Dominik Livakovic

Dominik Livakovic is Croatia's first-choice goalkeeper and one of the most accomplished penalty-savers in international football. At the 2022 World Cup he saved three penalties against Japan in the round of 16 shoot-out and a further penalty against Brazil in the quarter-finals, earning Man of the Match awards in both, as Croatia reached the semi-finals before finishing third. At the 2026 World Cup he produced seven saves against England in the group stage, single-handedly preventing what would have been a heavy defeat, in a match Croatia lost but contested FAR more competitively than the scoreline suggested.

Born on 9 January 1995 in Zadar, Croatia, Livakovic has played his club football primarily at Dinamo Zagreb. He has passed 500 senior appearances for club and country. Despite interest from clubs across Europe following his 2022 World Cup heroics, he has remained the Bedrock of Dinamo's Champions League qualifying campaigns and Croatia's long-running run of major tournament success under Zlatko Dalic.

Livakovic represents a tradition of technically refined Croatian goalkeepers. His penalty-saving record is built on detailed preparation and psychological composure under pressure. At 31 at the 2026 tournament, he is in his prime as a goalkeeper and remains Croatia's most critical line of defence in a squad that has consistently punched above its weight on the international stage.