Marcell Jansen facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Marcell Jansen

Jansen in 2016
Personal information
Full name	Marcell Jansen
Date of birth	(1985-11-04) 4 November 1985 (age 39)
Place of birth	Mönchengladbach, West Germany
Height	1.91 m
Playing position	Left back
Club information
Current club	Hamburger SV III
Youth career
1990–1993	SV Mönchengladbach
1993–2004	Borussia Mönchengladbach
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2004–2007	Borussia Mönchengladbach	73	(5)
2007–2008	Bayern Munich	17	(0)
2008–2015	Hamburger SV	152	(20)
2009	Hamburger SV II	1	(0)
2018–	Hamburger SV III	72	(46)
Total		315	(71)
National team
2004–2005	Germany U21	4	(1)
2005–2014	Germany	45	(3)
Honours Men's football Representing  Germany World Cup Bronze 2006 Germany Team Bronze 2010 South Africa Team UEFA Euro Runner-up 2008 Austria–Switzerland Team
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 10 May 2024. † Appearances (Goals).

Marcell Jansen (born 4 November 1985) is a German former professional footballer. He was known for his fast pace and accurate crossing of the ball. Jansen mostly played as a full-back or wing-back on the left side of the field. He could also play as a left-winger. After retiring from playing, he became the president of Hamburger SV. He also plays for Hamburger SV III in a lower league.

Club Career

Playing for Borussia Mönchengladbach

Jansen outside the training ground at Borussia Mönchengladbach

Marcell Jansen grew up in Mönchengladbach, West Germany. He joined Borussia Mönchengladbach's youth academy in 1993. Before that, he played for a local team called SV Mönchengladbach.

In 2003, at 17 years old, Jansen was a substitute for a Bundesliga game. However, he did not play in that match. He then went back to playing for the Under-19 team.

In the 2004–05 season, Jansen started playing for Borussia Mönchengladbach II. This was the club's reserve team in the fourth division. Later in 2004, he got his chance to play for the main team. His first game was a tough 6–0 loss against Hertha BSC. Even though that game was difficult, he continued to play for the first team. This was because the team captain, Christian Ziege, was injured.

In January 2005, Jansen signed his first professional contract. He scored his first goal for the club on 3 April 2005. It was in a 2–2 draw against VfL Bochum. In his first season, he played 18 games and scored one goal.

For the 2005–06 season, Jansen continued to be a regular player. He played as both a left-back and a left-midfielder. His good performances led to him being called up for the German senior team. He also signed a new contract with the club. He scored his first goal of that season in December 2005. At the end of the season, he had played 33 games and scored once.

After the 2006 FIFA World Cup, other big German clubs wanted to sign Jansen. But Borussia Mönchengladbach decided not to sell him. In the 2006–07 season, he kept playing as a left-back. He scored his first goal of the season in March 2007. At the end of this season, the club was moved down to a lower league. Jansen had played 24 games and scored one goal.

Moving to Bayern Munich

In March 2007, Bayern Munich, a very famous German club, showed interest in Jansen. In May 2007, it was announced that he would join Bayern in July for about €10 million. Some people worried he might not play much at Bayern. But Jansen said he was ready for the challenge. He felt it was an important step for his career.

Jansen played his first game for Bayern Munich in a friendly match. He came on as a substitute in a 4–0 win. He scored his first goal for Bayern in another friendly game. His official Bundesliga debut was on the first day of the 2007–08 season. It was a 3–0 win against Hansa Rostock.

He faced some injuries during his time at Bayern. He was out for three months with an ankle injury. Despite these injuries, he played as a left-back. Bayern Munich won the Bundesliga title that season. Jansen played 33 games in total. In the 2008–09 season, Jansen found himself on the bench. He was not playing as much under the new manager, Jürgen Klinsmann.

Playing for Hamburger SV

On 28 August 2008, Jansen signed a five-year contract with Hamburger SV. He moved for an €8 million transfer fee. Two days later, he played his first game for Hamburg. It was a 4–2 win against Arminia Bielefeld. He quickly became a regular player, often playing in midfield.

In October 2008, Jansen had a muscle injury. He returned in November as a substitute. His first goals for Hamburg came on 22 February 2009. He scored twice in a 2–1 win against Bayer Leverkusen. In the 2008–09 season, Jansen played 40 games and scored 4 goals.

At the start of the 2009–10 season, Jansen suffered another injury. He tore a ligament and was out for two months. After returning, he scored his first goal in November 2009. He scored four more goals by January 2010. He played 28 games and scored 9 goals that season.

In the 2010–11 season, Jansen started as a left-back. But injuries kept him out for three months again. He returned in January 2011. He scored his first goal of the season in February. However, a hip injury in training ended his season early. He played 17 games and scored 2 goals.

