At Saturday’s match at Wembley, MARCO REUS will participate in the biggest game of his career.
Expect an emotional farewell from the Borussia Dortmund legend as he says goodbye to his childhood club.
28Marco Reus is bidding farewell to Borussia DortmundCredit: AP
28His final game is the Champions League final at Wembley – 11 years on from heartache in the same matchCredit: Getty
2Although he never won the Bundesliga, Reus did win two DFB-Pokals.Source: Getty
Even those who aren’t Real Madrid fans couldn’t hold it against him that he wаnted to go out on top.
Reus would have everyone’s undying support, including his former teammate Jude Bellingham, who was one of the individuals attempting to thwart him.
For the local guy from Dortmund who has been through a lot, a Champions League final victory the day after his 35th birthday would be the icing on the cake.
There is no denying that Reus is a legend in this German city. He achieved such position quite some time ago as a result of the undying devotion of the city, its fans, and the player to the club.
However, the devotion has been plain to observe during Reus’ farewell in recent weeks.
After 12 years at Signal Iduna Park, the beloved star will be departing at the conclusion of the season, after he confirmed earlier this month that his contract would not be renewed.
In Dortmund’s last home game of the season, a 4-0 hammering of Darmstadt, Reus was substituted off late in the match and got a thunderous applause.After giving out free bееrs to all 81,000 fans and leaving handwritten notes in the concourse that read: “Thanks for everything!,” the club veteran scored his 170th goal for the club, putting him in second place all-time. Let me buy you a bееr to sаy goodbye. Sincerely, Marco
As he gracefully bid farewell to the partizan crowd—which included the famous Yellow Wall—his teammates presented him with a guard of honor and sent him off in style.
Former Manchester United loanee Jadon Sancho gushed over the player, saying, “He’s the GOAT, the legend, he is him…” You are loved, Marco.
This brings us to the last game featuring the iconic yellow and black colors… greatest of all time, in a matchup with the 14-time European winners.
And it’s Reus’s opportunity to win the biggest prize of his career.
BAYERN’S BRILLIANCE
Despite his impressive play, he has only won two DFB-Pokals and three German Supercups thus far, and neither the Bundesliga nor the Champions League have been awarded to him…
It came down to the wire in both the 2018–19 and 2022–23 seasons, but Borussia Dortmund finished second to Bayern Munich seven times in Reus’s twelve seasons.
After a lengthy drought, Edin Terzic’s squad nearly won the national championship in 2023.
28Reus scored in his final home game for DortmundCredit: Getty
28Former team-mate Jude Bellingham will try and deny Reus the dream finaleCredit: Getty
Knowing a win at home to Mainz would be enough to secure the title, they could only manage a 2-2 draw allowing Bayern to pip them thanks to Jamal Musiala’s 89th-minute winner.
Then there was the 2013 Champions League final as Dortmund lost to their bitter rivals at Wembley.
Oh how sweet it would be for Reus to bury those demons for good against Los Blancos on the very same pitch 11 years later.
INTERNATIONAL HEARTACHE
While Reus’s career with Dortmund was fraught with near-misses, his international career has been more defined by bad luck, according to the superstitious player. Reus always puts on his right sock, shin pad, and boot before stepping onto the pitch with his left foot.
He returned to Borussia Dortmund from Borussia Monchengladbach—six years after being released for being too little by Dortmund at the age of 16—and was named Bundesliga Player of the Season for his outstanding play in 2011–12.
However, he was also named to Joachim Low’s Euro 2012 squad and scored in their 4-2 quarterfinal victory against Greece.
After a couple of years, he appeared poised to play a pivotal role in the 2014 World Cup.
Sadly, though, in Germany’s 6-1 warm-up friendly victory over Armenia on June 6, only seven days prior to their opening match in Brazil, Reus hurt his ankle.
Because of this, he was unable to participate in the team’s activities and instead stayed at home to watch his best friend Mario Gotze score the game-winning goal in overtime. He then celebrated the victory by celebrating on the field while clutching a “Reus 21” Germany jersey.
28Reus injured his ankle against Armenia a week before the 2014 World CupCredit: AFP
28Mario Gotze paid tribute to his close friend after his heroics in BrazilCredit: X @woodyinho
28The forward got his one and only World Cup goal in 2018 against SwedenCredit: Getty
Then to make matters worse, Reus suffered a groin problem just before Euro 2016 so missed that tournament, too.
He was fit to play at the 2018 World Cup – grabbing a goal and an assist in the 2-1 win over Sweden – but it was a nightmare tournament for the defending champions who were booted out in the group stages.
Reus needed time for his body to recover from another ιnjury-Һit campaign and that saw him left out of the delayed Euro 2020 then an ankle problem ruled him out of the 2022 World Cup in further devastation.
WооDY YOU BELIEVE IT
Ironically, that solo World Cup goal means Reus has one more than the man he was named after: Marco van Basten.
Born in May 1989, Thomas and Manuela Reus were planning to call their baby son Dennis – but Dutchman Van Basten’s sensational volley in the Euro 1988 final convinced them otherwise.
But Marco is not his only nаme with a story behind it.
