Marcel Schmelzer (; born 22 January 1988) is a German former professional footballer who played mainly as a left-back.
A Borussia Dortmund youth graduate, Schmelzer spent his entire career with the club, playing with the side in the Bundesliga across 14 full seasons, and served as captain for the club from 2016 to 2018. He retired from football in 2022, ending a 17-year long professional career.
Having represented Germany at under-21 level, he made his senior debut for national team in 2010, going on to earn 16 caps until 2014.
Schmelzer was born in Magdeburg, Saxony-Anhalt. He started his professional career with Borussia Dortmund, making his first appearance on 9 August 2008, in the German Cup first-round match against Rot-Weiss Essen. His first league appearance came in the following week, as he played the final twenty minutes of a 3âÂÂ2 win at Bayer Leverkusen. Schmelzer had his best season for Borussia Dortmund in the 2010âÂÂ11 season, where he managed to play every minute of the season for the team who went on to win the Bundesliga that year.
The following season, Schmelzer, who missed the beginning of the Bundesliga due to injury, enjoyed yet another trophy as he helped Dortmund win another Bundesliga title. In addition to being the left back for the team for the entire season, Schmelzer also helped Dortmund secure the DFB-Pokal with a 5âÂÂ2 win against Bayern Munich, making it three titles in two years.
On 11 January 2013, Schmelzer extended his contract with Borussia, which will keep him at the club until 2017.
On 27 July 2013, Schmelzer won the 2013 DFL-Supercup with Dortmund 4âÂÂ2 against rivals Bayern Munich.
On 25 April 2016, Marcel Schmelzer yet again extended his contract with BVB. He agreed on a five-year deal which will keep him with the black and yellows through 2021.
After the departure of Mats Hummels, Schmelzer was named a candidate to be the new captain. On 14 August 2016, Schmelzer captained his first match against league champions Bayern Munich during the 2âÂÂ0 defeat of the DFL-Supercup.
On 31 May 2020, he scored his first Bundesliga goal in seven years in a 6âÂÂ1 win against Paderborn, coming off the bench for Moroccan right-back Achraf Hakimi. Later that day, fans voted him as Man of the Match on the club's official Instagram account. Despite virtually missing the entire 2020âÂÂ21 season and Dortmund's DFB-Pokal triumph, Schmelzer extended his contract with Dortmund in the summer of 2021 for another year, although this was primarily to cover medical insurance regarding a long-term knee injury rather than concerning game time.
On May 2022, Schmelzer announced that he would retire from professional football after the end of the 2021âÂÂ22 season. He officially retired after 17 seasons as a Borussia Dortmund player and was celebrated following Dortmund's last match of the season against Hertha BSC. Overall, he played 258 German top-flight matches across 17 years as a footballer.
Schmelzer was called up by the U21 team for the 2009 European Championship, being used regularly, although not as a starter, he played the final five minutes in the final, a 4âÂÂ0 success against England. For the senior team, he made 16 appearances between 2010 and 2014.
Schmelzer became an assistant coach to Marco Lehmann at Borussia Dortmund U17 for the 2023âÂÂ24 season. On 3 May 2024, it was announced that he would join Jan Zimmermann's coaching staff at Borussia Dortmund II for the 2024âÂÂ25 season.
Schmelzer is married to Jenny Schmelzer.
Borussia Dortmund
Germany U21