6 Celebrities from Croatia (or with Croatian origins) – number 6 will surprise you!
- November 9, 2023
- , 11:39 am
- , Croatian Experiences
1. LUKA MODRIC
Modrić is a Croatian professional footballer who plays for Real Madrid as a midfielder and is also captain of the Croatian national football team. Modrić is considered one of the best midfield players still playing today and one of the greatest Croatian footballers of all time. In 2018, he became the first footballer in the world to win four of the most prestigious awards for the best player in the same year: the World Cup Golden Ball, the FIFA Best Footballer Award, the UEFA Award and the Ballon D’Or.
2. GORAN IVANISEVIC
A former professional tennis player and current coach. Goran’s colourful tennis career is not only known for Wimbledon and the other tournaments he won, but also for his character, superstitions and outbursts – he is anything but boring!
He is the only player to have won a Wimbledon singles title as a wildcard. Ivanisevic even insisted that everyone in his team’s box at Wimbledon had to sit in a certain order, because he believed that this brought him happiness.
He is currently the coach of the most successful player in history: Novak Djokovic.
3. SLAVICA ECCLESTONE
Former model and the ex-wife of former Formula 1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone.
Born in Rijeka, Croatia to Bosnian parents, Slavica was a hostess at the Italian Grand Prix in 1982 when she met Bernie Ecclestone. Ecclestone, three decades older, approached her and offered her a Coca-Cola. The 28-year age difference and 26cm height difference were not obstacles for Slavica and during her marriage with billionaire Ecclestone, they had two daughters: Tamara and Petra. The marriage broke down after 24 years together and Slavica was awarded £740 million during the divorce proceedings. Kerr-ching!
4. ANTHONY MAGLICA
Originally from the tiny Croatian island of Zlarin, Anthony Maglica is the owner and founder of Mag Instrument Inc, the company that manufactures the world-famous Maglite flashlight. He designed the Maglite while working for a manufacturer of parts for flashlights. He noticed a lot of shortcomings, so came up with an ergonomically-shaped lamp, a waterproof structure and improved housing made of anodized aluminium.
5. GORAN VISNJIC
Goran Višnjić is a Croatian actor and producer who became famous in many American series and international films, such as “Welcome to Sarajevo”, “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” and “Doctor Who”. The biggest role of his career so far was that of doctor Luka Kovač in the American series ER. Madonna also invited him to act in the video “The Power of Goodbye”. He agreed to take part in the music video, thus becoming the only (known!) Croat to kiss Madonna.
6. KIRST NOVOSELIC
Krist Novoselic is an American musician of Croatian origin – his parents were both immigrants from around the Zadar region, where his parents sent him to stay with relatives for a year in the 1980s. He is best known as the bassist of the grunge band Nirvana. Together with Kurt Cobain, he founded the group, which is known as one of the most influential rock acts of the 1990s.
After the tragic death of Cobain and the break up of Nirvana, Novoselic occasionally performed with other groups. He is currently engaged in politics in the USA, as part of a new party called the Forward Party.
