Marco Reus is a German professional footballer known for his role as an attacking midfielder or winger.
He currently plays for Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund and the Germany national team.
Early life
Marco Reus was born on May 31, 1989, in Dortmund, Germany. He grew up in the nearby suburb of Holzwickede. Reus started playing football at a young age, joining his first club, Post SV Dortmund, when he was just four years old.He later joined the youth academy of Borussia Dortmund, his hometown club, where he developed his skills until the age of 16. However, seeking more opportunities for playing time and development, Reus moved to the youth ranks of Rot Weiss Ahlen in 2006.
Career
Reus began his football journey with hometown club Post SV Dortmund in 1994, joining Borussia Dortmund’s youth system two years later. In 2006, he moved to the U-19 team of Rot Weiss Ahlen. During his first season, he played as an attacking midfielder for the club’s second team in the Westphalia league, scoring in his first two games. The following season, he broke into Ahlen’s first team in the German third division, making 16 appearances and scoring a crucial goal on the last matchday, securing promotion to the 2. Bundesliga. In the 2008–09 season, at 19, he solidified his status as a professional, playing 27 games and scoring four goals.
On May 25, 2009, Reus signed a four-year contract with Bundesliga club Borussia Mönchengladbach. He scored his first Bundesliga goal on August 28 against Mainz 05 after a 50-meter solo run, becoming a key goalscorer under coach Lucien Favre. On August 20, 2010, he scored his first Bundesliga brace in a match against Mainz 05.
In the 2011–12 season, Reus scored 10 goals in his first 13 matches, including his first Bundesliga hat-trick in a 5–0 win over Werder Bremen on November 19. With a contract containing an €18 million buy-out clause set to expire in 2015, Reus, inspired by Tomáš Rosický, decided to take the next step in his career. On January 4, 2012, he signed a five-year deal with Borussia Dortmund for a €17.1 million fee, rejoining the club on July 1. In his league debut for Dortmund on August 24, Reus scored in a 2–1 win over Werder Bremen. On September 29, he netted twice in a 5–0 victory over Mönchengladbach, propelling Dortmund to the top of the Bundesliga.
Reus continued to shine in the Champions League, scoring in a 1–1 draw against Manchester City on October 3 and again in a 2–2 draw with Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu on November 6. He helped secure Dortmund’s place in the Round of 16 with a goal in a 4–1 win over Ajax on November 21. On February 16, 2013, Reus scored a hat-trick in a 3–0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt. His injury-time goal on April 9 against Málaga was pivotal in Dortmund’s 3–2 Champions League quarter-final victory. Despite losing to Bayern Munich in the final, Reus played a crucial role throughout the campaign.
Reus continued his stellar form, contributing significantly in the 2013–14 season, including a brace against Freiburg and a hat-trick in a 3–2 win over Stuttgart on March 29, 2014. He ended the season with 23 goals and 18 assists. In the 2014–15 season, Reus battled injuries but still made key contributions, including a goal and an assist in a 4–0 win against Galatasaray. He signed a contract extension with Dortmund on February 10, 2015, keeping him at the club until 2019.
In the 2015–16 season, Reus scored a hat-trick in a 7–2 win against Odds BK, securing Dortmund’s place in the Europa League. He continued to perform well, scoring in key matches and helping Dortmund reach the DFB-Pokal final. Despite injuries, Reus returned to form in the 2016–17 season, scoring twice in an 8–4 Champions League win over Legia Warsaw. He suffered a partial cruciate ligament tear in the DFB-Pokal final but recovered to play a vital role in subsequent seasons.
Reus was named Dortmund’s captain for the 2018–19 season, leading by example with crucial goals and assists, including a match-winning goal against RB Leipzig. He finished the season with 21 goals and 14 assists, earning the title of Germany Footballer of the Year. Despite injuries in the following seasons, Reus continued to break records, becoming Dortmund’s all-time Champions League top scorer and second all-time goalscorer for the club.
In 2023, Reus announced he would step down as club captain and later decided to leave Dortmund at the end of the 2023–24 season, concluding his 12-year tenure with a goal and an assist in his final match.
International
On 11 August 2009, Marco Reus made his debut for Germany’s under-21 team in a friendly against Turkey. He earned his first senior team call-up on 6 May 2010 for a friendly against Malta scheduled for 14 May. However, he had to withdraw due to a leg injury sustained in the last game of the season against Bayer Leverkusen. Reus eventually made his senior debut on 7 October 2011 in a match against Turkey. He scored his first international goal on 26 May 2012 in a 5-3 defeat to Switzerland, and his first start in a major tournament came in the UEFA Euro 2012 quarter-final against Greece on 22 June, where he also scored.
Reus became a regular for Joachim Löw during the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification, contributing five goals and three assists in six matches. Unfortunately, he missed the World Cup finals after suffering an ankle injury in a warm-up match against Armenia on 6 June. He made his return to international football on 3 September 2014 in a friendly against Argentina, which ended in a 4-2 loss for Germany.
In the UEFA Euro 2016 qualification, Reus scored once in four appearances but missed the tournament due to a groin injury. After a two-year absence from international duty, he returned on 2 June 2018 in a friendly against Austria. Reus was included in Germany’s squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, making his first World Cup appearance as a substitute in their opening match against Mexico on 17 June, which ended in a 1-0 loss. He scored his first World Cup goal on 23 June, equalizing against Sweden, and assisted Toni Kroos’s winning goal, earning the Man of the Match honor. However, Germany was eliminated after a 2-0 defeat to South Korea on 27 June.
In May 2021, Reus opted out of the postponed UEFA Euro 2020 to recover from post-season fatigue. He was also excluded from Hansi Flick’s squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup due to an ankle injury that he couldn’t recover from in time.
Personal life 
Marco Reus was named after the Dutch football legend Marco van Basten. His parents had initially planned to name him ‘Dennis,’ but after Van Basten’s famous volley goal against the Soviet Union in the Euro 1988 final, they decided on ‘Marco’ instead.
Reus began dating German model Scarlett Gartmann in December 2015. They had their first child in March 2019 and got married later that year. Their second child was born in January 2024.
Reus has mentioned that if he were not a professional footballer, he would have pursued a career as a pilot.
In 2017, Reus was chosen as the cover athlete for FIFA 17 after winning a fan vote organized by Electronic Arts.
During the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, Reus and his wife Scarlett donated €500,000 to support individuals and small businesses in need in their hometown of Dortmund.
Legacy
Marco Reus is regarded as one of the most talented and loyal players in modern football. His commitment to Borussia Dortmund and his consistent high-level performances have solidified his status as a club legend and a respected figure in German football.
Net Worth
Undisclosed