Mario Mandžukić
(born 21 May 1986) is a Croatian footballer, who plays as a striker for
Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga and the Croatian national team.
Mandžukić made his first footballing steps at the German club TSF Ditzingen, based near Stuttgart, in 1992. Upon his return to his home city he spent the period between 1996 and 2003 at Marsonia, before spending a season at the city minnows NK Željezničar. The next season he returned to Marsonia and in the summer of 2005 he made a move to NK Zagreb. He thrived under the tuition of Miroslav Blažević and earned a lot interest from other clubs. In the summer of 2007 he was bought by the Croatian powerhouse Dinamo Zagreb for €1.3 million as a replacement for their star striker Eduardo da Silva. He finished his first season at Dinamo with 12 goals and 11 assists throughout 29 matches, but also had a bad discipline record, collecting 8 yellow cards. In the 2008–09 Prva HNL Mandžukić was league's top goalscorer, bagging 16 goals in 28 appearances. After the 2008–09 season had finished he was linked with German side Werder Bremen, but the €12m offer was rejected by Dinamo Zagreb board who were of opinion that Mandžukić's price was at least €15m. On 17 September 2009, after Dinamo lost 2–0 at home to Anderlecht in Europa League, Mandžukić was controversially fined €100k after being accused for poor performance. It was the first time in the history of the club that the player was financially fined. On 20 September, Mandžukić captained Dinamo to a 6–0 victory against Rijeka in Prva HNL. In a post–match interview Mandžukić rejected any speculations about him leaving the club after the fine, stating that it was his childhood dream to captain Dinamo side and that he tends to give his best in any match he plays for the club.
Mandžukić made his first footballing steps at the German club TSF Ditzingen, based near Stuttgart, in 1992. Upon his return to his home city he spent the period between 1996 and 2003 at Marsonia, before spending a season at the city minnows NK Željezničar. The next season he returned to Marsonia and in the summer of 2005 he made a move to NK Zagreb. He thrived under the tuition of Miroslav Blažević and earned a lot interest from other clubs. In the summer of 2007 he was bought by the Croatian powerhouse Dinamo Zagreb for €1.3 million as a replacement for their star striker Eduardo da Silva. He finished his first season at Dinamo with 12 goals and 11 assists throughout 29 matches, but also had a bad discipline record, collecting 8 yellow cards. In the 2008–09 Prva HNL Mandžukić was league's top goalscorer, bagging 16 goals in 28 appearances. After the 2008–09 season had finished he was linked with German side Werder Bremen, but the €12m offer was rejected by Dinamo Zagreb board who were of opinion that Mandžukić's price was at least €15m. On 17 September 2009, after Dinamo lost 2–0 at home to Anderlecht in Europa League, Mandžukić was controversially fined €100k after being accused for poor performance. It was the first time in the history of the club that the player was financially fined. On 20 September, Mandžukić captained Dinamo to a 6–0 victory against Rijeka in Prva HNL. In a post–match interview Mandžukić rejected any speculations about him leaving the club after the fine, stating that it was his childhood dream to captain Dinamo side and that he tends to give his best in any match he plays for the club.
