Biography of Domagoj Vida [Age, Height, Wife, Kids, Family, Salary, Award & Net worth ]

If you don’t know who Domagoj Vida is then, we insist that you go and watch Croatia’s run to the 2018 World Cup Final.

Aside from Luka Modric, Vida was the best player for Croatia en route to their second-place finish. In fact, Domagoj was probably the best defender at the tournament.

Domagoj Vida

But, life was not always rosy for the 32-year-old. Instead, the Besiktas center back had to face many obstacles throughout his 14 years as a professional.

Vida has endured it all in his glorious career, from being dropped due to altercations to being the best defender at the World Cup. And that is the primary reason why we have written this article. Here you will find out about Domagoj’s early life to his present days with Besiktas and all that happened in between.

So without further ado, let’s get started.

Quick Facts

Domagoj Vida | Early Life and Family

Domagoj was born on 29 April 1989 in Nasice, which lies in the eastern part of Croatia. His mother, Zeljka Vida, was a typical housewife, while his father, Rudika Vida, was a professional footballer.

Therefore, young Vida loved playing football with his brother, Hrvoje Vida, whenever they were not busy in their studies. In fact, even during school, the Croatians would think of nothing else than football.

As a result, Domagoj joined the youth academy of his local club, NK Osi. After that, young Vida stayed with the club for a few years before Osijek came in and swooped the young prodigy.

It is at Osijek where the Croatian would go on to make his professional debut.

Domagoj Vida | Football Career

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

Subsequently, the Croatian would make only 12 appearances in his rookie season as he needed time to develop and adapt. Nevertheless, Vida had impressed his manager enough to warrant a starting place the next season.

Vida, during his time with Osijek.

And that is precisely what happened as the talented center back cemented his spot in the starting 11. To illustrate, Vida appeared in 22 games for the club, starting almost all those matches.

After that, Domagoj stayed with the club for a further two years before switching to Bundesliga giants Bayer Leverkusen.

At the time of his transfer, the Croatian international had appeared in 95 games for Osijek, in which he scored six times and assisted a further four times.

It was 29 April 2010 when Domagoj signed for the Bundesliga club, Bayer Leverkusen, in a €3 million contract from Osijek. Subsequently, it seemed like the Croatian center had made it into the big league, but it was not meant to be.

Vida played just one season for Bayer Leverkusen.

To illustrate, Vida managed just nine appearances for the whole season. In fact, the 32-year-old managed to appear only once in the Bundesliga, and that too was a substitute appearance.

Having joined the club in the hope of becoming a star, Domagoj’s time with Bayer turned out to be hell instead.

Thus after just one season with the club, Vida decided to move to find more playing time. Domagoj’s wish of getting more playing time came true when the biggest club in Croatia, Dinamo Zagreb, signed him reportedly for a contract worth €1.75 million.

After that, the Croatian center back became a stalwart in the Dinamo backline playing in 47 games while leading the club to the league title.

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

As a result, there were widespread rumors that the match was fixed, and Vida was a prime suspect. But, UEFA did not take any action against the club or the player in light of no proper evidence.

The following season with Dinamo turned out to be possibly the worst of his career. For instance, Domagoj was involved in many altercations throughout the season, limiting his appearances to just 28 games.

On 24 September 2012, Vida was thrown out of the bus for opening a beer en route to a cup match. Also, the Croatian international had many disagreements with his coach that got him benched for several games.

As a result, Dinamo Zagreb decided to sell Domagoj. Subsequently, many clubs showed their interest in the talented defender, but in the end, it was Ukrainian powerhouse Dynamo Kyiv that secured Vida’s services in the end.

Precisely, Dynamo paid a transfer fee of €6 million to Zagreb for the Croatian center back. After that, Domagoj spent five years with the capital-based club, where he had some wonderful moments.

Dynamo Kyiv won the 2014-15 Ukrainian Premier League.

For instance, Vida scored the winning goal against Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk to clinch the 2014-15 Ukrainian Premier League title for the first time in six years.

The following season, Dynamo Kyiv won the league title again as Domagoj again proved to be one of the more important players in the title-winning squad.

After that, the Croatian international remained with Dynamo for another two years before embarking on a new journey. By the time Vida finished his time with Dynamo Kyiv, he had played in a total of 161 games in which he had scored 13 goals and provided eight assists.

Besides, the Croatian footballer won two Ukrainian Premier Leagues with the club. All in all, Vida’s time with Dynamo was full of highs and some lows.

Nevertheless, the Croatian center decided that a new environment was needed to take his game to the next level. Likewise, that is precisely what Domagoj did as he moved to Turkish giants Besiktas for €9 million in the winter of 2018.

Many fans and pundits alike thought that the fee paid for the defender was a bit too much.

Nonetheless, it did not affect Vida one bit as he continued his impressive form. As a matter of fact, the Besiktas center back’s form was so outstanding that the club decided to make Domagoj their highest-paid player.

Unfortunately, even though Vida is earning a massive salary at Besiktas, he has not been able to win any trophies in his two seasons with the club. However, Besiktas are nine points off the top spot this season, with eight games still to play.

Therefore, we have full faith that Besiktas and Vida can overcome the deficit and win this season. But first, the league needs to resume as it has also been affected by the world epidemic of Corona Virus (COVID-19).

Severe Head Injury

In 2017, while playing for Dynamo Kyiv, Vida suffered a severe head injury after a head clash with Cameroonian right-winger Moumi Ngamaleu. He was covered in blood after his head cracked open following the clash.

