Mario Pašalić (Croatian pronunciation: born 9 February 1995) is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Eerie A side Atalanta. Born in Germany, he plays for the Croatia national team.
Career Path
Mario Pašalić was born on 9 February 1995 in Mainz, Germany.
He started his senior career at Hajduk Split in Croatia, before moving abroad in 2014.
In 2014 he joined Chelsea F.C. (England), but he never made a competitive first‑team appearance for them. Instead, he spent several seasons on loan at different clubs across Europe.
Loan spells included: Elche CF (Spain), AS Monaco (France), AC Milan (Italy) and Spartak Moscow (Russia).
In 2018 he moved on loan to Atalanta B.C. (Italy). After two seasons, Atalanta decided to sign him permanently before the 2020–21 season.
Since then, he’s become a regular and important midfielder for Atalanta. As of 2025, he has made roughly 283 appearances for the club across league, domestic cups, and European competitions, scoring 57 goals and contributing 38 assists.
On the international side, Pašalić made his full debut for the Croatia national football team in 2014.
Playing Style & Profile
Pašalić is a central midfielder known for combining offensive contributions (goals & assists) with midfield duties.
He has a good physical presence, standing around 186 cm (≈ 6′1″) tall.
He tends to make meaningful attacking contributions for a midfielder — not just play‑making but also scoring and arriving in the box. His goal totals for a midfielder are fairly impressive.
When needed in European competitions such as the UEFA Champions League, he has delivered — in 2025 he became Atalanta’s all‑time top scorer in the Champions League after scoring his eighth CL goal in a match against Club Brugge.
Achievements & Recognition
With Atalanta, he has become a mainstay in midfield and a consistent performer over many seasons. His long stay and productivity highlight his importance to the club.
On 1 October 2025, he made club history by becoming Atalanta’s all‑time leading scorer in the UEFA Champions League, underlining his impact on Europe’s biggest stage.
At the international level, he has been part of the Croatia national team since 2014, contributing over multiple years
