A versatile defender who can operate in both full-back roles − as he did in both legs of Croatia's UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying play-off against Turkey − Domagoj Vida has restored his international credentials at GNK Dinamo Zagreb following an unsuccessful season in Germany with Bayer 04 Leverkusen.

• Came through to play top-flight football in Croatia with NK Osijek, his home-town club, making his debut at the age of 17.

• Helped Osijek finish third in the Prva Liga in 2007/08, making 21 league appearances; by the following season he had become a mainstay in the side, notching up 30 outings and scoring two goals, the first of them, against HNK Cibalia, ten days before his 20th birthday.

• Doubled his league tally to four goals in 2009/10, at the end of which he graduated from the Croatian Under-21 team to senior level, making his debut as a substitute in a May 2010 friendly against Wales – staged, fittingly for him, in Osijek.

• Prior to his international debut he had already agreed a transfer to Leverkusen, but although he would play in eight UEFA Europa League matches for the club, his Bundesliga playing time was restricted to just one substitute appearance.

• Returned home to join serial champions Dinamo Zagreb and made a promising start, helping the club qualify for the UEFA Champions League; also won back his place in the national squad, starting both UEFA EURO 2012 play-off matches as respective replacements for Ivan Strinić and Vedran Ćorluka.