Domagoj Vida | Croatia

Vida’s international career started on 23 May 2010 against Wales in a 2-0 win. Subsequently, after performing exceedingly well for the national team, Domagoj was included in the UEFA Euro 2012 squad.

However, the Besiktas center back would only feature once in the whole competition. Furthermore, Domagoj’s first goal for the national team was friendly against South Korea on 20 September 2013.

Likewise, Vida’s first appearance at the World Cup came in the 2014 World Cup. But, the 32-year-old did not feature in any of Croatia’s games at the tournament.

Nevertheless, the Besiktas defender gained valuable experience that would help him in the future. After that, Vida upped his game as he vowed to make himself a starting player by the time Euros came.

Vida is in dismay as Ronaldo celebrates in the background.

And that is what Domagoj did as he played in three matches at the UEFA Euro 2016. Sadly, Croatia got eliminated at the hands of eventual winners, Portugal.

Nonetheless, the Croatian national team had showcased enough ability to be considered one of the dark horses for the upcoming FIFA World Cup.

Subsequently, in the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Croatia reached the final with Vida’s outstanding performances. In fact, Domagaj was the best player for Croatia after Ballon d’Or winner Luka Modric.

To illustrate, the 32-year-old scored a header against host Russia in the quarter-final to give his side a 2-1 lead in extra time. Also, Vida assisted Ivan Perisic’s goal in the final against France, which gave Croatia the lead.

Vida celebrates his goal against Russia at the World Cup.

Eventually, France won the World Cup by beating Croatia 4-2. Nevertheless, the Croatian national team had exceeded all the expectations as no one thought they would reach the World Cup final.

Also, Domagoj’s reputation sky-rocketed after his extraordinary performances at the tournament.

Consequently, the Besiktas defender captained his national team for the first time on 15 October 2018. Furthermore, the Croatian defender marked the special occasion by scoring in the 2-1 win over Jordan.

At the time of writing, Vida has made 79 appearances for the national team while scoring four goals. Judging by the quality and consistency of Domagoj, we don’t think anyone will be surprised if the Croatian center back goes on to make 100 appearances for his country.

Highlights and Achievements

• Prva HNL in 2011–12
• Croatian Cup in 2011–12
• Ukrainian Premier League in 2014–15 and 2015–16 season
• Ukrainian Cup in 2013–14 and 2014–15 season
• 2016 Ukrainian Super Cup
• Süper Lig in 2020–21 season
• Türkiye Kupası in 2020–21 season
• 2018 FIFA World Cup runner-up
• Order of Duke Branimir with Ribbon in the year 2018

Domagoj Vida | Age, Height & Body Measurements

Having been born in the year, 1989 makes Vida’s age 32 years at the moment. However, the Croatian center back has shown no signs of slowing down. Instead, the 32-year-old has grown in experience, which has helped him become a better defender.

Vida has a muscular upper body.

Likewise, Domagoj stands at exactly 6 feet (1.84 meters), an acceptable height for a central defender.

To illustrate, center backs constantly need to battle the opposing center forwards for airballs in addition to keeping a tab on them on the ground.

Therefore, a central defender needs to be good on the ground and in the air, as most goals are scored from set-pieces or by punting the ball straight from the goal line.

Likewise, Vida ticks all those boxes, which is why the Croatian international is one of the best center backs in the world.

Domagoj Vida | Net Worth, Wage, and Salary

As of 2021, Vida has a respectable net worth of $4 million, mainly through his football career. Additionally, this is Vida’s 16th year as a professional, so his net worth should come as no surprise.

Furthermore, the 32-year-old currently earns £70,000 per week or £3.6 million per year with his club Besiktas. As a consequence, Domagoj is the highest earner at his club even though he is a defender.

Similarly, the TransferMarkt website values the Croatian international at €8 million, commendable for a 32-year-old defender. Also, Vida’s total value in transfers throughout his career stands at €17.75 million.

Quotes

• I respect the Russian nation. This was just a joke for my Ukrainian friends. Football is outside politics. I didn’t mean anything bad.
• I regret that some media representatives have interpreted our communication in such a manner. It was definitely no political message, but a simple thank you for all the support from Ukraine, where Vukojevic and I spent a number of years.

Domagoj Vida | Wife & Kids

Although Vida is a defender by trade on the football pitch, the Croatian international managed to score big time off the pitch. To explain, Domagoj is happily married to his wife, Ivana Gugic Vida.

Similarly, Ivana was an economics student back in her high school days and Miss Croatia in 2014. And it is in 2014 that the couple started dating each other.

Following three long years of dating, the pair tied the knot in June 2017 in the presence of more than 400 guests.

Amazingly, the couple’s son, David Vida, was also present at the ceremony. Interestingly, David had already been born back in 2015, just a year after the couple started dating.

At the ceremony, David was dressed in a little black tuxedo that stole the show on his parent’s special occasion.

Since then, the two lovebirds have remained controversy-free. Instead, the couple is head over heels in love with each other, as suggested by Domagoj’s Instagram.

Domagoj Vida | Social Media Presence

The footballer is not very active on social media platforms. However, he has an Instagram handle with 318K followers. You can follow him on his account to get the latest news on him.

Domagoj Vida | FAQs

Does Domagoj Vida have a tattoo?

Yes, the footballer has a tattoo on his left sleeve.

Is Domagoj Vida transferring to Liverpool?

Although Liverpool is keen on signing the Croatian defender, there is no definite news about his transfer to the club. Moreover, Liverpool was interested in signing Vida in 2018 as well.