When Mario was deployed from the first minute, the Croatian found the net during his debut with the jerseys of NK Zagreb, Dinamo Zagreb, Bayern and Juventus.
Mario Mandzukic did it several times in Zagreb between NK Zagreb and Dinamo Zagreb, two in Munich and one at Juventus. Result? When he starts from the beginning with the new jersey the "warrior" Mandzukic often hurts the opponents (7 times). Maybe even Thursday against Red Star Belgrade in the Europa League, because Pioli should throw him in as a starter after 4 games in the league and 76 minutes played. Who knows if it will keep faith with tradition?
Zagreb:
The first Mandzukic was seen there. A big boy with an angry face marked by war. Because in earlier years, together with his family, he had fled to Germany for the conflict in the Balkans. Farewell to Slavonski Brod at night, in silence, with the dream of being a footballer.
Today, in that city, a mural in Croatian jersey has been dedicated to him and Ivica Olic.
But let's go back to the beginning: 2006-07 season, first match from the start with NK Zagreb at Kamen Ingrad. At the end of the season, there would be then 14 goals in 27 matches, before joining Dinamo Zagreb at 21.
The following year goes even better: Mandzukic scores on his debut in the league versus NKK Sibenik, and in the preliminaries of the Uefa Cup (double at Ajax of Suarez) and also in the first qualifying round in the Champions League (against the Azeris of Xazar). Fifteen goals and 12 assists. Three years later he would be returning to Germany, but this time, as a footballer.
WOLFSBURG
Summer 2010, the warrior signs for Wolfsburg and rejoins Germany after almost twenty years. As a boy he fled to Stuttgart with his family because of the war, now he is back as a promising aspect of Croatian football.
The first months, however, are pretty tough: Mario debuts in the German Cup against Munster and it ends witn no goals for him. The same in the league. Autumn and winter run fast without a goal, then spring arrives and Mandzukic is unleashed against Nuremberg. At the end of the season he finishes with 8 goals. 12 for him in the following year, before signing with the champions Bayern Munich in 2012 for a fee around 13 million euros at that time.
Bayern and Atletico
Another round and another German, but this time the results are different. Mandzukic scores on his Super Cup debut against Dortmund and wins the trophy, then repeats in the Bundesliga against Greuther Furth (scored a brace). Even 8 goals in the first 10 games.
Now there is a certainty around him. After two seasons, Atletico Madrid of Simeone comes knocking for him, after 48 goals in Bavaria and three international trophies (including the 2013 Champions League). Mario goes to Atletico, he makes his debut in the Spanish Super Cup against Real and does not score, but on the return he scores the goal that is worth the trophy. Twenty goals that season (Brace at the debut also in the Copa del Rey), then Juve arrives...
Time at Juventus
Allegri talked about him like this: "Mandzukic is special, he can do everything, he gave me a lot of room to maneuver." Especially in the Super Cup: Juve-Lazio in Shanghai, summer 2014: the Bianconeri win 2-0 and the Croatian scores on his debut as a starter. He would leave Turin 5 years later and with 4 Scudetti to his name, (not counting the goal in the Champions League final against Real (the game then lost 4-1).
Perfect striker, mobile attacker, multi-titled warrior before his move to Qatar. In 6 months he scored just 2 goals with Al-Duhail: the first cue as a starter in the league. But, he made no mistake in the Asian Champions League (a goal at Persepolis).
Only in the national team did he take a little longer: he found the net in the fifth game as a starter against Norway in 2010, even if he had already scored in the second game against England two years earlier.
Now he has aimed for the Red Star Belgrade, as reported by La Gazzetta dello Sport's website.
