Recalled to Croatia's UEFA EURO 2012 squad on the eve of the competition to replace injured Ivo Iličević after narrowly missing out on the original 23-man party, Šime Vrsaljko is one of his country's brightest young hopes. The enterprising full-back has already won a hat-trick of Croatian titles with GNK Dinamo Zagreb.

• Born in Zadar, he joined Dinamo Zagreb as a youth and made his Prva Liga debut on loan to feeder club NK Lokomotiva Zagreb in the first half of the 2009/10 season, starting all 17 matches at the age of 17.

• Returned to Dinamo midway through that campaign, starting nine league games in the club's title success, and was a prominent member of the Croatia squad that reached the semi-finals of the UEFA European Under-19 Championship in Normandy.

• Became a fixture of the Dinamo first team in 2010/11, winning the domestic double, making his European bow in a UEFA Champions League qualifier against FC Sheriff, competing in the UEFA Europa League group stage and scoring his first top-flight goal – on 29 August 2010 in a 2-0 defeat of HNK Cibalia.

• Made his senior debut for Croatia – as a substitute – on 9 February 2011 in a friendly against the Czech Republic; his first start came on his competitive debut, a UEFA EURO 2012 qualifier in Malta (3-1).

• Started all six qualifying games to help Dinamo reach the 2011/12 UEFA Champions League but appeared just twice in group stage; helped Dinamo retain both domestic trophies, making 22 league appearances.