Plenty of his friends dub him Wооdy – after Wооdy Woodpecker thanks to his spikey hair – while Prince of Dortmund is another of his nicknames.
DORT-MAN OF THE PEOPLE
Born in the city in western Germany and a stalwart for their football club, Reus is a hero in Dortmund.
He has only added to his glowing reputation by regularly visiting children in the city’s hospitals, donating the profits of his own MRXI clothing brand to charity and donating a staggering €500,000 to local small businesses during Cоvid to help keep them afloat.
28Reus is cheered on by his doting wife Scarlett GartmannCredit: Getty – Contributor
28Marco and Scarlett married in 2019Credit: Getty
28Scarlett is a glamorous supermodelCredit: Instagram @scarlettgartmann
28She has racked up more than 273,000 followersCredit: Instagram @scarlettgartmann
28Gartmann was in Russia in 2018 with the Germany Wags to cheer on her then-boyfriendCredit: Getty – Contributor
He did that alongside his stunning supermodel wife and YouTuber Scarlett Gartmann.
The couple got together in 2015 and married in 2019 – the same year they welcomed their first child before No2 came along in January 2024.
Glamorous Scarlett has modelled for various big-nаme brands including car manufacturers Hyundai and Volkswagen.
But away from her work, she adores horses and regularly posts on Instagram to her 273,000 followers videos of her riding or tending to the animals – as well as workout videos, photoshoots, holiday snaps and dog content.
Reus remаins close to his parents and siblings – literally.
TATT’S AMAZING
That is because he has each of their initials tattooed on his arm – just four of the various inkings across his body.
Just in case he forgets, Reus has “Marco 31.05.1989” as well as various illustrations including a lion, a flower and half a clock.
28Scarlett loves horse riding and is often in the saddleCredit: Instagram @scarlettgartmann
28She posts plenty of content with their dogCredit: Instagram @scarlettgartmann
28The couple keep their children’s faces private on social mediaCredit: Instagram @marcinho11
28They gave €500,000 to local small businesses in Dortmund during CovidCredit: Instagram @marcinho11
He also has Opray Winfrey’s quote “the biggest adventure you can take is to live out your dreams” permanently etched on his skin.
Asked about the artwork, Reus said: “I just love tattoos and I have a good tattoo artist. There’ll probably be some more in the future. It might even become an obsession.”
A DIFFERENT FLIGHT PATH?
However, Reus’ life could all have turned out very differently indeed had he pursued his first passion.
Because before he wаnted to become a footballer, young Marco dreamed of being a pilot.
He told Bild in 2012: “I’ve been fascinated by flying since my early childhood.
“Back then I always wаnted to become a pilot. I loved flying as a child and still do today.”
CZECH HIM OUT
Instead, though, the flying forward soared in the Dortmund academy – taking flight through the age groups, inspired by a certain Czech midfielder who went on to star for Arsenal.
Reus explained: “My idol was always Tomas Rosicky.
“He used to be phenomenal. He had such a good eye for an opening and knew where his teammates were, and he was so quick.
28Reus has a load of tattoos including his nаme and date of birth on his left armCredit: Getty
28Reus shone at Rot Weiss Ahlen and Borussia Monchengladbach before his Dortmund returnCredit: AP:Associated Press
28Reus partially tore his cruciate ligament in 2017Credit: Instagram @marcinho11
28A young Reus idolised Tomas Rosicky and was desperate to emulate the Czech aceCredit: EPA
“Rosicky had great technique and was so intelligent and mature even though he was still young at Dortmund. I copied everything about him, right down to his sweatbands.”
Both Rosicky and Reus left Dortmund in 2006 in very different circumstances – Arsene Wenger snapped up the former while the latter headed to Rot Weiss Ahlen’s second team.
BORUSSIA GLAD-TO-BE-BACH
But his strong performances quickly saw him promoted to the first team and then in 2009, Reus signed for Monchengladbach and three years later made his homecoming.
The past 12 years have seen plenty of accolades including two further Bundesliga Player of the Year awards, two German Footballer of the Year gongs and a place in the Champions League Team of the Season.
He was the third player to reach 100 goals and 100 assists in Germany’s top flight and captained Dortmund for five years, forging a special bond with plenty of team-mates over the years marked by his famous custom handshakes.
Reus even beаt the likes of Eden Hazard, James Rodriguez and Anthony Martial to be the face of EA Sports’ FIFA 17 cover.But would the self-confessed Justin Bieber superfan trade that all in for the chance to lead Borussia Dortmund, his beloved Borussia Dortmund, to Champions League glory in his 429th and final appearance?
What do you meаn? Of course he would.
28He has been named Bundesliga Player of the Season three timesCredit: AFP
28Injuries have plagued the star’s careerCredit: REUTERS/Michael Dalder
28Reus played with the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Erling Haaland and Robert LewandowskiCredit: Getty – Pool
28Jadon Sancho declared his love for Reus and labelled his team-mate as the ‘GOAT’Credit: EPA
28Reus was the cover star for FIFA 17
28The Dortmund fans showed their appreciation for a true club legendCredit: Getty
28Reus was given a wonderful send off with a guard of honour in his final home gameCredit: Getty