Marco Reus is a German professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or forward for the Germany national team and Borussia Dortmund, where he is currently serving as the team's captain.
Early years
Reus was born in Dortmund on 31 May 1989. He began to play football for his hometown club Post SV Dortmund in 1994 and joined the youth ranks of Borussia Dortmund in 1996.[2] He played for Borussia Dortmund until he left for the U-19 team of Rot Weiss Ahlen in the summer of 2006. During his first year there, he played as an attacking midfielder and was featured in five games for the club's second team, which played in the Westphalia league at the time. He scored a goal in each of his first two games. The following year, he was able to break into Ahlen's first team, which played in the German third division at the time. He started twice and was featured in 14 matches, scoring two goals. One of his goals came on the last day of the season and propelled the team being promoted to the 2. Bundesliga.[3] In 2008–09, as a 19-year-old, he had his definitive breakthrough as a professional football player, playing 27 games and scoring four goals.[4]Borussia Mönchengladbach
2014–15 season
In the second match of the 2014–15 Bundesliga against FC Augsburg, Reus scored one goal and helped set up another. Dortmund went to win the match by 3–2.[27] In September 2014, he was diagnosed with an ankle injury.[28] On 22 October 2014, Reus returned from injury and contributed a goal and assist in their 4–0 Champions League group stage away win against Galatasaray.[29] On 1 November, he scored the only goal for Dortmund in their 2–1 away loss against their rivals Bayern Munich.[30]
Despite prior injury concerns, Reus started Dortmund's match away to SC Paderborn on 22 November and scored to put them 2–0 up. He was stretchered off in the second half, however, after which Paderborn equalised for a final score of 2–2.[31] The injury ruled him out until January 2015.[32]
On 10 February 2015, Reus signed a contract extension with Dortmund, keeping him at the club until 2019.[33]
2015–16 season
On 5 August 2015, Reus scored a goal in their 5–0 win against Wolfsberger AC to advance into the 2015–16 Europa League play-off round.[34] On 15 August, he then opened the 2015–16 league campaign with a goal and an assist in a 4–0 home win against his former club Borussia Mönchengladbach.[35] On 28 August 2015, he scored a hat-trick in their 7–2 home win against Odds BK to qualify for the 2015–16 UEFA Europa League.[36]
On 20 April 2016, Reus was one of three goalscorers as Borussia won 3–0 away at Hertha BSC in the semi-final of the DFB-Pokal.[37] Before the start of the 2016–17 Bundesliga, he became the captain for Borussia Dortmund shortly after former club captain Mats Hummels left for rivals Bayern Munich. He finished the 2015–16 season with total of 23 goals and 8 assists in 43 appearances.[38]
2016–17 season
After being sidelined due to injury, Reus made his return on 22 November 2016. He scored twice and assisted once in a historic 8–4 Champions league group stage win against Legia Warsaw. Reus took the game ball for it was originally a hat-trick game by him.[39] On 3 December 2016, he assisted three goals in their 4–1 win against his former club Borussia Mönchengladbach.[40] Four days later, Reus scored in a 2–2 draw against Real Madrid; Dortmund subsequently advanced to the round 16 as the winners of Group F, ahead of Madrid.[41] On 10 December 2016, Reus continued his goalscoring form with a late equaliser in Dortmund's 1–1 draw with 1. FC Köln.[42]
During the 2017 DFB-Pokal Final, Reus suffered a partial cruciate ligament tear and was substituted at halftime. Dortmund went on to win the match, giving Reus his first major trophy.[43] The initial prognosis suggested that he would miss six months.[44]
2017–18 season
Reus in 2018
On 10 February 2018, Reus recovered from the ligament damage and made his return against Hamburg in the Bundesliga.[45] Reus scored his first goal since his return from injury and the only goal in the match against his former club Borussia Mönchengladbach in a 1–0 victory.[46] Reus scored Dortmund's only goal in two consecutive matches against Augsburg and RB Leipzig in which both the matches ended in a 1–1 draw.[47][48] On 9 March 2018, Reus extended his contract with the club until 30 June 2023.[49] On 21 April, Reus scored twice in a 4–0 win over Bayer Leverkusen, where he also missed a penalty.[50] On 29 April, Reus scored a 19th-minute goal in Dortmund's 1–1 draw with Werder Bremen.[51] On 12 May 2018, Reus scored the only goal for the team in Dortmund's 3–1 loss to Hoffenheim.[52] Reus finished the season with 7 goals in 15 appearances in all competitions.[53]