Ivan Perišić was born on 2 February 1989 in Solin, near Split, Croatia. One of the most durable and versatile players Croatian football has produced, he developed at Hajduk Split before moving to Belgium — first Sochaux then Club Brugge — and subsequently joined Borussia Dortmund in 2011. After two seasons at the Westfalenstadion he moved to VfL Wolfsburg, and in 2015 Inter Milan signed him for around €15 million.
At Inter, Perišić became one of Serie A's most consistent wide forwards over a sustained period, contributing double-figure goals and assists across multiple seasons under managers including Roberto Mancini, Frank de Boer and Luciano Spalletti. He was one of the key figures in Antonio Conte's 2020-21 Inter side that won the Serie A title — the club's first in eleven years — scoring decisive goals and providing the attacking width that defined their shape.
His subsequent loan to Bayern Munich in 2021-22 produced one of his finest individual seasons: he was outstanding in Bayern's Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal double, earning the best reviews of his career at the age of 33. Tottenham Hotspur signed him on a free transfer in summer 2022, though injuries and the club's struggles saw his Spurs stint end early, and he moved to Hajduk Split in 2024 to wind down his career at his boyhood club.
For Croatia, Perišić is among the most important players the nation has ever produced — a versatile attacker who has played across the left wing, as a wing-back and occasionally in central positions, giving Croatia tactical flexibility for nearly two decades. He was outstanding at the 2018 World Cup — scoring in the final against France — and again at the 2022 World Cup, where Croatia finished third. He is Croatia's record cap-holder and one of their all-time top scorers.
At the 2026 World Cup, Perišić — now 37 — is a legend of the game playing what is undoubtedly his final international tournament. His presence in the squad is a statement of his enduring quality and commitment to the Croatian national team.