*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 4 July 2020 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 15 October 2018
Josip Pivarić (Serbo-Croatian pronunciation:[jǒsippǐʋaritɕ];[2][3] born 30 January 1989) is a Croatian professional footballer who plays as a defender, and is currently free agent. He last played for Dynamo Kyiv.[4]
Club career
Dinamo Zagreb
Pivarić joined the GNK Dinamo Zagreb youth academy at a young age. He was promoted to the first team during the spring of 2008. He went out on loan to Dinamo feeder club NK Lokomotiva Zagreb that same year, making 13 appearances in his first season with the Lokosi. In January 2009, he signed a seven and a half year contract with Dinamo Zagreb, spending until the end of the 2011–12 season on loan at Lokomotiva.
In January 2012, Pivarić rejoined the senior squad at Dinamo. He made his senior debut for Dinamo on 25 February 2012, in a 0–3 win over NK Karlovac. His first goal for the Modri came in a 1–1 draw with NK Rijeka on 21 April 2012.
In a friendly match against Norwegian side Strømsgodset in January 2016, Pivarić sustained extensive ligament damage to his knee, forcing him out for the remainder of the 2015–16 season and missing out on probable UEFA Euro 2016 national team selection.[6] Pivarić made his return on 6 July 2016, in a 1–0 pre-season friendly victory over F.C. Copenhagen.[7]
Dynamo Kyiv
On 8 August 2017, Pivarić signed a three-year contract with Ukrainian club Dynamo Kyiv.
International career
Pivarić made his full international debut for the Croatian national football team on 14 August 2013, in a 3–2 win over Liechtenstein in Vaduz.
In May 2018 he was named in Croatia’s preliminary 32 man squad for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.[8] Throughout the tournament Ivan Strinić, Croatia's first choice left back, was battling injuries mostly due to his team playing 3 consecutive extra time matches to get to the final. This allowed Pivarić a great deal of playtime in Croatia's run to the 2018 World Cup Final.
