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Mario Mandžukić

Mandžukić playing for Croatia in the 2018 FIFA World Cup final
Personal information
Full name	Mario Mandžukić
Date of birth	(1986-05-21) 21 May 1986 (age 39)
Place of birth	Slavonski Brod, SR Croatia, Yugoslavia
Height	1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position(s)	Striker
Youth career
1992–1996	TSF Ditzingen
1996–2003	Marsonia
2003–2004	Željezničar Slavonski Brod
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2004–2005	Marsonia	23	(14)
2005–2007	NK Zagreb	51	(14)
2007–2010	Dinamo Zagreb	81	(41)
2010–2012	VfL Wolfsburg	56	(20)
2012–2014	Bayern Munich	54	(33)
2014–2015	Atlético Madrid	28	(12)
2015–2019	Juventus	118	(31)
2019–2020	Al-Duhail	5	(0)
2021	AC Milan	10	(0)
Total		426	(166)
International career
2004–2005	Croatia U19	10	(3)
2007	Croatia U20	1	(1)
2006–2008	Croatia U21	9	(1)
2007–2018	Croatia	89	(33)
Managerial career
2021–2024	Croatia (assistant coach)
Medal record Men's football Representing  Croatia FIFA World Cup Runner-up 2018 Russia Representing  Croatia (as assistant coach) FIFA World Cup Third 2022 Qatar
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Mario Mandžukić (born on May 21, 1986) is a Croatian football coach and a former player. He was an assistant coach for the Croatia national team. As a player, he was a forward known for his strong play, helping his team defend, and being great at heading the ball.

Mandžukić started his career in 2004 with his hometown club Marsonia. He then moved to two clubs in Zagreb: NK Zagreb in 2005 and Dinamo Zagreb in 2007. He was the top goalscorer in the Croatian First League during the 2008–09 season.

After joining VfL Wolfsburg in 2010, Mandžukić moved to Bundesliga club Bayern Munich in 2012. He helped Bayern win their first ever continental treble in his first season. This included the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, and Champions League. He also became the first Croatian player to score in a Champions League final.

After winning two more titles with Bayern, he joined La Liga club Atlético Madrid in 2014. A season later, he signed with Juventus in Serie A. Mandžukić won four league titles and three Coppa Italia titles with Juventus. He also reached the 2017 Champions League final. He left Juventus in December 2019 for Qatari club Al-Duhail. He returned to Italy in January 2021, signing with AC Milan. He retired from playing football in September 2021.

For his country, Mandžukić played for Croatia starting in November 2007. He played in four big tournaments with his national team: Euro 2012, the 2014 World Cup, Euro 2016, and the 2018 World Cup. He helped Croatia reach the final of the 2018 World Cup. After this, he retired from playing for his country. He played 89 international games and scored 33 goals. This makes him Croatia's third-highest goalscorer ever. He was named Croatian Footballer of the Year in 2012 and 2013.

Club Career Highlights

Starting Out in Football

Mario Mandžukić began his football journey in Germany. He and his family moved there because of the Croatian War of Independence in 1992. He joined a German club called TSF Ditzingen. When he returned to Croatia, he played for NK Marsonia from 1996 to 2003. After a short time at NK Željezničar, he went back to Marsonia. In 2005, he moved to NK Zagreb.

Playing for Dinamo Zagreb

Mandžukić playing for Dinamo Zagreb in July 2008

In 2007, Dinamo Zagreb bought Mandžukić for €1.3 million. He was brought in to replace their star striker, Eduardo da Silva. Mario quickly became a regular player, often playing as a second striker. On October 4, 2007, he scored two goals in extra-time against AFC Ajax in Amsterdam. This helped Dinamo win 3–2 and reach the group stage of the 2007–08 UEFA Cup. In his first season at Dinamo, he scored 12 goals and made 11 assists in 29 matches.

In the 2008–09 Prva HNL season, Mandžukić was the top goalscorer in the league. He scored 16 goals in 28 games. He also scored three goals in the UEFA Cup that season. He became an important player for the Croatia national team during this time. He played in eight 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches.

Time at Wolfsburg

On July 14, 2010, Mandžukić joined VfL Wolfsburg in Germany. In his first season, he often came on as a substitute. He played mostly as a left winger under coach Steve McClaren. Things changed when Edin Džeko left for Manchester City in January 2011. Mandžukić then started playing in his natural position as a striker.

