Marco Reus Bio
Marco Reus is a German professional footballer born on 31 May 1989 in Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia. He plays as a forward or attacking midfielder and currently represents Major League Soccer club LA Galaxy. Known for his versatility, technical quality, and eye for goal, Reus built his reputation across more than a decade in German football before moving to the United States in 2024.
Reus first rose to prominence at Borussia Mönchengladbach, where a stellar 2011–12 campaign established him among the Bundesliga’s most dangerous attackers. He returned to his hometown club Borussia Dortmund in 2012, served as captain from 2018 to 2023, and lifted two DFB-Pokal trophies. After his contract expired in 2024, he joined LA Galaxy and quickly won the MLS Cup, completing a memorable first season in North America.
Early Life and Background
Marco Reus was born in Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia, and grew up in the same city where he would later enjoy the peak years of his club career. According to Reus, his parents were originally going to name him Dennis, but they chose Marco after watching Netherlands legend Marco van Basten score his famous volley against the Soviet Union in the final of Euro 1988.
Reus began playing organized football with Post SV Dortmund in 1994, before joining the youth ranks of his hometown club Borussia Dortmund in 1996. He developed through the Dortmund academy for a decade, learning the fundamentals of the game in the city where he was born. In the summer of 2006, he left Dortmund’s youth setup to join the U-19 team of Rot Weiss Ahlen, seeking senior playing opportunities.
Path to Professional Soccer
Reus’s transition into senior football began at Rot Weiss Ahlen, where he progressed from the second team into the first squad competing in the German third division. During the 2007–08 season he featured in sixteen matches and scored the goal on the final matchday that propelled Ahlen into the 2. Bundesliga. The following year, as a nineteen-year-old wearing shirt number 18, he made his definitive breakthrough with twenty-seven appearances and four goals, establishing himself as a professional.
His performances attracted Bundesliga interest, and on 25 May 2009 Reus signed a four-year contract with Borussia Mönchengladbach. Working under coach Lucien Favre, he became a prolific goalscorer and developed the attacking style that would later define his career. The 2011–12 season represented his most explosive campaign, with eighteen goals and twelve assists in the Bundesliga helping Mönchengladbach qualify for the Champions League and earning Reus his first German Footballer of the Year award.
Marco Reus Career
Early Career (2006–2009)
Reus began his senior career at Rot Weiss Ahlen, playing in the German third division during 2007–08 before helping the club earn promotion to the 2. Bundesliga. In 2008–09, he became a regular starter in the second tier, scoring four goals across twenty-seven appearances and catching the attention of top-flight clubs with his pace and direct running.
His time at Ahlen laid the foundation for a Bundesliga move. In May 2009, Borussia Mönchengladbach secured his signature on a four-year deal, handing him the number 11 shirt and a clear pathway to top-flight football.
Borussia Mönchengladbach (2009–2012)
Reus made an immediate impact at Mönchengladbach, scoring his first Bundesliga goal on 28 August 2009 against Mainz 05 after a fifty-metre solo run. Working under Lucien Favre, he grew into one of the league’s most consistent wide attackers, combining goal-scoring output with creative passing.
The 2011–12 season defined his Gladbach spell. He scored ten goals in his first thirteen matches, including his first Bundesliga hat-trick in a 5–0 win over Werder Bremen on 19 November. He finished the campaign with eighteen goals and twelve assists, guiding Mönchengladbach into the Champions League and earning his first German Footballer of the Year award.
Borussia Dortmund (2012–2024)
On 4 January 2012, Reus signed with Borussia Dortmund for a €17.1 million transfer fee, officially re-joining on 1 July and keeping the number 11 shirt. His league debut brought a goal in a 2–1 win over Werder Bremen, and he quickly rediscovered his scoring touch, netting twice in a 5–0 rout of his former club Mönchengladbach. In the Champions League he opened the scoring against both Manchester City and Real Madrid, announcing himself as a major European talent.
