Mateo Kovačić (Croatian pronunciation: ; born 6 May 1994) is a Croatian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for English club Chelsea and the Croatia national team. Kovačić is usually deployed as a central midfielder or deep-lying playmaker, but he is considered to be a versatile midfielder, having played in different positions and adapted to playing either wide on the left or as an attacking midfielder.
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 has won the Champions League on three occasions. He joined Chelsea on one year loan in 2018, winning Europa League in the process. A full Croatian international since 2013, Kovačić represented the nation at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2016 and the 2018 FIFA World Cup, including a runner's up finish in the latter tournament. He is nicknamed Il Professore (The Professor).