Germany lose huge Bayern Munich talent Filip Pavić, 16, to Croatia

TL;DR

Filip Pavić, a 16-year-old talent from Bayern Munich, has chosen to represent Croatia internationally instead of Germany. He made this decision due to his strong identification with his Croatian roots despite growing up in Germany.

Key points

Filip Pavić is a 16-year-old talent from Bayern Munich.
He has chosen to represent Croatia internationally.
Pavić made his debut for Bayern Munich's senior team in the Champions League.

Filip PavićFC Bayern MünchenCroatiaGermany

MUNICH, GERMANY - MARCH 18: Filip Pavic of FC Bayern Muenchen vies with Giacomo Raspadori of Alalanta Bergamo during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Round of 16 Second Leg match between FC Bayern München and Atalanta BC at Football Arena Munich on March 18, 2026 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Stefan Matzke - sampics/Getty Images) | Getty Images If one is a dual citizen, how does one choose an international allegiance? Some players choose based on their prospect for playing time, but others choose based on their identification with a country. Born in Germany to Croatian parents, huge Bayern Munich talent Filip Pavić has had to make his own decision on what country he wishes to represent. He has already garnered a lot of attention and praise this season, not just for his performances for Bayern Munich’s U-19s but because of his involvement with the senior team. He became the first 2o10-born player to suit up for the Bavarians, making his debut against Atalanta Bergamo in the Champions League and even traveling with the senior squad for the first leg of the UCL semifinal against Paris Saint Germain. But now he makes the headlines for a different reaosn. So far, he has represented Germany at various underage levels and, at just 16 years of age, one can justifiably argue the decision on his international future is being made too soon. Nevertheless, it has been made and Pavić has chosen due to his strong identification with the country. “I have huge gratitude, respect and love for Germany, where I grew up and live, where I learned to play football and where I have the opportunity to develop in one of the world’s biggest clubs, FC Bayern, which provides great conditions and great support for young players,” Pavić said, as captured by . “On the other hand, I grew up in a Croatian family, I strongly feel these Croatian roots and my desire is to represent Croatia at international level.” Pavić’s story resembles Bayern professional Josip Stanišić quite a bit, as both were born in Bavaria to Croatian parents and have decided to represent Croatia. Clearly, the moral of the story is that Croatian roots run quite deep. *If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on , , , or any leading podcast distributor…*

Q&A

Why did Filip Pavić choose Croatia over Germany for international play?

Filip Pavić chose Croatia because he strongly identifies with his Croatian roots, despite having grown up in Germany.

What achievements has Filip Pavić accomplished at Bayern Munich?

Filip Pavić became the first player born in 2010 to debut for Bayern Munich and has played for their U-19 team and the senior squad in the Champions League.

How does Filip Pavić's decision compare to other players with dual citizenship?

Pavić's decision mirrors that of Bayern professional Josip Stanišić, who also chose to represent Croatia despite being born in Bavaria to Croatian parents.