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A closer look at new Borussia Dortmund signing Marin Pongračić

By Brian Szlenk Straub

STUTTGART, GERMANY - APRIL 21: Marin Pongracic of VfL Wolfsburg runs with the ball during the Bundesliga match between VfB Stuttgart and VfL Wolfsburg at Mercedes-Benz Arena on April 21, 2021 in Stuttgart, Germany. (Photo by Christian Kaspar-Bartke/Getty Images)
STUTTGART, GERMANY - APRIL 21: Marin Pongracic of VfL Wolfsburg runs with the ball during the Bundesliga match between VfB Stuttgart and VfL Wolfsburg at Mercedes-Benz Arena on April 21, 2021 in Stuttgart, Germany. (Photo by Christian Kaspar-Bartke/Getty Images) /
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BELGRADE, SERBIA – AUGUST 21: El Fardou Ben Nabouhane (R) of Crvena Zvezda is challenged by Marin Pongracic (L) of Red Bull Salzburg during the UEFA Champions League Play Off First Leg match between FK Crvema Zvezda and FC Red Bull Salzburg at Rajko Mitic Stadium on August 21, 2018 in Belgrade, Serbia. (Photo by Srdjan Stevanovic/Getty Images)
BELGRADE, SERBIA – AUGUST 21: El Fardou Ben Nabouhane (R) of Crvena Zvezda is challenged by Marin Pongracic (L) of Red Bull Salzburg during the UEFA Champions League Play Off First Leg match between FK Crvema Zvezda and FC Red Bull Salzburg at Rajko Mitic Stadium on August 21, 2018 in Belgrade, Serbia. (Photo by Srdjan Stevanovic/Getty Images) /

Early life & career

Born in Landshut, a town in Bavaria, Pongračić was raised in Germany, with his family which is of Croatian descent. Like many talented players in the region, Pongračić started his footballing journey in the Bayern Munich academy, before moving on to Ingolstadt. The Croatian international made over 30 appearances at youth level before making the move to Bayern’s traditional rivals, 1860 Munich. He would only make 7 first team appearances as a youngster for the Bavarian side.

Pongračić’s next destination would be in the Austrian Bundesliga with Red Bull Salzburg. It would be at Salzburg that he would come into his own as a player. He was part of the Salzburg side led by Marco Rose that reached the semi-finals of the Europa league, ousting his current club from the competition in the process. During his time with Salzburg, he won three Austrian Bundesliga titles and two Austrian cups.

In January of 2020, Pongračić made the move to VFL Wolfsburg following his successful yet injury plagued time in Austria. Unfortunately for him, and for the rest of us, life would not get much easier as the spread of COVID-19 shut everything down, including football. He still managed 11 appearances in his first season with the club and then a further 10 the season after.

Health issues continued to plague Pongračić, this time in the form of mononucleosis, which kept him out of the squad for two months during the 2020/21 season. This was also the season Wolfsburg signed Maxence Lacroix, and those who follow the league closely will know just how much of an impact he has had on Wolfsburg’s defence. The partnership of Lacroix and John Brooks all but limited Pongračić to a bit part role.

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