Ivan Šunjić (born 9 October 1996) is a Bosnian professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Cyprus First Division club Pafos and the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team.

Šunjić previously played for Dinamo Zagreb and Lokomotiva in Croatia, before joining English club Birmingham City in 2019. He spent the 2022–23 season on loan to Bundesliga club Hertha BSC, and was released at the end of the 2023–24 season. Following his release from Birmingham City, Šunjić joined the Cypriot club Pafos in August 2024, helping the club to achieve their first league title in his debut season.

Šunjić is of Croat descent and was born in Bosnia and Herzegovina, but emigrated to Croatia as a young child. He played for Croatia's youth teams from under-16 to under-21 level and played once for the senior team in 2017. In 2024, Šunjić switched his allegiance to Bosnia and Herzegovina. He has earned 15 caps since, and has represented the nation at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Early life Šunjić, an ethnic Croat, was born on 9 October 1996 in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina. He and his familyfather Jozo, mother Aleksandra, and older brother Nikola moved from their home in Kakanj to Zagreb, Croatia, in 2000.

Club career Early career Šunjić began his football career in the youth ranks of NK Špansko. He moved to NK Zagreb in 2009, and joined Dinamo Zagreb at cadet level in 2012.

The 18-year-old Šunjić made his senior debut for Dinamo Zagreb on 10 May 2014, replacing Ante Ćorić after 59 minutes of a 2–1 away defeat against Istra in the Prva NL, straight after Jozo Šimunović had been sent off and Istra had tied the scores via the ensuing penalty. With the league title already secured, Dinamo fielded a weakened side for the match, with many of the regular first-team players rested between the two legs of the 2014 Cup Final. He helped Dinamo II gain promotion from the and played regularly for them in the Druga NL, but his first-team involvement was limited to 25 minutes in an early round of the 2015–16 Croatian Cup before he moved on.

Lokomotiva Zagreb After appearing only for the reserves, he joined Lokomotiva on 10 February 2016. On 13 May 2017, he scored his first goal for the club in the dying minutes of a 2–0 league victory over Inter Zaprešić.

Ahead of the 2017–18 season, Šunjić was named club captain. On 15 September, he scored the winning goal in the final minutes of a 1–0 league victory against Cibalia. On 12 February 2018, Šunjić rejoined Dinamo Zagreb and signed a contract until 15 June 2023. However, at the same time, he moved to Lokomotiva on loan for the rest of the season.

Dinamo Zagreb Šunjić returned to Dinamo Zagreb for the 2018–19 season and featured 41 times in all competitions. He made eight appearances in the Europa League, scoring in a 4–1 victory against Fenerbahçe on 20 September 2018 and starting in Dinamo Zagreb's impressive 1–0 first leg win against Benfica in the round of 16 of the Europa League on 7 March.

Šunjić was suspended for the second leg, in which Dinamo Zagreb were eliminated. He made 30 league appearances as Dinamo Zagreb finished as champions, and scored a 90th-minute goal in the Croatian Cup semifinal against Osijek that secured a 2–0 victory. Šunjić started in the final, which Dinamo Zagreb lost 3–1 to Rijeka.

Birmingham City

On 26 July 2019, Šunjić signed a five-year contract with the Championship club Birmingham City. The officially undisclosed fee was reported as €7 million. He made his debut as a second-half substitute in Birmingham's opening fixture of the season, a 1–0 win away against Brentford on 3 August 2019. His "rasping rising 20-yard shot which flew into the net" to tie the scores away to Derby County won him the Championship Goal of the Month award for October, but Birmingham lost the match.

Three months later, the Birmingham Mail rated his performance at 9/10, describing him as "imposing and dynamic" and suggesting that "the destructive side of his game [had] gone up a level", Interviewed during the first COVID-19 lockdown, Šunjić felt satisfied by his season thus far, despite dips in form which he felt inevitable in a "fast, physical league" with many games, but admitted there were areas in which he could improve. He finished the season with 44 appearances, starting in 40 of them. Šunjić joined Bundesliga club Hertha Berlin on loan for the 2022–23 season.

Šunjić was a first team footballer during the 2023–24 season as Birmingham were relegated to the third tier for the first time in nearly 30 years. He was released at the end of the season.

Pafos Šunjić signed for Cyprus First Division club Pafos on 1 August 2024. On 3 November 2025, Pafos announced that they had extended their contract with Šunjić until the summer of 2027.

International career Croatia

Šunjić was included in Croatia's squad for the 2013 Under-17 World Cup, and played all three group stage matches. He was called up to the senior national team in May 2017 for a friendly match against Mexico in the United States on 28 May.

Šunjić played the whole of the match, in which an inexperienced Croatia team comprising largely debutants and reduced to ten men secured a 2–1 victory against a relatively strong Mexican team. He later served as captain of Croatia under-21 at the 2019 UEFA European Under-21 Championship and played all three of their matches.

Bosnia and Herzegovina After not being called up to the Croatia senior team, Šunjić opted to switch his FIFA nationality to Bosnia and Herzegovina, his country of birth. Sergej Barbarez called him up to the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team for Nations League A matches against Germany and the Netherlands in November 2024.

He made his debut on 16 November, starting in central midfield against Germany at Europa-Park Stadion, Freiburg, and played 74 minutes as Germany won 7–0, a Nations League record.

In June 2026, Šunjić was named in Bosnia and Herzegovina's squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He made his tournament debut in the opening group match against Canada on 12 June.

Personal life Šunjić is in a relationship with Nikol Bulat since 2018. They have a son, born in May 2023.https://www.index.hr/magazin/clanak/sjecate-li-se-nikol-iz-feminnema-u-vezi-je-s-reprezentativcem-bih-koji-igra-na-sp/2803142.aspx

Career statistics Club

+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueNational cupLeague cupEuropeOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsDinamo Zagreb2013–14Prva HNL1000—0000102014–15Prva HNL0000—00—002015–16Prva HNL0010—00—10Total1010—000020Dinamo Zagreb IITréca HNL West181————1812015–16Druga HNL120————120Total301————301Lokomotiva2015–16Prva HNL100————1002016–17Prva HNL23110—60—3012017–18Prva HNL29630———326Total62740—60—727Dinamo Zagreb2018–19Prva HNL24041—131—4122019–20Prva HNL00——100010Total24041—14100422Birmingham City2019–20Championship4034000——4432020–21Championship4301010——4502021–22Championship4131020——4432023–24Championship3612020——401Total16078050——1737Hertha BSC (loan)2022–23Bundesliga18010———190Pafos2024–25Cypriot First Division32450—140105242025–26Cypriot First Division29440—130—4642026–27Cypriot First Division4010—6010120Total658100—330201108Career total36023281505312044825

International

+ Appearances and goals by national team and yearNational teamYearAppsGoalsCroatia201710Total10Bosnia and Herzegovina202420202570202680Total170Career total180

Honours Dinamo Zagreb Croatian First Football League: 2018–19

Pafos Cypriot First Division: 2024–25 Cypriot Cup: 2025–26 Cypriot Super Cup: 2026

References

External links