Martin Harnik
Encyclopedia
Martin Harnik is a German
-born Austria
n footballer. He currently plays for VfB Stuttgart
.
to a German
mother and an Austrian
father (from Graz
, Styria), he started playing football in 1992 at SC Vier- und Marschlande. In early 2006, he joined the second team of Werder Bremen
, playing in the third tier Regionalliga.
Due to a broken metatarsal bone, Harnik missed almost all of the first half of 2007. At the start of the 2007–08 season, the forward was promoted to the Bundesliga
side of Werder Bremen, signing a contract until 2010.
On 15 August 2007, the 20-year-old made his debut for the professional team against Dinamo Zagreb, in the first leg of the third Champions League Qualification round (2–1).
His Bundesliga debut came ten days later, in a game against 1. FC Nuremberg (1–0). Being fielded in the 61st minute, he scored the winning goal for his side in the 69th minute. On 24 August 2009, it was announced that Harnik can leave his club SV Werder Bremen
as free agent, and six days later was loaned out to Fortuna Düsseldorf
.
After one season at the 2nd Bundesliga
side, in which he was Fortuna's topscorer (12 goals as of 24 April 2010) with the Rhineland
ers most likely narrowly missing promotion to the Bundesliga, Harnik announced on 26 April 2010 that he will leave Düsseldorf.
In July 2010, he moved to VfB Stuttgart
. In the first fixture of his second season with the club, Harnik scored the second goal of a 3–0 home win over Schalke
. Harnik propelled his side to victory with a brace against SC Freiburg
on 16 September 2011.
, opted to play for Austria
, although he has never lived there, after having been nominated for the youth national teams of the ÖFB
, not those of the German Football Association
.
His debut came in a match against Czech Republic
in Vienna on 22 August 2007 (1–1). After being on the pitch for just six minutes, he scored the equalizing goal in the 78th minute.
He was called up to Austria's Euro 2008 squad. Harnik played in all three group games but the co-host Austria was eliminated in the group stage.
On 2 September 2011, Harnik scored against Germany in a 6–2 loss. The win meant that Harnik's nation of birth secured qualification to Euro 2012.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
-born Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n footballer. He currently plays for VfB Stuttgart
VfB Stuttgart
Verein für Bewegungsspiele Stuttgart 1893 e. V., commonly known as VfB Stuttgart, is a German sports club based in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg. The club is best known for its football team, which has participated in all but two Bundesliga seasons...
.
Club career
Born in HamburgHamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
to a German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
mother and an Austrian
Austrians
Austrians are a nation and ethnic group, consisting of the population of the Republic of Austria and its historical predecessor states who share a common Austrian culture and Austrian descent....
father (from Graz
Graz
The more recent population figures do not give the whole picture as only people with principal residence status are counted and people with secondary residence status are not. Most of the people with secondary residence status in Graz are students...
, Styria), he started playing football in 1992 at SC Vier- und Marschlande. In early 2006, he joined the second team of Werder Bremen
SV Werder Bremen
SV Werder Bremen is a German sports club best known for its association football team playing in Bremen, in the northwest German federal state of the same name. The club was founded on 4 February 1899 as Fußballverein Werder by a group of sixteen vocational high school students who had won a prize...
, playing in the third tier Regionalliga.
Due to a broken metatarsal bone, Harnik missed almost all of the first half of 2007. At the start of the 2007–08 season, the forward was promoted to the Bundesliga
Fußball-Bundesliga
The Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...
side of Werder Bremen, signing a contract until 2010.
On 15 August 2007, the 20-year-old made his debut for the professional team against Dinamo Zagreb, in the first leg of the third Champions League Qualification round (2–1).
His Bundesliga debut came ten days later, in a game against 1. FC Nuremberg (1–0). Being fielded in the 61st minute, he scored the winning goal for his side in the 69th minute. On 24 August 2009, it was announced that Harnik can leave his club SV Werder Bremen
SV Werder Bremen
SV Werder Bremen is a German sports club best known for its association football team playing in Bremen, in the northwest German federal state of the same name. The club was founded on 4 February 1899 as Fußballverein Werder by a group of sixteen vocational high school students who had won a prize...
as free agent, and six days later was loaned out to Fortuna Düsseldorf
Fortuna Düsseldorf
' is a German association football club based in Düsseldorf, North Rhine-Westphalia, currently playing in the second tier of German league football, the 2. Fußball-Bundesliga...
.
After one season at the 2nd Bundesliga
2. Fußball-Bundesliga
- Changes in division set-up :* Number of clubs: currently 18. From 1974 to 1981 there were two conferences, each of 20 teams. In 1981–91 it had 20...
side, in which he was Fortuna's topscorer (12 goals as of 24 April 2010) with the Rhineland
Rhineland
Historically, the Rhinelands refers to a loosely-defined region embracing the land on either bank of the River Rhine in central Europe....
ers most likely narrowly missing promotion to the Bundesliga, Harnik announced on 26 April 2010 that he will leave Düsseldorf.
In July 2010, he moved to VfB Stuttgart
VfB Stuttgart
Verein für Bewegungsspiele Stuttgart 1893 e. V., commonly known as VfB Stuttgart, is a German sports club based in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg. The club is best known for its football team, which has participated in all but two Bundesliga seasons...
. In the first fixture of his second season with the club, Harnik scored the second goal of a 3–0 home win over Schalke
FC Schalke 04
Fußball-Club Gelsenkirchen-Schalke 04, commonly known as simply FC Schalke 04 or Schalke , is a German, association-football club originally from the Schalke district of Gelsenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia. Schalke has long been one of the most popular football teams in Germany, even though major...
. Harnik propelled his side to victory with a brace against SC Freiburg
SC Freiburg
Sport-Club Freiburg, commonly known as SC Freiburg, is a German association football club, based in the city of Freiburg im Breisgau, Baden-Württemberg. SC Freiburg has played in the Bundesliga, the top tier of German football, since their promotion in 2009...
on 16 September 2011.
International career
Harnik, who also was eligible for GermanyGermany national football team
The Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
, opted to play for Austria
Austria national football team
The Austria national football team is the association football team that represents the country of Austria in international competition and is controlled by the Austrian Football Association ....
, although he has never lived there, after having been nominated for the youth national teams of the ÖFB
OFB
OFB may refer to:* Austrian Football Association * Output feedback, a mode of operation for block ciphers in cryptography* Oklahoma Farm Bureau* Open for Business...
, not those of the German Football Association
German Football Association
The German Football Association is the governing body of football in Germany. A founding member of both FIFA and UEFA, the DFB organises the German football leagues, including the national league, the Bundesliga, and the men's and women's national teams. The DFB is based in Frankfurt and is...
.
His debut came in a match against Czech Republic
Czech Republic national football team
The Czech Republic national football team represents the Czech Republic in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of the Czech Republic, the governing body for football in the Czech Republic. Their current head coach is Michal Bílek...
in Vienna on 22 August 2007 (1–1). After being on the pitch for just six minutes, he scored the equalizing goal in the 78th minute.
He was called up to Austria's Euro 2008 squad. Harnik played in all three group games but the co-host Austria was eliminated in the group stage.
On 2 September 2011, Harnik scored against Germany in a 6–2 loss. The win meant that Harnik's nation of birth secured qualification to Euro 2012.
External links
- Martin Harnik at transfermarkt.de