Life story of Marin Leovac
A citizen of the world. Born in Bosnia and Herzegovina, he was raised in Austria, made a name for himself in Croatia and came to Greece for the next step of his career. This is the life story of Marin Leovac.
His father would be absent from home in order to work and the rest of his family would try to make their child forget. But it was impossible to forget the atrocities of war that could damage a small child’s soul irreparably.
Before Marin was even aware of what was happening, his parents packed their bags and left their hometown Jajce behind them. Aschbach in southern Austria would become their new home. The youngster went to kindergarten there, then started school and began kicking a ball around at the ranks of local Sportunion.
Born in Bosnia to parents of Croatian descent and raised in Austria, Marin Leovac learned from a very young age that, when faced with life necessities, borders and frontiers are mere lines drawn on a map.
His memories as a toddler from Jajce quickly faded out. Marin was raised in the Austrian mentality, a positive aspect of his personality –as he says-, because he is more balanced and open-minded that us in the Balkans.
Waiting for his opportunity
Austria provided everything to him, except for a chance to show his worth as a footballer. He joined FK Austria Wien at the age of 14, but never really trusted in him. His teammate of the same age, Markus Suttner, was always fielded before him as left full-back. “I know that I am better, but he always had the upper hand at FK Austria Wien”, Marin had stated bitterly.
From the office to the pitchFrom the office to the pitchFrom the office to the pitch
Confined to a few appearances, he failed to make his mark. Despite gaining Austrian citizenship at the age of 19, along with the eligibility to play for the Austrian national side, he never received a call to represent the country where he was raised. As his career unfolded, that proved a positive development.
A little football tale
The course of his career changed in the away encounter of FK Austria Wien against GNK Dinamo Zagreb in August 2013. Suttner being suspended, Leovac featured in the starting line-up and scored a magnificent goal, the only one he netted for the Vienna outfit.
Spectators at Stadion Maksimir were disappointed. There were a few Croats however celebrating near the VIP section. He had given tickets to his girlfriend Anita, who grew up near Dinamo’s home, and his friends.
“It was an unforgettable evening in my second home in Zagreb”, he said after the match. “I can’t think of a more fitting place to have scored my first goal for FK Austria Wien. It’s a little football tale”.
He scored his only goal for FK Austria Wien in Croatia, against GNK Dinamo ZagrebReturn to Croatia
Leovac’s football adventure in Vienna didn’t end on a positive note. He ran out of patience and decided to return to Croatia in January 2014. GNK Dinamo Zagreb, who had suffered his goal a few months earlier, tried to sign him, but he chose HNK Rijeka instead. He opted to take one step behind before charging forward. His decision provided the right one. “It was the best move in my career. I just wanted to come on the pitch and play”.
He was an instant hit at HNK Rijeka and would hurt GNK Dinamo Zagreb again in the end of the season, defeating them in the Croatian Cup final. “My wife is from Zagreb and her whole family are supporters of GNK Dinamo. But in this particular match they all rooted for HNK Rijeka because of me”.
He became a top level player at RijekaHis life partner from Zagreb
A few days before completing his deal with PAOK, the Croatian champions set out to sign him again, but his karma is to visit Zagreb only on vacation. That is how he met his wife Anita.
“We met by chance at a Zagreb night club. A few weeks later, I visited Vienna and that’s how our story started”, Mrs. Leovac said. Their romance was sealed in Paris. Marin was planning to propose marriage to her at the Eiffel Tower, but a strike of French workers changed his plans. He popped the question in the hotel room.
Anita, who was working as a fashion model, moved with him in Vienna. They were married there and had their son Maximilian. They plan to return to the Austrian capital after his retirement.
Snapshots from his marriage to AnitaCroatia national team and Lionel Messi
Retirement of course is nowhere near his thoughts. The career of the Croatian defender evolved rapidly at HNK Rijeka.
Last August, unsuspecting Leovac received a phone call from a number he didn’t recognise. Niko Kovač, then coach of Croatia national team, was calling. “Marin, would you like to play for Croatia?” was the obvious question. “I was ecstatic”, he acknowledges. “Who wouldn’t like to represent his country?”
In his international debut, he was lucky and unlucky at the same time to bump into Lionel Messi…
Kovač wanted him for the encounters against Cyprus and Malta, but bureaucracy didn’t allow it. His issue was resolved by FIFA, after the Croatian federation presented signed documents from the Austrian and Bosnian federations stating that Leovac was eligible to play for the “Vatreni”. It was worth the wait, as his debut came in a friendly encounter against Lionel Messi’s Argentina.
The offer of FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk
In January 2015, FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk presented an offer of 1,8 million euros in order to sign him, but the Croatians didn’t want to let him go in the middle of the season –at least for this amount of money. The player remained in Croatia “in wait of the right moment and the right proposal”. Then PAOK and Igor Tudor came knocking, the Croatian coach knowing too well the value of his new signing.
Marin Leovac’s first quotesMarin Leovac’s first quotesMarin Leovac’s first quotes
