Borussia Dortmund stalwart Marco Reus is set to bid farewell to the club after 12 illustrious years, as announced by the club on Friday.
Mutually agreed upon, Reus and the club have decided not to extend his contract, although the 34-year-old intends to continue playing and will not hang up his boots just yet.
Reflecting on his tenure, Reus, a Dortmund native, expressed his sentiments in a heartfelt video message, saying, “I’ve dedicated half my life to this club, experienced a lot of ups and downs, but more ups I think. The club and I came to the decision not to extend the contract. It made me incredibly proud, I’m incredibly grateful to have played for this club for so many years.”
Get Instantly Update By: Joining Our Whatapps and Telegram Channel
Having emerged from Dortmund’s youth ranks and later returning after a successful stint at Borussia Mönchengladbach, Reus clinched two German Cups with the team but narrowly missed out on the Bundesliga title, notably in the previous season where Dortmund faltered on the final day, allowing Bayern Munich to claim the crown for the 11th consecutive time.
Despite this, Reus and Dortmund remain in contention for the Champions League trophy, with just two matches separating them from potential glory. The forward recently made a cameo appearance in a crucial 1-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the first semi-final, with the return leg looming.
Looking ahead to the potential triumph, Reus asserted, “We want to go to Wembley, we want to bring the trophy to Dortmund. That’s why it’s simply important that the decision has been made and that the issue is then over. And that we all concentrate on this big goal.”
Throughout his Dortmund journey, Reus served as the club captain from 2018 to 2023, earning accolades as a two-time Germany Player of the Year. Although injuries dashed his hopes of World Cup success in 2014, Reus still contributed significantly to the national team, featuring in 48 matches and netting 15 goals.
Despite reported interest from larger clubs, Reus remained loyal to Dortmund, rejecting numerous offers. In acknowledging his departure, BVB managing director Hans-Joachim Watzke hailed Reus as “one of the club’s greatest players” and extended well wishes for his future endeavors. Additionally, Watzke expressed hopes for Reus’s return to Dortmund post-retirement, citing exciting opportunities awaiting him within the club.