page_title: Mario Mandžukić
section_title: Style of play
hierarchical_section_title: Mario Mandžukić / Style of play
caption_attribution_description: Русский: Сборная России заканчивает ЧМ-2018 с поднятой головой. Хорватия выходит в полуфинал
context_page_description: Mario Mandžukić is a Croatian professional footballer who last played as a forward for Qatar Stars League club Al-Duhail. Besides being a prolific goalscorer, he is known for his defensive contribution and aerial power.
  He started his career in his hometown club Marsonia from where he moved to two Croatian capital city football clubs, first joining NK Zagreb and then signing with Dinamo Zagreb in 2007, where he was Prva HNL top goalscorer in the 2008–09 season. His prolific scoring earned him a transfer to VfL Wolfsburg in 2010. After some impressive performances at UEFA Euro 2012, where he was the joint top scorer with three goals, he was signed by Bayern Munich. In his first season with the club he won three trophies; the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, and the Champions League, while also becoming the first Croat to score in a Champions League final. After winning a domestic double the following season, he left Bayern for Atlético Madrid in 2014, and a season later was signed by Juventus for €19 million, where he won the domestic double in his first three seasons, followed by another league title the following year.
context_section_description: In addition to his goalscoring, pundits have noted Mandžukić for his physical strength, versatility, mobility and fitness, as well as his ability in the air. He was even given the nickname Đilkoš [dʑîːlkoʃ] by Miroslav Blažević, which means brash and unsophisticated, referring to the striker's physical strengths, powerful physique and seemingly endless stamina, rather than his technical ability; his other nicknames include Mandžo and Super Mario. Known for his high work-rate and defensive contribution, Mandžukić's former manager at Wolfsburg, Felix Magath, noted his endurance, stating that the striker is "so fit that I think he could play two back-to-back games without stopping even for a minute."
  Following his move to Atlético Madrid, Sky Sports analyst Adam Bate wrote that he was the perfect fit for manager Diego Simeone's style as Mandžukić is "often the instigator of the press with his energetic running, Mandzukic battles defences, driving them back to create space for teammates as well as preventing opponents building patiently without pressure on the ball." Bate further added that the Croatian "...is both a physical and mobile striker who does much of his best work without the ball, seemingly doing the work of two players and thus allowing an extra man in midfield." ESPN FC contributor Michael Cox has also praised Mandžukić for his excellent team-work, highlighting that while he presses his opponents energetically when they attempt to play the ball out from the back, he is also extremely diligent and disciplined in the manner in which he drops back into his own half to defend behind the ball if his opponents manage to bypass his team's pressing. In 2014, Aleksandar Holiga commented on Mandžukić's playing, stating that "[h]e stretches the defences with constant movement and seemingly endless stamina, opening space for others to come from behind or cut inside from the wing; his pressing on the ball has proven decisive on a number of previous occasions and he is, of course, one of the best strikers in the world when it comes to aerial power. So even if he does not score himself, his presence could be key for the team's chances."
  While he has primarily served as a striker or as target-man in the penalty area, courtesy of his height, aerial prowess, and physical strength, Mandžukić's work-rate, generosity, tactical intelligence, and versatility have been demonstrated by his willingness to play in many different positions across or behind the front line; throughout his career, he has also been deployed as a winger, as a second striker, as an attacking midfielder, or even as a wing-back, positions which allow him the freedom to attack from deeper or wider areas with his runs, support and link-up with his more offensive teammates, draw opponents out of position with his movement, and cover defensively for full-backs making overlapping attacking runs. Indeed, in particular during his time at Juventus under manager Massimiliano Allegri, competition from other forwards has often seen Mandžukić being used in these deeper or wider, more creative roles, in particular on the left flank, in which he has excelled, drawing praise from the media for his consistently high-quality performances, because of his ability to hold up the ball with his back to goal and play off of his teammates, or drop into midfield to help win back the ball when his team are not in possession. He was also required to function as a "wide target man" on the left side of the pitch occasion, due to his movement and work-rate, as well as his ability to utilise his height to win aerial challenges, or use his strength and solid technique to hold up the ball for teammates and create space or chances for them; in this position, he essentially played a hybrid of the roles of a target man, left winger, and left-back. In addition to his ability as a footballer, Mandžukić is also known for his determination, leadership, and mental strength, and has been described as a "big-game player" in the media, due to his tendency to score decisive goals in important matches for bo
caption: Mandžukić playing for Croatia at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
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