Kristijan Jakić (born 14 May 1997) is a Croatian professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder, and can play as a centre-back and right-back for Super League Greece club PAOK, on loan from Bundesliga club FC Augsburg, and the Croatia national team.
Club career Early career and RNK Split A native of Runovići, Jakić started training at the age of seven at the local . Later, he moved to the nearby Imotski, spending four seasons and qualifying for the Croatian Academy Football League in 2013. However, Jakić moved to the RNK Split academy that summer. He debuted for the Croatia U19 team in 2015 before moving to RNK Split senior team in a 1–1 home draw against Osijek, coming as a substitute in the 66th minute for Miloš Vidović.
Istra 1961 and Lokomotiva In May 2017, following the relegation of RNK Split, Jakić moved to Lokomotiva. After struggling during his first half-season at the club, he requested a loan move to Istra 1961 from club's director of football Božidar Šikić. Jakić spent the second half of the 2017–18 season in Pula, where he regained form by Istra coach Darko Raić-Sudar. He returned to Lokomotiva at the end of the season, where he turned into one of the best players during coach Goran Tomić's tenure at the club.
Dinamo Zagreb His good performances for Lokomotiva drew attention from Croatian club Dinamo Zagreb, who signed him for €1.2 million on 24 July 2020. Jakić was forced to miss the beginning of the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He made his Dinamo debut on 12 September in a 2–1 victory against Hajduk Split. In his Europa League debut in a goalless draw against Feyenoord on 22 October, Jakić fouled Mark Diemers and caused a penalty, which Dinamo goalkeeper Dominik Livaković saved. On 8 November, he scored his first goal for Dinamo Zagreb in a 5–0 victory against Istra 1961. By the end of the first half-season, Jakić had already established himself as the important part of Dinamo Zagreb's starting lineup.
On 20 July 2021, in Dinamo Zagreb's Champions League second qualifying round against Omonia, Jakić assisted Lovro Majer and scored himself as Dinamo Zagreb won 2–0. Ahead of Dinamo Zagreb's Champions League play-off against Sheriff Tiraspol on 25 August, Jakić was dropped from the squad, with coach Damir Krznar claiming he had injured his ankle in the 1–0 league victory over Lokomotiva the weekend before. However, Sportske novosti published that Jakić was removed from the squad as a disciplinary measure after he was dissatisfied by the club refusing Eintracht Frankfurt's offer to buy him. He was unexpectedly named in the starting lineup in the 29 August league derby against Osijek, and scored the opener as Dinamo won 2–0.
Eintracht Frankfurt On 30 August 2021, Jakić officially moved to German side Eintracht Frankfurt on loan with an option to buy at the end of the season. He made his Bundesliga debut on 12 September in a 1–1 draw against VfB Stuttgart, coming off the bench for Ajdin Hrustić. He scored his first goal for Eintracht on 12 December in a 5–2 victory against Bayer Leverkusen. Despite Eintracht Frankfurt's underwhelming performance in the league where they finished eleventh, Jakić helped the club reach the Europa League final unbeaten, eliminating Barcelona in the process, where they defeated Rangers 5–4 on penalties.
On 29 May 2022, the transfer was made permanent and Jakić signed a four-year contract with Frankfurt.
FC Augsburg On 19 January 2024, Jakić moved to fellow Bundesliga club FC Augsburg on loan for the remainder of the 2023–24 season, with an option to buy if obligations were met. On 24 May 2024, he signed for the club permanently on a four-year contract until June 2028.
Loan to PAOK On 9 September 2026, Jakić moved on loan to Super League Greece club PAOK.
International career Jakić received his first call-up to the Croatia national team on 20 September 2021, when coach Zlatko Dalić called him up for the October World Cup qualifiers against Cyprus and Slovakia. He made his debut on 8 October against the former opponent, being replaced in the 84th minute; the match ended in a 3–0 victory for the Croats.
On 18 May 2026, Jakić was selected in the 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Career statistics Club
+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueNational cupEuropeOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsRNK Split2015–16Prva HNL7000——702016–1724030——270Total31030——340Lokomotiva2017–18Prva HNL2010——302018–1925120——2712019–2027420——294Total54550——595Istra 1961 (loan)2017–18Prva HNL13000—20150Dinamo Zagreb2020–21Prva HNL29131140—4622021–22510071—122Total34231211—584Eintracht Frankfurt (loan)2021–22Bundesliga26100120—381Eintracht Frankfurt2022–232414280003632023–24400040—80Frankfurt total5424224000824FC Augsburg (loan)2023–24Bundesliga142———142FC Augsburg2024–2531040——3502025–2626220——2822025–260011——11Augsburg total71471——785Career total257132244512032618
International
+ Appearances and goals by national team and yearNational teamYearAppsGoalsCroatia202120202230202440202562202630Total182
Scores and results list Croatia goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Jakić goal
+ List of international goals scored by Kristijan JakićNo.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition1 8 September 2025 Stadion Maksimir, Zagreb, Croatia 1–0 4–0 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification2 17 November 2025 Podgorica City Stadium, Podgorica, Montenegro 2–2 3–2
Honours Dinamo Zagreb Prva HNL: 2020–21 Croatian Cup: 2020–21
Eintracht Frankfurt UEFA Europa League: 2021–22 Croatia
FIFA World Cup third place: 2022
References
External links Kristijan Jakić at FC Augsburg