He scored his first Bundesliga goal for Wolfsburg against 1. FC Nürnberg. Under the new manager Felix Magath, Mandžukić played as a striker. In the last seven games of that season, he scored eight goals. Two of these goals in the final match helped the club avoid being relegated. In his second season, he was a regular starter and the club's top scorer with 12 goals. He scored 20 goals in 56 games for Wolfsburg. Fans liked him for his goalscoring and effort.

Success with Bayern Munich

On June 26, 2012, Mandžukić signed with Bayern Munich for €13 million. This move happened after he played very well at UEFA Euro 2012.

Winning the Treble (2012–13)

Mandžukić playing for Bayern Munich in August 2012

Mandžukić played his first game for Bayern on July 24, 2012. He scored a goal in a 6–0 friendly win against Beijing Guoan. On August 12, he scored his first official goal against Borussia Dortmund. This helped his team win the German DFL Supercup. He scored his first league goal for Bayern against Greuther Fürth. He then scored twice against his old club, Wolfsburg.

He scored nine goals in his first 11 Bundesliga matches. After the winter break, he continued scoring, adding three more goals in his first two games. He finished his first Bundesliga season as Bayern's top scorer with 15 goals in 24 matches. He played a big part in winning the Bundesliga title. He scored his first Champions League goal against Arsenal. He scored another goal against Juventus in Turin.

On May 25, Bayern played Borussia Dortmund in the 2013 UEFA Champions League Final. Mandžukić scored the first goal, giving Bayern a 1–0 lead. Bayern won the match 2–1. With this goal, Mandžukić became the first Croatian to score in a Champions League final. It was a very successful first season for him in Munich. The club won a treble: the Bundesliga, Champions League, and DFB-Pokal. They also won the German Supercup.

Another Strong Season (2013–14)

Mandžukić started the next season a bit slowly, getting used to new coach Pep Guardiola's system. However, he soon found his form. He scored two goals in his first two league games. He scored his first Champions League goal of the season against CSKA Moscow. He also scored the only goal in a win against FC Viktoria Plzeň, helping Bayern reach the knockout stages. Mandžukić scored his tenth Bundesliga goal of the season against Hamburger SV in December.

In the 2013 FIFA Club World Cup semi-final, Mandžukić scored a header against Guangzhou Evergrande. Bayern won the competition after beating Raja Casablanca 2–0 in the final. He scored his first hat-trick of the season in a 5–0 win over Hamburger SV in the DFB-Pokal semi-final. He scored his 100th Bundesliga appearance goal against Hannover 96. Even though he was the club's top scorer with 26 goals, Mandžukić decided to leave Bayern. He said that coach Pep Guardiola's playing style "simply does not fit" him.

Moving to Atlético Madrid

Mandžukić with Atlético Madrid in October 2014

On July 10, 2014, Mandžukić signed a four-year deal with Spanish club Atlético Madrid. He wore the number 9 shirt. He played his first game on August 19 in the 2014 Supercopa de España against Real Madrid. In the second game, Mandžukić scored his first goal for the club, which was the winning goal. It was the fastest goal in that competition.

He scored his first league goal against SD Eibar on August 30. In the Champions League opening match against Olympiacos, Mandžukić scored a close-range header. He scored the only goal in a win over Getafe on October 26. He scored 14 goals before the winter break, including a hat-trick against Olympiacos in the Champions League. This hat-trick helped Atlético reach the knockout stage.

Mandžukić scored his 11th La Liga goal in a 4–0 win over local rivals Real Madrid. Experts said he played one of the best centre-forward games in La Liga. In total, Mandžukić scored 20 goals in 43 games in his only season in Madrid. He was known as a hard-working and reliable goal scorer.

Joining Juventus

On June 22, 2015, Serie A champions Juventus announced that Mandžukić had joined them from Atlético Madrid. He signed a four-year contract.

First Season with Juventus (2015–16)

On August 8, he scored the first goal for Juventus with a header against Lazio in the 2015 Supercoppa Italiana. Juventus won 2–0. He played his first league game for Juventus on August 23 in a 1–0 loss to Udinese.

