Pascal Groß: Who is Borussia Dortmund's German midfield ace
Pascal Groß has completed a lifelong dream of joining his boyhood club Borussia Dortmund, but how did the experienced Germany international get here?
bundesliga.com takes a closer look at the former Brighton, Hoffenheim and Ingolstadt man…
Data correct as of 1 August 2024
Pascal Groß
Age: 33 (born 15 June 1991)
Club: Borussia Dortmund
Position: Midfielder/full-back
Country: Germany (eight caps/ one goal)
Key stats and facts
Groß has earned plaudits ever since moving to English Premier League outfit Brighton seven years ago, but his journey began much closer to home.
The son of former Karlsruher defender Stephan Groß, Pascal was born in Mannheim - officially the 'University City of Mannheim' - on 15 June 1991, meaning he shares a birthdate with Oliver Kahn and Mohamed Salah.
Watch: The best of Pascal Groß
Football was always Groß' preferred field of study, and after playing under his father at youth level with Neckarau, he made the 25-mile move south-east to Sinsheim to join Hoffenheim at the age of 16, alongside fellow future Bundesliga players Manuel Gulde and Marco Terrazzino.
One year later, in 2008, he helped fire Hoffenheim to the B Junior Bundesliga title, scoring in the 6-4 victory over Borussia Dortmund in the final. He became a Germany youth international that season, and was handed his Bundesliga debut by Die Kraichgauer in May 2009.
But first-team opportunities were at a premium at the time, and Groß and Terrazzino soon moved onto Karlsruher. Groß only spent one season at his father's club before joining Ingolstadt, initially on loan, and it was there that he first made his name.
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Groß scored seven and assisted 23 more as Ingolstadt secured Bundesliga promotion in 2017, and although they went back down the following campaign, his 95 chances created that season were a Bundesliga high.
He moved to Brighton in 2017 and since then has scored their first ever Premier League goal, become their 30-goal top scorer in the competition, helped the club qualify for Europe for the first time, and earned his first Germany call-up since February 2011 with the U20s as he was selected by Hansi Flick for the fixtures against Japan and France.
He featured against both and, although Flick has since been replaced Nagelsmann, Groß has picked up a further four caps, with one coming in his major tournament debut at Euro 2024.
Following the tournament in Germany, Groß then decided to stay at home, signing for boyhood club Dortmund on a two-year deal.
Plays a bit like: Joshua Kimmich
Groß is a versatile player who made his debut for Hoffenheim on the flank and has regularly filled in at right-back for Brighton, but is most often found as one of the double pivots in a 4-2-3-1.
It is a similar positional journey to the one Kimmich had at Bayern Munich, and the pair are now set for battle in Der Klassiker after teaming up at the European Championships where they showcased their similar array of talents.
Watch: Kimmich under the tactical microscope
Did you know?
Groß is nothing if not a big-game player. On his climb up the German footballing ladder he enjoyed four assists against Bayern's reserves as well as the aforementioned goal against Dortmund, and since arriving in England he has seven goals and two assists in 13 career meetings with Manchester United. Liverpool, Chelsea and Newcastle are among the clubs who have also fished a Groß strike out of their net.
What they're saying
“Pascal has become a top performer at the highest level over the last few years. He will give us more solidity and flexibility, and with his experience he will be leader who has a very positive impact for us. And we’re especially pleased to sign him because he has been a Borussia Dortmund fan since he was very young.” - Lars Ricken, Borussia Dortmund Managing Director for Sport
"It's a very nice and exciting time for me. I've always said that it's a dream for me to be with the national team. I'm a team player, that's my greatest strength. I've been warmly welcomed by the other players. A few little things are different but you get used to it quickly." - Groß on his surprise call-up for Germany
"He's a footballer who plays intelligently and is also a good guy." - Flick on Groß following his first call-up
"Pascal Groß is one of the best players I've had in my career. He's a fantastic player. He can play everywhere on the pitch. He's fantastic in terms of attitude, passion. He's very clever in understanding different situations. I'm lucky to have him in my team. - Former Brighton coach Roberto De Zerbi waxing lyrical
“In terms of his contribution on the pitch, Pascal goes down as the club’s greatest-ever Premier League signing." - Brighton chairman Tony Bloom
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