Nikola Tavares

Tavares was born in Cape Town, with AOB/Old Mutual Academy and Hellenic FC, before a move to England in 2013 took him into Brentford's academy. When that academy closed in 2016, he went through unsuccessful trials at several clubs before Crystal Palace took him on. He signed a professional contract there in 2017 and captained the club's under-23 side, though he never made it beyond the bench for the first team, named as an unused substitute on four occasions.

A move to Wealdstone in 2021 finally brought regular football: 27 appearances and a goal, before a thigh injury ended his season early. He rebuilt at Dagenham & Redbridge, joining in June 2022 and making 37 appearances over two years. Barnet signed him on a free transfer in May 2024, and the club later moved to extend his contract to 2028. His first season at the club brought 39 appearances and a goal, and ended with the National League title.

Eligible for Croatia, Portugal and South Africa through his background, Tavares chose Croatia at youth level, winning six caps across the under-18, under-19 and under-20 sides in friendlies between 2017 and 2019.