Summary
Marko Marin’s dismal career path was caused by Chelsea’s neglect of youthful potential, despite being dubbed the “German Messi”.
Marin’s post-Chelsea comeback includes impressive performances with Red Star Belgrade, where he is now technical director.
Marin retired at the age of 33, having played for nine top-flight clubs and made international appearances.
When you’re as fabulously rich as Chelsea, it’s simple to splash the cash and then turn a blind eye when the money isn’t spent well. Their trial-and-error approach to the transfer market has often paid off, particularly under Roman Abramovich, whose enormous pockets helped deliver two Champions League titles and five Premier League crowns.
However, along the yellow brick road to cutlery, there have been numerous instances of financial malfeasance. In 2014, the Blues had 25 players on loan, the same amount allowed in a Premier League squad. Among those ejected from Stamford Bridge, after being promised the world upon arrival, was the guy known by fans as the “German Messi.”
In the end, Marko Marin earned the considerably less glamorous appellation of “The Loan Ranger.” Much has been made of Chelsea’s silver-lined success in the past, but far less attention is paid to the conveyor belt of talent brought in with huge dreams, only to become yet another victim of the club’s embarrassment of wealth.
Marko Marin’s Chelsea Career
The “German Messi” mustered 143 Premier League minutes across four years
When the Blues agreed to pay £6.5 million for the German star in 2012, they hoped they had secured a highly skilled winger. In 116 games for Werder Bremen, he scored 13 goals and gave 35 assists, and his ability to glide through defences drew comparisons to Lionel Messi, who, ironically, went on to record 91 goals in the same year Marin landed in West London.
Despite his promise, he only played six league games for Chelsea, totalling 143 minutes. Like many promising talents before and after him, he spent the majority of his time on loan, appearing for Sevilla, Fiorentina, Anderlecht, and Trabzonspor during his four-year stay.
Only those close to those working behind the scenes at Chelsea will truly understand why Marin was kept on the club’s books for so long, but it’s become a club habit to keep players for far too long without ever giving them a chance to prove themselves at the highest level.
It wasn’t until 2016 that he earned himself a permanent departure from the troubles of London, transferring to Olympiacos when his contract expired. Humble – unlike the supporters who expected him to match the talents of the greatest player of all time – Marin praised Chelsea for looking after him during his time in the capital in an interview with Kicker, but said the chapter had ended disappointingly.
Marin’s Chelsea legacy suffered a hilarious setback during a 2018 BBC punditry appearance by Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba, when Gary Lineker questioned why Kevin De Bruyne had failed at Stamford Bridge. Lampard defended Chelsea’s depth, citing players such as Eden Hazard, Oscar, and Juan Mata. Drogba then added, “Marko Marin…” which Lampard laughed at. Watch the incident below.
What Happened To Marin After Leaving Chelsea
He played six more years before retiring in 2022
Life away from the loan carousel produced a slow but steady revival for Marin, who was once idolised by new Liverpool recruit Florian Wirtz. If the Bosnian-born German international’s 12 goals and 10 assists over two seasons at Olympiacos hinted at a second wind, his following chapter with Red Star Belgrade confirmed it boldly.
He joined the Serbian giants, regarded for having one of the most intimidating fanbases in international football, in 2018, and has since experienced a rebirth. Marin scored seven goals and 13 assists in just 22 games in his rookie season, helping Red Star win the Serbian SuperLiga and earning Player of the Year honours, while also assisting twice in Red Star’s historic Champions League win over Liverpool.
As a result of Red Star’s failure to retain their title, Marin spent a brief time in Saudi Arabia with Al-Ahli before joining Ferencvaros in Hungary. The Hungarian league became his ninth top-flight stop (he did not play in Serie A while on loan at Fiorentina), after making 16 appearances for the German national team – his last cap coming at the 2010 World Cup.
Marin hung up his boots at the age of 33, leaving behind a flame that burnt fierce, bright, and all too briefly in his early years. However, given his global travels, his story isn’t as disappointing as some may expect. While he may never have reached the heights that his potential once promised, the route he forged was far from uninteresting.
He presently serves as Red Star’s technical director, where he has helped the club break their record transfer fee to sign South Korean midfielder Hwang In-Beom. He has also put out ambitions to win the Champions League in the future with strategic recruitment plans in place.
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