On September 21, 2015, Mandžukić had a thigh injury. However, he returned early and scored Juventus's first goal against Manchester City in the Champions League group stage. On October 25, 2015, he scored his first Serie A goal for Juventus against Atalanta. He scored again two games later, helping Juventus beat Empoli 3–1. On November 25, 2015, Mandžukić scored the winning goal against Manchester City in the Champions League. This secured Juventus a spot in the next round. He was voted Juventus player of the month for November 2015.

In January 2016, Mandžukić got another muscle injury. He returned earlier than expected for the match against his former club, Bayern Munich. He helped set up Paulo Dybala's goal in a 2–2 draw.

Playing a New Role (2016–17)

Mandžukić with Juventus at the end of victorious 2017 Coppa Italia Final

In his second season with Juventus, Mandžukić often played in a new position. Manager Massimiliano Allegri used him mainly as a left winger, not just a striker. Even though he scored fewer goals, he was praised for his hard work, flexibility, and good performances in this new role. On May 25, 2017, Mandžukić signed a contract extension until 2020.

On June 3, he played in the 2017 UEFA Champions League Final. He scored the equalizing goal in the 27th minute against Real Madrid. Mandžukić controlled the ball and scored with an amazing overhead kick from about 15 yards. This goal was called one of the best ever in a Champions League final. However, Juventus lost the match 4–1. Mandžukić's goal won the UEFA Goal of the Season award for 2016–17.

Later Seasons with Juventus

On October 31, 2017, Mandžukić played his 100th game for Juventus in a Champions League match against Sporting. On April 11, 2018, he scored two goals in a 3–1 win against Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals. His first goal was the fastest Real Madrid had ever conceded at home in the Champions League.

On August 25, 2018, Mandžukić scored his first goal of the 2018–19 season against Lazio. On October 6, he played his 100th Serie A game for the club. He helped set up a goal for Cristiano Ronaldo. On November 24, Mandžukić was captain for a 2–0 win over SPAL, scoring his sixth goal of the season. Three days later, he scored his first Champions League goal of the season against Valencia, assisted by Cristiano Ronaldo. Newspapers noted how well Mandžukić and Ronaldo played together. On April 4, 2019, Mandžukić extended his contract with Juventus until 2021.

Time at Al-Duhail

When new Juventus manager Maurizio Sarri arrived in 2019, Mandžukić was not part of his plans. He was left out of Juventus's Champions League team. After not playing any games for the club in the 2019–20 season, he joined Qatari club Al-Duhail on December 24. The transfer was made official on December 29.

He played his first league game on January 4, 2020. He scored his first goal for the club on January 10 in the Qatar Cup. On February 11, 2020, he scored his first goal in the AFC Champions League. On July 5, 2020, after playing ten games and scoring two goals, Mandžukić left the Qatari club.

Playing for AC Milan

After leaving Al-Duhail, many clubs were interested in signing Mandžukić. On January 19, 2021, Mandžukić joined AC Milan in Serie A. He signed a contract until the end of the season. He played his first league game on January 23 in a 3–0 loss to Atalanta.

Due to injuries and not being in good form, Mandžukić played only 11 games for Milan, mostly as a substitute, and did not score any goals. On May 24, 2021, Mandžukić announced he was leaving Milan. On September 3, 2021, Mandžukić announced his retirement from playing football.

International Career with Croatia

After playing well for Dinamo Zagreb, Mandžukić was called up to the Croatia national team. He played his first game on November 17, 2007, against Macedonia. On September 10, 2008, he scored his first goal for Croatia in a 4–1 loss against England.

Euro 2012 Performance

Mandžukić became more important for the national team during the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying. He scored an equalizer against Georgia in June 2011. He also scored a header against Latvia in the last qualifying match. Croatia had to play Turkey in the Euro 2012 play-offs. In the first match, Croatia won 3–0, with Mandžukić scoring the second goal.

Mandžukić was one of Croatia's main strikers at UEFA Euro 2012. He scored twice in Croatia's 3–1 win against the Republic of Ireland. He also scored in a 1–1 draw against Italy. Even though Croatia did not get past the group stage, he was one of the top scorers of the tournament with three goals.

