Capable of playing either as a defender or defensive midfielder, Tudor spent most of his playing career at Juventus, winning several trophies during that time. He was a part of the Croatia national team at UEFA Euro 2004, the 1998 and 2006 World Cup, but missed the 2002 World Cup due to injury.[2] Tudor announced his retirement on 22 July 2008 at age 30, after problems with his right ankle reappeared. He spent his final season playing for his youth club, Hajduk Split.
As manager, Tudor took charge of Hajduk from 2013 to 2015, and spent eight months with PAOK in the 2015–16 season. In Turkey, he managed Karabükspor from 2016 to 2017, and Galatasaray in 2017. From April to June 2018, Tudor managed Serie A side Udinese and in that time, saved the club from relegation to Serie B. In March 2019, he came back to Udinese. After he returned to Hajduk in January 2020, Andrea Pirlo invited Tudor to join his coaching staff at Juventus in August 2020, an offer which Tudor accepted. He became manager of Marseille in 2022 before leaving the club after one season in 2023. In March 2024, he returned to Serie A and was appointed as manager of Lazio before resigning at the end of the season. In March 2025, he returned to Juventus in the position of manager but was sacked in October after a poor start to the season. In February 2026, he joined Tottenham Hotspur.
Playing career
Following three successful seasons at Hajduk Split, Tudor was noticed by Italian club Juventus in 1998 and signed for them shortly afterwards. At international level, Tudor earned a total of 55 appearances, scoring three goals[3] for Croatia, with which he won the bronze medal at the 1998 FIFA World Cup, and later Order of the Croatian Interlace.[4] He won the Croatian Player of the Year award in 2001.[5]
Style of play
Tudor was considered one of Croatia's best defenders in the period between the late 1990s and mid-2000s. Tudor was a large, hard-working, strong and imposing defender who excelled in the air, making him a dangerous goal threat during set pieces.[6] He was also a tight man-marker and a hard tackling defender, with great tactical intelligence.[6] Despite being primarily a central defender, he was capable of playing anywhere along the back line and even as a defensive midfielder, which was made possible due to his tactical versatility, stamina, and his surprisingly capable technical skills, ball control and distribution for such a large and physical player.[6] Despite his talent, he was also injury-prone, which is often thought to have affected his playing career.[2]
Managerial career
Early management career
Tudor managing Hajduk Split in August 2014
He began his coaching career in the Hajduk Split youth teams. From July 2012, he was assistant coach to Igor Štimac in the Croatian national football team until 29 April 2013, when he took over as coach of Hajduk Split.[7] On 4 February 2015, Tudor resigned from Hajduk Split after managing the club for more than year and nine months.[8]
On 18 June 2015, Tudor was appointed coach of PAOK, signing a three-year contract.[9] He lost 2–1 against Lokomotiva in his debut with PAOK for the second qualifying round of UEFA Europa League.[10] He was sacked on 9 March 2016 due to "unsuccessful results and raging comments about the quality of the team".[11] On 18 June 2016, he was appointed coach of Karabükspor on a one-year contract.[12]
Galatasaray
On 15 February 2017, Tudor was appointed coach of Galatasaray, signing a one-and-a-half-year contract with the club.[13][14] He was sacked by the club on 18 December.[15]
Udinese
Tudor during Udinese training session in 2019
On 24 April 2018, Tudor was appointed coach of Italian club Udinese.[16] On 13 May 2018, he led the club to a 1–0 victory against Verona.[17] On 7 June, despite saving Udinese from relegation to Serie B, Tudor left the club after choosing to not extending his contract club's management.[18]
On 20 March 2019, he became the manager of Udinese for a second time.[19] His first win as Udinese's manager came on 30 March 2019 in a 2–0 home victory against Genoa.[20] Following poor results, Tudor was sacked on 1 November.[21]
Return to Hajduk Split
On 23 December 2019, Hajduk announced that Tudor has been selected as new manager.[22] On 2 January 2020, he officially took his role.[23] On 2 February, Tudor led his first match with Hajduk after three-and-a-half years in a 3–0 victory against Varaždin.[24]
Juventus (assistant)
On 23 August 2020, Tudor resigned from Hajduk Split,[25] and accepted an offer to assist Andrea Pirlo at the Serie A club Juventus.[26] He was sacked after Inter Milan reclaimed its Serie A title.[27]
Hellas Verona
On 14 September 2021, Tudor was appointed coach Serie A club Hellas Verona in place of Eusebio Di Francesco.[28] Tudor immediately managed to turn the club's fortunes, ending the season in ninth place and achieving impressive performances throughout the season. On 28 May 2022, Verona announced to have parted ways with Tudor by mutual consent.[29]
On 1 June 2023, Tudor announced that he was to part ways with the French club at the end of the season, stating in an official press release of his "tiredness" with the club.[32] Upon his departure from the club, Tudor had secured a third place finish in Ligue 1,[33] therefore guaranteeing Marseille a place in the 2023–24 UEFA Champions League qualification stage.
On 23 March 2025, Tudor replaced Thiago Motta as head coach of Serie A club Juventus.[36] This appointment marked the first time Juventus had appointed a foreign manager since Didier Deschamps in the 2006–07 season. He eventually guided the club to the fourth place of league table and Champions League qualification at the end of the 2024–25 season.[37] On 13 June, Tudor signed a contract extension that kept him in the club until 2028.[38] In his first Champions League match with Juventus, he oversaw a 4–4 home draw against Borussia Dortmund, managed by Niko Kovač, 25 years after a 4–4 draw between Juventus and Hamburg in which both had scored as players.[39] Tudor was sacked by Juventus on 27 October, a day after the team lost 1–0 away to Lazio, extending their winless run to eight games, ending his tenure after seven months in charge.[40]
Known for his forward-looking philosophy, Tudor seeks to impose an aggressive style of play in his teams. Describing his preferred style of play whilst manager of Marseille, he said, "I want courageous and intensive football, not only uniquely based on the defence. I want people who come to the stadium to be entertained and not disappointed."[45]
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