Best Alternatives to Hrvoje Smolcic

Playing Style Analysis

Smolcic is a high-volume ball distributor moonlighting as a defensive anchor, operating with a range of passing that suggests a playmaker trapped in a center-back’s frame. Averaging 58.3 passes per 90—placing him in the top 5% of the Super Lig—he isn't just recycling possession; his 7.32 passes into the final third reveal a verticality that most Tier C defenders simply don't possess. While his aerial dominance and 61.5% win rate make him a set-piece menace, the counterintuitive reality is that he is more effective as an offensive catalyst than a traditional stopper. The three closest DNA matches to Hrvoje Smolcic:

• Ümit Akdağ(87% match) — A Ball-Playing CB. Statistically, he stands out as naturally left-footed, commanding in the air (5.1 clearances/90), wins the physical battle (56% duel success), uses long balls frequently (6.8/90) and active off the ball (2.2 press score/90), contributing to defensive transitions.
• Modibo Sagnan(85% match) — Sagnan is a proactive, high-engagement disruptor who treats the Super Lig as a hunting ground rather than a defensive zone. While his 50% duel success rate suggests a coin-flip reliability, the underlying data reveals a player far more influential than a simple "stay-at-home" center-back.
• Emirhan Topçu(84% match) — A Ball-Playing CB. Statistically, he stands out as naturally left-footed, an aggressive ball-winner (2.6 tackles/90), commanding in the air (5.6 clearances/90), reads the game exceptionally (1.6 interceptions/90), wins the physical battle (62% duel success), heavily involved in possession (61 passes/90), penetrates with forward passing (8.9 final-third passes/90), central to possession (80 touches/90), uses long balls frequently (7.8/90), active off the ball (2.6 press score/90), contributing to defensive transitions and top 10% tackler in the league.

Similarity uses per-90 performance across playing-style dimensions. How Player DNA matching works →