2014 FIFA World Cup

He started the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification by helping with two goals in the first two matches. He scored his first goal of the campaign against Wales. Mandžukić scored another goal against Serbia, giving Croatia a 1–0 lead. In the second game against Iceland, Mandžukić scored the first goal in a 2–0 win. However, he received a red card in that game.

Mandžukić was part of Croatia's team for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. He was suspended for the first match against the host nation. He returned for the second match against Cameroon on June 18. He scored two goals in a 4–0 win and was named "Man of the Match."

Euro 2016 and Record Win

Mandžukić scored one goal in Croatia's successful UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying campaign. He scored in a 1–1 draw with Italy in June 2015. On June 4, he and Nikola Kalinić both scored three goals in a 10–0 friendly win against San Marino. This was a record victory for Croatia.

2018 FIFA World Cup Journey

Mandžukić after scoring in the 2018 FIFA World Cup Final against France

On October 6, 2016, Mandžukić scored three goals in a 6–0 win over Kosovo in a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification match.

On June 4, 2018, Mandžukić was named to Croatia's team for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. In the first game against Nigeria, he caused an own goal and won a penalty. Croatia won 2–0. In the round-of-16 match against Denmark on July 1, he scored the equalizing goal. Croatia won 3–2 in a penalty shoot-out. In the quarter-finals against Russia on July 7, Mandžukić helped set up a goal. Croatia won again in a penalty shoot-out.

During Croatia's semi-final match against England on July 11, Mandžukić scored the winning goal in extra time. This sent Croatia to the World Cup final for the first time ever. In the final against France on July 15, he became the first player to score an own goal in a World Cup final. He later scored Croatia's second goal after a mistake by the French goalkeeper. France won the match 4–2. Mario Mandžukić became the second player in World Cup history to score for both teams in one match.

Retirement from International Football

On August 14, 2018, Mandžukić announced he was retiring from international football. At that time, he was the second-highest goalscorer in Croatia's history with 33 goals.

In his statement, Mandžukić talked about winning the 2018 World Cup silver medal:

We made our dreams come true and achieved a historic success. The support we received was unbelievable. That month, including the welcome in Zagreb and all of Croatia, will be the most important memory of my career. This was the most beautiful journey with the national team. I am very happy and proud of this silver medal. I have given my best for Croatia, and I helped achieve the biggest success in Croatian football.

Playing Style

Mandžukić was known for his strength, flexibility, and fitness. He was also very good at heading the ball. He was nicknamed Đilkoš (meaning strong and tough) by Miroslav Blažević. Other nicknames included Mandžo and Super Mario. He was known for his high work-rate and helping his team defend. His former manager, Felix Magath, said Mandžukić was "so fit that I think he could play two back-to-back games without stopping."

Mandžukić playing for Croatia at the 2018 FIFA World Cup

When he moved to Atlético Madrid, experts said he was perfect for manager Diego Simeone's style. Mandžukić often started the team's pressing, running hard to push defenders back. He also helped prevent opponents from building their attacks easily. He was a strong and mobile striker who did a lot of work without the ball. He seemed to do the work of two players, which helped his teammates in midfield.

While he usually played as a striker, Mandžukić's hard work and smart play meant he could play in many different positions. He played as a winger, a second striker, or even an attacking midfielder. These roles allowed him to attack from wider areas, support his teammates, and help defend. At Juventus, he often played on the left side. He was praised for holding up the ball and creating chances for others. He was also known for his determination and leadership. He was called a "big-game player" because he often scored important goals in big matches. Juventus fans called him "guerriero" (warrior) because of his fighting spirit.

Personal Life

Mario Mandžukić was born in Slavonski Brod, Croatia, on May 21, 1986. His father, Mato, was also a football player. Mandžukić has been in a relationship with Ivana Mikulić since 2007.

On April 16, 2021, AC Milan's chairman announced that Mandžukić donated his March salary to the club's charity, Fondazione Milan. He did this because he was injured for the entire month. Fondazione Milan helps young players get a chance to play football. Mandžukić later donated his April and May wages too, because of his long injury.

