kovačić began his professional career with dinamo zagreb at the age of 16, with whom he won two consecutive league titles, before joining inter in 2013. after the 2014–15 season, he moved to real madrid, where he won his first champions league with the squad in 2016. a full croatian international since 2013, kovačić represented the nation at the 2014 fifa world cup and uefa euro 2016. he is nicknamed "il professore (the professor)."