Before the 2011–12 season, other clubs were interested in Jansen. But he decided to stay with Hamburg. He returned from injury and played in the first match of the season. He often played in midfield, either as a left-winger or left-midfielder. He scored his first goal of the season in November 2011. Despite more injuries, he played 31 games and scored 5 goals.

Jansen training with Hamburger SV in July 2013

Before the 2012–13 season, Jansen extended his contract with Hamburg until 2015. He started the season in left-midfield. Then he moved back to left-back for most of the season. He had more injuries in 2012. He returned in January 2013. He scored his first goal of the season in April. He played 29 games and scored one goal.

In the 2013–14 season, Jansen continued to play at left-back. He then suffered a fractured toe. After returning, he scored his first goal in September 2013. He also captained Hamburg for the first time in November 2013. He led the team five times that season. He faced more injuries but returned to play in important relegation play-off matches. Hamburg stayed in the Bundesliga. He played 27 games and scored once.

In the 2014–15 season, Jansen stayed at Hamburg. He played at left-back and then in left-midfield. However, he was often injured by the end of 2014. His return from injury was short-lived as he kept getting hurt. He played 16 games and scored 2 goals. At the end of the season, Hamburg decided not to extend his contract.

Retirement

After his contract ended, Jansen became a free agent. He decided not to join another club. He felt that Hamburg was the only team for him. Many people thought he made a wrong choice. He announced his retirement from football at age 29. Jansen explained that he did not like some parts of the football business.

After retiring, Jansen became a football expert for Sky Sport. On 19 January 2019, the members of Hamburger SV voted him to be the new club president.

International Career

Youth Team

Marcell Jansen first played for the Germany Under-21 national team in November 2004. He made his debut on 16 November 2004. He played 62 minutes in a 1–1 draw against Poland. Jansen scored his first Under-21 goal in February 2005. It was in a 4–0 win over Wales. He played four games and scored once for the Germany U21 team.

Senior Team

Jansen after beating Argentina in the quarter-final of the 2010 World Cup

In September 2005, Jansen was called up to the senior national team for the first time. He made his debut on 3 September 2005. He came on as a substitute in a 2–0 loss against Slovakia. He then played the whole game in the next match. Germany won 4–2 against South Africa.

Jansen was chosen for the German squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He was expected to be the main left-back. However, after some less-than-perfect games, the manager decided to bench him. He only played in one game during the tournament. This was Germany's bronze medal-winning match against Portugal.

Jansen later played in several Euro 2008 qualifiers. He scored his first international goal against San Marino. Germany won that game 6–0. He was part of Germany's squad for the main tournament. He played his first match of the tournament in a 2–0 win against Poland. He came on as a substitute in the quarter-finals and semi-finals. In the final, Germany lost 1–0 to Spain. Jansen came on as a substitute in that match.

Before the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, Jansen was injured. But he was still included in Germany's final squad. He made his first World Cup appearance as a substitute in a 1–0 win over Ghana. He played two more times as a substitute. He started and scored in the third-place match. Germany won 3–2 against Uruguay.

After the World Cup, Jansen played in a Euro 2012 qualifying match. He was then injured again and missed almost three years of national team calls. This included missing out on the Euro 2012 squad. He was disappointed about not being called up.

On 24 March 2013, Jansen was called back to the German national team. He played as a substitute in a World Cup qualification match. On 29 May 2013, he started his first game for Germany in years. Germany won 4–2 against Ecuador. He also played in friendly matches against Italy and England.

On 5 March 2014, Jansen played in a friendly match against Chile. He got injured in that game. In May 2014, he was named in the first squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. However, six days later, he was cut from the final World Cup squad. Germany went on to win the World Cup that year.

Personal Life

Marcell Jansen has revealed that he cannot eat foods with lactose or grain.

Outside of football, Jansen supports the "Hamburger Weg" project. This project helps people in the city of Hamburg. He once raised €1,000 for the project in a poker match. Jansen has also said that his father was a very important person in his life.

In February 2015, Jansen and five other people invested in a sports company called "Gymjunky".

Career Statistics

Club Statistics

International Goals

Scores and results list Germany's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Jansen goal.

List of international goals scored by Marcell Jansen

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition	Ref.
1	2 June 2007	Frankenstadion, Nuremberg, Germany	San Marino	2–0	6–0	Euro 2008 Q
2	28 March 2009	Zentralstadion, Leipzig, Germany	Liechtenstein	2–0	4–0	2010 WCQ
3	10 July 2010	Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth, South Africa	Uruguay	2–2	3–2	2010 FIFA World Cup

Honours

Bayern Munich

• Bundesliga: 2007–08
• DFB-Pokal: 2007–08
• DFL-Ligapokal: 2007

Germany

• FIFA World Cup third place: 2006, 2010
• UEFA European Championship runner-up: 2008

See also

In Spanish: Marcell Jansen para niños