Success is family affair for Vlasic

NIKOLA VLASIC seems destined to become an Everton golden boy – it’s in the blood.

The teenage Croatian winger (right), a bargain £10million signing from Hajduk Split, comes from a family steeped in sporting excellence.

Vlasic’s father Josko was a decathlete who competed against Daley Thompson at the World Athletics Championships and now coaches the Olympic squad. Mum Venera was as basketball player who also excelled at cross-country skiing.

And sister Blanka is a two-time high jump world champion who has won silver and bronze at the last two Olympics. No wonder the 19-year-old has always aimed high. Vlasic (below) said: “I grew up in a very competitive family and I admit that when I was a young boy I would always cry when I lost at something. “My sister was the same. In that environment you just want to win. “It is only afterwards, when you grow up, you see that losing is also part of the game. When I was a kid they always said, ‘He’s the brother of Blanka Vlasic’, and that was a little annoying.

“I didn’t want just to be the brother of some girl. I wanted her to be my sister.

“I started to play for Hajduk Split because it’s the only team that matters where I grew up and suddenly I had my own name.

“I was no longer just the brother of Blanka.”