“Red face of fate”, that’s exactly what happened and is happening to Reus. The 33-year-old striker has talent, personality and charisma with the look of a movie star. However, it is ironic that noble titles still elude him. Last night was a better opportunity for Dortmund to repay the loyal captain. But unfortunately, the 2-2 draw against Mainz at Signal Iduna Park’s home ground caused the club to once again miss the appointment with the Silver Disc.
After the final whistle sounded, Reus collapsed on the field and tears flowed. Witnessing this image, fans can’t help but feel sorry for a player with integrity. Since leaving M’Gladbach to join Dortmund 11 years ago, Reus has become an integral part of the club. Although many stars like Lewandowski, Gotze or Haaland have come and gone, Reus has remained loyal to Dortmund, never changing.
It is not that Reus does not receive lucrative offers, but for him, Dortmund is everything. The Ruhr team itself has pocketed a lot of money from its star sales, but somehow, Reus is impregnable. He is a legend, a symbol of loyalty in Die Schwarzgelben. During his time at Dortmund, Reus helped the club reach the Champions League final in his first season with the shirt. However, such prestigious titles, including the Bundesliga, are something Reus has never been able to reach. After more than a decade of dedication, what the 33-year-old striker earned with Dortmund was only 5 trophies, including 2 German National Cups (2017, 2021) and 3 German Super Cups (2013, 2014, 2019).
“The whole club, the whole city will be very happy for Marco Reus if we can get our hands on the Bundesliga title this weekend,” Sebastian Kehl, Dortmund’s sporting director, told reporters earlier this week. “I know what that means to him as captain. Marco has written a lot of stories here, and has done great things at this club over the years. Something that people always do. Speaking of Marco, he’s never won a national championship. I think that’s what he’s always wanted.”
But then, that dream was once again brutally shattered. It was beyond the capacity of Reus, who had been through years of trauma and utter disappointment. Bad luck has never let go of Reus, from the club level to the national team. Before the 2014 World Cup finals – the tournament in which Germany won the cup – Reus could not attend because of an ankle injury. Physical problems prevented him from participating in the EURO finals two years later.
Although Reus participated in the 2018 World Cup, Germany was eliminated from the group stage. At EURO 2020, Reus actively asked to withdraw. The 33-year-old striker was ready to play for Die Mannschaft at the 2022 World Cup, but once again, fate made him absent. Reus missed an appointment with the biggest football festival on the planet in Qatar because of an ankle injury.
Reus’ career is like that, full of pain and suffering that, in retrospect, all probably just wanted to give up. There will be many Dortmund players who will leave the club after this defeat, looking for new and more promising lands. But, Reus will still be here, standing in front of the legendary yellow wall at Signal Iduna Park. Reus will do whatever it takes to help the club, as he has always done over the past 10 years.