The 2012–13 season became one of the most memorable of his career. Reus scored a hat-trick against Eintracht Frankfurt, an injury-time equaliser in the dramatic comeback against Málaga in the Champions League quarter-finals, and contributed in the semi-final win over Real Madrid that sent Dortmund to the Wembley final. Although Dortmund lost 2–1 to Bayern Munich, Reus earned a penalty that İlkay Gündoğan converted. He then helped Dortmund lift the 2013 DFL-Supercup with a 4–2 victory over Bayern.
In subsequent seasons, Reus continued to deliver at a high level despite recurring injury setbacks. He scored twenty-three goals and eighteen assists in 2013–14, finished 2018–19 with twenty-one goals and fourteen assists, and was voted German Footballer of the Year for a second time. He lifted the DFB-Pokal in 2017 and 2021, the DFL-Supercup in 2013 and 2019, and served as club captain from 2018 to 2023. Across twelve years at Dortmund he recorded 170 goals and 132 assists in all competitions, joining the exclusive group of players with 100 Bundesliga goals and 100 Bundesliga assists. In his final season he helped Dortmund reach the 2024 Champions League final at Wembley, again losing to Real Madrid, before departing at the end of his contract.
Driving Style and Strengths
Marco Reus is renowned for his versatility, speed, agility, technical skill, and shooting ability. He is capable of playing across the front line as a second striker, a central forward, a winger on either flank, or as a number 10. Although he favours the left side so he can cut inside onto his stronger right foot, Reus combines powerful finishing with precise passing and good vision, regularly creating chances as well as scoring goals himself. His leadership qualities were evident during his five years as Borussia Dortmund captain.
Notable Events and Milestones
Reus scored the late equaliser against Málaga in April 2013 that sparked one of the most memorable Champions League comebacks. He reached 100 Bundesliga goals during the 2018–19 season, registered his 150th Bundesliga goal in March 2023, and became the joint second all-time goalscorer for Borussia Dortmund alongside Michael Zorc. He played his 400th match for Dortmund in Der Klassiker against Bayern Munich in November 2023, becoming only the sixth player in club history to reach that milestone.
Marco Reus Career Wins
Across his career, Marco Reus has collected major honours with both Borussia Dortmund and LA Galaxy, while also earning significant individual recognition in Germany.
Borussia Dortmund Honours
With Borussia Dortmund, Reus won the DFB-Pokal in 2017 and 2021, as well as the DFL-Supercup in 2013 and 2019. He finished Bundesliga runner-up seven times during his twelve-year spell and reached the Champions League final in 2013 and 2024, both times losing to Bayern Munich and Real Madrid respectively.
LA Galaxy Honours
In his first season with LA Galaxy, Reus helped the club win the 2024 MLS Cup with a 2–1 victory over the New York Red Bulls, securing his first league title in professional football.
Other Wins & Performances
Reus was voted German Footballer of the Year in 2012 and 2019, named Bundesliga Player of the Season three times, and included in the UEFA Team of the Year in 2013. He was ranked the fourth best footballer in Europe by Bloomberg in 2013, and was featured as the cover athlete of FIFA 17 after winning a fan vote organised by Electronic Arts.
Marco Reus Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Marco Reus started dating German model Scarlett Gartmann in December 2015, and the couple married later in 2019. Their first daughter was born in March 2019, and they welcomed their second daughter in January 2024. Reus has said that, had he not become a professional footballer, he would have pursued a career as a pilot.
In March 2020, Reus and his wife Scarlett donated €500,000 to people and smaller businesses in need in his hometown of Dortmund during the COVID-19 pandemic. Off the field, Reus was fined €540,000 in December 2014 for driving without a valid licence; he later confirmed in August 2016 that he had obtained a proper driver’s licence.
2025 Season Performance
Marco Reus entered 2025 as a reigning MLS Cup champion following LA Galaxy’s December 2024 triumph over the New York Red Bulls. His first season in Major League Soccer produced eleven appearances with one goal and three assists, with the cup-winning month of November and December representing the high point of his debut campaign in North America.
Looking ahead to the 2025 MLS season, Reus will look to build on the momentum of his late-2024 form and establish himself as a consistent contributor for LA Galaxy across a full campaign. With his contract running until the end of 2026, the upcoming season offers him the chance to cement his place within the Galaxy squad and chase additional silverware.