Croatian · Osijek, Croatia · Born 1 January 1968Croatian striker who won the 1998 World Cup Golden Boot with 6 goals, leading Croatia to third place in their first World Cup as an independent nation.
Davor Šuker was born in Osijek, Croatia on 1 January 1968. He began at Osijek before Dinamo Zagreb and then Sevilla, where he earned a move to Real Madrid in 1996. He won La Liga with Madrid and became one of the most clinical strikers in the world during this period. At the 1998 World Cup in France, he won the Golden Boot with six goals as Croatia — a nation barely five years old as a football federation — reached the semi-finals and finished third. His lob over Edwin van der Sar in the quarter-final against the Netherlands is considered one of the finest individual World Cup goals ever scored. He earned 69 caps for Croatia scoring 45 goals — a national record at the time. He later played for Arsenal, West Ham, Sevilla (return) and 1860 Munich before retiring. He became president of the Croatian Football Federation from 2012.
Winning the 1998 World Cup Golden Boot
How They Played
Clinical finisher with excellent positioning, pace, and ability to score crucial goals in big matches
Lasting Impact
Croatia's greatest striker and World Cup legend who helped put Croatian football on the global map
Career Honours
- World Cup Golden Boot 1998
- 69 Croatia caps, 45 goals
- La Liga (Real Madrid)
- World Cup Bronze Medal 1998
- La Liga 2001
- Champions League 1998
- UEFA Cup 1995
| Club | Period | Apps | Goals | Shirt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sevilla | 1992–1996 | 109 | 76 | — |
| Real Madrid | 1996–1999 | 86 | 49 | — |
| NK Osijek | 1989–1991 | 58 | 42 | #9 |
| Dinamo Zagreb | 1991–1992 | 32 | 34 | — |
| Arsenal | 1999–2000 | 22 | 8 | — |
| West Ham United | 2000–2001 | 9 | 2 | — |
| 1860 Munich | 2001–2003 | 37 | 14 | — |
 Croatia | — | 69 | 45 | — |
Croatian Athletes