David Puclin

The shootout in the 2019–20 Ukrainian Cup final, against Dynamo Kyiv, found David Puclin still on the pitch after 90 minutes and extra time. He took a penalty and scored it. It was the deep-lying midfield role at FC Vorskla Poltava — the position he has held for most of his career, breaking up play and starting it again — that had carried him there.

After two years at Sloboda Varaždin, he spent his youth years at NK Varaždin, then still known as Varteks, until 2011. The senior career began at NK Međimurje, with a short spell at HNK Gorica in between and a return to Međimurje until 2014. A season at HNK Šibenik was followed by his first move abroad, to 1. FC Saarbrücken.

Croatia took him back. He joined NK Istra 1961 as a free agent in September 2016, moved to Slaven Belupo in January 2018 and stayed two years before signing for Vorskla. The war in Ukraine cut that spell short: he was loaned to ADO Den Haag in April 2022 and to Varaždin that September.

What came next took him further out. He signed for Nantong Zhiyun in China, and a loan to Kisvárda FC ended with the Hungarian NB II title in 2024–25. In August 2025 he returned to Varaždin on a permanent deal that runs to May 2027, with more than 119 appearances in the Croatian 1. HNL behind him. He has never been capped by the senior national team. Most of his moves have been free transfers or loans.