the armband for the side.

Jakic is a defensive midfielder who can also cover at centre-back and right-back. That versatility is the core of his profile for FC Augsburg and Croatia, a player who can sit in front of the back line or fill in across the defence.

At 29, he is a defensive midfielder first, with the flexibility to drop into the back four when needed. He is listed among the midfielders in Zlatko Dalić's provisional squad for the 2026 World Cup, valued for that ability to cover more than one role.

Jakic's Goal Rush value for Croatia is versatility: a defensive midfielder who can also cover across the back line for club and country. Croatia are a Tier 3 side at £17m, a figure that stays within the game's £200m card budget before the Group L games.

What he offers for that mid-tier price is cover across midfield and the back line, should Dalić keep him in the final 26.