Croatia skipper Darijo Srna will be competing at his third UEFA European Championship finals in 2012. A stalwart at FC Shakhtar Donetsk, where he is also the club captain, the right wing-back’s accurate crosses and free-kicks are every bit as important to both club and country as his inspirational leadership.

• Born in Croatia to Bosnian parents, Srna emerged as a high-profile teenager at Hajduk, winning the 2001 Croatian championship and the 2003 Croatian Cup.

• Earned his first senior call-up for Croatia in November 2002; appeared only as a substitute at UEFA EURO 2004 but subsequently became a key man for his country as a right midfielder/wing-back, scoring a trademark free-kick against Australia at the 2006 FIFA World Cup (after missing a penalty in the previous group game against Japan).

• Left Hajduk in July 2003, with team-mate Stipe Pletikosa, for ambitious Shakhtar and claimed a domestic cup win in his debut season followed by back-to-back Ukrainian titles; added the domestic double in 2007/08 plus another Premier League title in 2009/10 − a season in which he was voted player of the year.

• Skippered Shakhtar to UEFA Cup glory in 2009 – thus becoming the last UEFA Cup-winning captain − and was named man of the match in the final against SV Werder Bremen, having supplied the assist for Jadson's extra-time winner; appeared in all 17 European matches for the Pitmen that season.

• Helped Croatia to the UEFA EURO 2008 quarter-finals, scoring his 16th international goal in a 2-1 win against Germany in Klagenfurt that made him his country's second highest goalscorer after Davor Šuker (45 goals).

• Led Shakhtar into the UEFA Champions League knockout stage for the first time in 2011 – the Pitmen eventually succumbing to FC Barcelona in the quarter-finals – while two more domestic doubles arrived in 2010/11 and 2011/12.

UEFA honours
UEFA Cup: winner 2009