Career Statistics

Club Appearances

International Appearances

Scores and results list Croatia's goal tally first

List of international goals scored by Mario Mandžukić

No.	Date	Venue	Cap	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	10 September 2008	Stadion Maksimir, Zagreb, Croatia	2	England	1–3	1–4	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
2	12 October 2010		17	Norway	1–1	2–1	Friendly
3	3 June 2011	Stadion Poljud, Split, Croatia	19	Georgia	1–1	2–1	UEFA Euro 2012 qualification
4	11 October 2011	Stadion Kantrida, Rijeka, Croatia	24	Latvia	2–0	2–0
5	11 November 2011	Türk Telekom Arena, Istanbul, Turkey	25	Turkey	2–0	3–0
6	10 June 2012	Municipal Stadium, Poznań, Poland	30	Republic of Ireland	1–0	3–1	UEFA Euro 2012
7					3–1
8	14 June 2012		31	Italy	1–1	1–1
9	16 October 2012	Stadion Gradski vrt, Osijek, Croatia	37	Wales	1–0	2–0	2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
10	6 February 2013	Craven Cottage, London, England	38	South Korea	1–0	4–0	Friendly
11	22 March 2013	Stadion Maksimir, Zagreb, Croatia	39	Serbia	1–0	2–0	2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
12	6 September 2013	Red Star Stadium, Belgrade, Serbia	43		1–0	1–1
13	19 November 2013	Stadion Maksimir, Zagreb, Croatia	47	Iceland	1–0	2–0
14	18 June 2014	Arena da Amazônia, Manaus, Brazil	51	Cameroon	3–0	4–0	2014 FIFA World Cup
15					4–0
16	4 September 2014	Stadion Aldo Drosina, Pula, Croatia	53	Cyprus	1–0	2–0	Friendly
17					2–0
18	7 June 2015	Stadion Varteks, Varaždin, Croatia	59	Gibraltar	3–0	4–0
19	12 June 2015	Stadion Poljud, Split, Croatia	60	Italy	1–0	1–1	UEFA Euro 2016 qualification
20	17 November 2015	Olimp-2, Rostov-on-Don, Russia	63	Russia	3–1	3–1	Friendly
21	26 March 2016	Groupama Arena, Budapest, Hungary	65	Hungary	1–0	1–1
22	4 June 2016	Stadion Rujevica, Rijeka, Croatia	66	San Marino	2–0	10–0
23					4–0
24					5–0
25	6 October 2016	Loro Boriçi Stadium, Shkodër, Albania	71	Kosovo	1–0	6–0	2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
26					2–0
27					3–0
28	9 October 2016	Tampere Stadium, Tampere, Finland	72	Finland	1–0	1–0
29	15 November 2016	Windsor Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland	74	Northern Ireland	1–0	3–0	Friendly
30	6 October 2017	Stadion Rujevica, Rijeka, Croatia	79	Finland	1–0	1–1	2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
31	1 July 2018	Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia	86	Denmark	1–1	1–1	2018 FIFA World Cup
32	11 July 2018	Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow, Russia	88	England	2–1	2–1
33	15 July 2018		89	France	2–4	2–4

Awards and Achievements

Playing Career Honors

Dinamo Zagreb

• Prva HNL: 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10
• Croatian Football Cup: 2007–08, 2008–09

Bayern Munich

• Bundesliga: 2012–13, 2013–14
• DFB-Pokal: 2012–13, 2013–14
• DFL-Supercup: 2012
• UEFA Champions League: 2012–13
• UEFA Super Cup: 2013
• FIFA Club World Cup: 2013

Atlético Madrid

• Supercopa de España: 2014

Juventus

• Serie A: 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19
• Coppa Italia: 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18
• Supercoppa Italiana: 2015
• UEFA Champions League runner-up: 2016–17

Al-Duhail

• Qatar Stars League: 2019–20

Croatia National Team

• FIFA World Cup runner-up: 2018

Individual Awards

• Prva HNL Player of the Year: 2009
• Sportske novosti Yellow Shirt award: 2008–09
• Croatian Footballer of the Year: 2012, 2013
• Vatrena krila: 2012
• Croatian Sportsman of the Year: 2013
• UEFA Goal of the Season: 2016–17

Orders

• Order of Duke Branimir: 2018

Coaching Career Honors

Croatia (as assistant manager)

• FIFA World Cup third place: 2022

See also

In Spanish: Mario Mandžukić para niños