Josip Pivarić (; born 30 January 1989) is a Croatian former professional footballer who played as a left-back.
Club career Dinamo Zagreb Pivarić joined the Dinamo Zagreb youth academy at a young age. He was promoted to the first team during the spring of 2008. He went out on loan to Dinamo feeder club Lokomotiva Zagreb that same year, making 13 appearances in his first season with the Lokosi. In January 2009, he signed a seven-and-a-half-year contract with Dinamo Zagreb, spending until the end of the 2011–12 season on loan at Lokomotiva.
In January 2012, Pivarić rejoined the senior squad at Dinamo. He made his senior debut for Dinamo on 25 February 2012, in a 0–3 win over Karlovac. His first goal for the Modri came in a 1–1 draw with Rijeka on 21 April 2012.
Pivarić scored a historic goal for Dinamo in September 2015, the opening goal in a famous 2–1 victory over Arsenal in the 2015–16 UEFA Champions League.
In a friendly match against Norwegian side Strømsgodset in January 2016, Pivarić sustained extensive ligament damage to his knee, forcing him out for the remainder of the 2015–16 season and missing out on probable UEFA Euro 2016 national team selection. Pivarić made his return on 6 July 2016, in a 1–0 pre-season friendly victory over Copenhagen.
Dynamo Kyiv On 8 August 2017, Pivarić signed a three-year contract with Ukrainian club Dynamo Kyiv.
Lokomotiva Zagreb On 1 October 2020, Pivarić returned club Lokomotiva Zagreb as a free transfer.
Retirement On 1 July 2023, Pivarić announced his retirement from football aged 34.
International career Pivarić made his international debut for the Croatia national football team on 14 August 2013, in a 3–2 win over Liechtenstein in Vaduz.
In May 2018 he was named in Croatia's preliminary 32 man squad for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Throughout the tournament Ivan Strinić, Croatia's first choice left back, was battling injuries mostly due to his team playing three consecutive extra time matches to get to the final. This allowed Pivarić a great deal of playtime in Croatia's run to the 2018 World Cup Final. He earned a total of 26 caps, scoring no goals. His final international was an October 2018 friendly against Jordan.
Career statistics Club
Club Season League National cup Continental Other Total Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps GoalsLokomotiva Zagreb (loan)2008–09Druga HNL131———1312009–10Prva HNL 9 0——— 9 02010–11Prva HNL 29 0——— 29 02011–12Prva HNL 16 0——— 16 0 Total 67 1 ——— 67 1Dinamo Zagreb2011–12Prva HNL 10 3 5 0—— 15 32012–13Prva HNL 28 3 1 0 11 0— 40 32013–14Prva HNL 22 1 5 0 8 0— 35 12014–15Prva HNL 16 0 4 0 9 0 1 0 30 02015–16Prva HNL 15 0— 11 2— 26 22016–17Prva HNL 24 1 3 0 8 0— 35 1 Total 115 8 18 0 47 2 1 0 181 10Dynamo Kyiv2017–18Ukrainian Premier League 21 0 3 0 8 0— 32 02018–19Ukrainian Premier League 6 0 1 0 5 0— 12 02019–20Ukrainian Premier League 2 0 1 0 0 0— 3 0 Total 29 0 5 0 13 0— 47 0Lokomotiva Zagreb2020-21Prva HNL 236 11—— 24 72021-22Prva HNL 283 32—— 3152022-23Prva HNL 282 20—— 30 2 Total 79 11 63—— 8514Career total290202936021038025
International
CroatiaYearAppsGoals201320201400201530201640201790201880Total260
Honours Dinamo Zagreb HNL: 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014-15, 2015-16 Croatian Cup: 2011-12, 2014-15, 2015-16 Croatian Super Cup: 2013
Dynamo Kyiv Ukrainian Cup: 2019-20 Ukrainian Super Cup: 2019
Croatia FIFA World Cup runner-up: 2018
Orders Order of Duke Branimir: 2018
References
External links