© E. Žaldario, fkzalgiris.lt
Football club "Žalgiris" defender Marko Karamarko has heard more than once during his career that he is not good enough, but that has never stopped him. Before this season, when Marko Karamarko joined the capital club, his name stands out - it's very simple. For many, such a combination of words even brings a smile. Marko himself likes to smile. The 27-year-old player is known for his sociability, so it was not difficult for him to integrate into the "Žalgiris" team. "This is the first time in my career when entering the locker room of a new team, everyone was so pleasant. It surprised me. I know what it's like when a newcomer enters the locker room and everyone looks at him as if they will soon cock the gun. "Žalgiris" is like a family. We are a strong team," the player says in the "Getting to Know a Newcomer" section.
Marko was born in Germany, his father is Croatian, and his mother is Serbian. Marko himself says that Germany is his homeland, but he loves Croatia and Serbia no less. "I have a German mentality. I grew up near Gelsenkirchen, so from an early age I have supported 'Schalke 04' in this country. When I was little, I attended this club's children's training sessions. In Gelsenkirchen, we like to say that 'Schalke 04' players and fans are characterized by a blue-collar mentality. That's how I am too," he says.
In a football country like Germany, breaking into and becoming a professional is very difficult, but Marko managed to do it at Žalgiris. "In Germany, the competition is huge. Until the age of 16, I never really thought about a professional career. I liked playing football and competing with friends. However, once I performed better in a youth tournament and attracted attention. When I received my German passport, many doors that were previously closed to me opened, because German clubs must have at least five young local footballers under the age of 23," he says about the German football scene.
So in 2011, Marko signed a contract with the third division club "Preusen Munster", but his career was not paved with roses. He never managed to debut in the third country league, and after a year, going to Belgium, he was soon stopped by injury. After that, the newcomer to Žalgiris had to play in the fifth German league, and then there was a chance to participate in a trial at one of the strongest clubs in Croatia, "Osijek". "Throughout my career, I have heard many times that I am not good enough, that I will fail, that I lack something. That never stopped me. It just gave me even more motivation," remembers the footballer.
Marko Karamarko arrived at Žalgiris as a player who had excelled in the highest Croatian league and even scored a double against the famous Zagreb club "Dinamo". You can find out the whole story of Marko Karamarko's career and life by watching the video in the "Getting to Know a Newcomer" section below.
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