Vuskovic's World Cup Reality Check Leaves Tottenham With An Awkward Decision

For three years, Tottenham fans have built a legend around Luka Vuskovic without watching him defend a single live minute. England's World Cup opener against Croatia changed that, and the 19-year-old's 66-minute outing delivered exactly the kind of evidence the hype could not: a defender dominant in the air and on clearances, but badly exposed for pace when it mattered.

The verdict is not the coronation many wanted. It is more honest, and more useful: promising, but not yet ready.

The legend versus the reality: what the England game actually showed

Vuskovic has never played a senior minute for Tottenham. He signed for £12m in 2023, officially joined in 2024, and spent last season on loan at Hamburg, where he scored six goals from centre-back and was named in the Bundesliga Team of the Season.

That return, plus a physical frame well beyond his years, fuelled a reputation built largely on goal compilations rather than defensive performance. The England game in Dallas was his first real test in front of a watching Spurs fanbase.

The legend took a hit

He started in the middle of a back three, flanked by Manchester City's Josko Gvardiol and Ajax's Josip Sutalo, and was replaced after 66 minutes with Croatia trailing 3-2.

One supporter view captured the mood among those who had elevated him to defensive saviour without ever seeing him play.

Last night in Dallas, Luka had an opportunity to add to that reputation and prove that he is ready, but a chastening opening-game defeat at the hands of players he will be expected to face week in, week out did not go to plan. The legend took a serious hit.

That is the gap the World Cup exposed. The myth was assembled from a breakout season in Germany while Spurs battled relegation. The reality is a teenager who did some things very well and one thing badly.

Strengths and weaknesses: aerial dominance against a pace problem

The numbers from the England match tell both halves of the story. Vuskovic was busy, combative and effective on the ball, but caught out by the very thing his frame cannot fix.

• Five clearances, more than any other player on the pitch.
• Six occasions winning possession, bettered only by England's anderson" class="entity-link entity-link--player">Elliot Anderson.
• Beaten in the air by Harry Kane for England's second from a corner.
• Exposed for positioning and pace as Jude Bellingham stormed through to score the third.

The frame that cuts both ways

At 6ft 4in, Vuskovic's size is his calling card. It gives him an edge in duels and makes him a genuine threat at set-pieces, both attacking and defensive.

But size comes at a cost. His lack of recovery pace, speed on the turn and mobility were there for all to see when Bellingham ran in behind. Those are not minor footnotes; they are structural concerns for a defender expected to operate in a high line in the Premier League.

Not every centre-back needs the recovery speed of Micky van de Ven. But a defender does need a system that maximises his strengths and hides his weaknesses, and the England game showed how quickly the weaknesses surface against elite opposition.

The people who rate him highly

The backing from within Croatia remains emphatic. Romeo Jozak, former technical director of the Croatian Football Federation, sees a long-term cornerstone.

If he stays healthy enough, he will be one of the top superstars for the future, for sure. Vuskovic is definitely one of those new ones who together with Josko Gvardiol are going to be the continuation of the Croatian national team.

Croatia boss Zlatko Dalic has gone further, saying the defender "will be one of the pillars of our national team for the next 10 years". The talent is not in dispute. The timing is.

The Spurs squad logjam and what comes next

Even if Vuskovic is everything Dalic and Jozak claim, Tottenham face a practical problem: they may not be able to give him the minutes he needs.

A stacked centre-back department

The defensive department is overflowing. marcos-senesi" class="entity-link entity-link--player">Marcos Senesi is set to arrive on a free from Bournemouth, with Dutchman Jan Paul van Hecke joining for £52m from Brighton.

Add the existing options and the picture is crowded:

• Micky van de Ven and kevin-danso-2" class="entity-link entity-link--player">Kevin Danso as established starters.
• Ben Davies, who has renewed his contract, offering versatility.
• Kota Takai, back from a loan at Borussia Monchengladbach, yet to feature.
• Cristian Romero and Radu Dragusin both linked with exits.

Brighton circling, Spurs holding firm

The market has already moved. Brighton tabled a bid earlier this week that Spurs rejected, a sign of how highly Vuskovic is rated across Europe despite the lack of senior minutes at club level.

The logic for a move is straightforward. Demanding to start at Tottenham, with Senesi in and Van Hecke about to be announced, is not realistic for a 19-year-old who has just been run ragged by Bellingham.

The most sensible outcome for all parties is a loan to a Premier League club with a compatible style, giving him minutes against the calibre of opponent he struggled with in Dallas while Spurs sort out the futures of Romero and Dragusin.

What happens next

Vuskovic stays with Croatia at the World Cup for now, and Dalic's faith means more serious minutes are coming. Those games will offer the deeper sample the England match could not, and a stronger showing would reshape the summer conversation.

At club level, the decision sits with Vuskovic and his advisers as much as with Spurs. A loan to the Premier League protects his development and eases the squad logjam, while a permanent sale would only happen if Tottenham decide their incoming pair plus existing depth make him surplus.

Either way, his future is now tied directly to whether Romero or Dragusin leave. The hard work of turning a Bundesliga legend into a Premier League defender starts now.