1. Early Life and Background
György Garics was born on March 8, 1984, in Szombathely, Hungary. He hails from a family of Croatian descent. At the age of 14, he moved to Vienna, Austria, with his parents. This relocation played a crucial role in shaping his football career and ultimately led to his decision to represent Austria at the international level. He began his youth football career with Haladás VSE in Hungary before moving to Austria.
2. Club Career
György Garics's club career began in Austria before he made a significant impact in Italian football, later playing in Germany, and concluding his career back in Italy.
2.1. Rapid Vienna
Garics joined Rapid Vienna in Austria at the age of 14, progressing through their youth system and satellite teams. He made his professional debut in 2001. During his first senior season in 2002, he made two appearances as a teenager. By the 2004-05 season, he had developed into a prominent member of the first team, contributing to Rapid Vienna's Austrian Bundesliga title win that season. During his time at Rapid Vienna, he made 81 appearances and scored one goal.
2.2. S.S.C. Napoli
In August 2006, Garics transferred to Italian club Napoli, which was then in Serie B, for a reported fee of 500.00 K EUR. He made his debut for the club on September 23, 2006, against Triestina. He quickly established himself as a key player, contributing to Napoli's promotion to Serie A. In the 2007-08 Serie A season, he continued to be a regular starter for the team. Overall, he made 37 appearances and scored one goal for Napoli.
2.3. Atalanta B.C.
On July 1, 2008, Garics moved to Atalanta in a co-ownership deal with Napoli, valued at 1.50 M EUR. During his first season with Atalanta, he was a regular, playing in 35 matches. On June 26, 2009, Atalanta acquired full ownership of Garics from Napoli for 1.00 M EUR. He made a total of 65 appearances for Atalanta, scoring one goal during his tenure there.
2.4. Bologna F.C. 1909
After Atalanta was relegated from Serie A, Garics was sold to Bologna on August 9, 2010, for a fee of 3.00 M EUR. His time at Bologna was marked by a serious injury in 2011, which caused him to miss most of the spring season. Despite this setback, he remained with the club until 2015, making 102 appearances and scoring two goals.
2.5. SV Darmstadt 98
On August 14, 2015, Garics signed a two-year deal with Bundesliga club Darmstadt 98, which had recently been promoted to the top German league. He played for the club for one season, making 21 appearances. He left Darmstadt 98 on August 30, 2016.
2.6. Imolese Calcio 1919
For the Serie D 2017-18 season, Garics joined Imolese Calcio 1919 on a one-year contract. He played 13 matches for the club during this period.
3. International Career
György Garics chose to represent Austria internationally despite his Hungarian birth and Croatian descent, a decision that garnered significant public attention in his birth country.
3.1. Youth National Teams
During his time at Rapid Vienna, Garics became a prominent member of the Austrian youth national teams. He served as the captain of the Austria U-21 national team, making 25 appearances and scoring two goals for the side.
3.2. Senior National Team Debut and Major Tournaments
Garics made his debut for the Austrian senior national team on October 6, 2006, in a match against Liechtenstein, where he notably scored a goal on his international debut. He was subsequently called up to the Austrian squad for Euro 2008 and started in Austria's third group match against Germany in Vienna. He was also part of the squad for UEFA Euro 2016. In total, he made 41 appearances for the Austrian national team, scoring two goals.
3.3. National Team Choice and Public Reaction
Garics's decision to play for Austria rather than Hungary was a notable event, as it marked the first high-profile instance of a Hungarian-born player choosing to represent another national team. This choice divided Hungarian public sentiment, with some viewing it as a failure on the part of the Hungarian Football Federation for not selecting him in time for the Hungarian national team.
4. Retirement
György Garics retired from professional football at the end of the 2017-18 season, following his one-year spell with Imolese Calcio 1919.
5. Honours
Rapid Vienna
- Austrian Bundesliga: 2004-05
6. Legacy and Reception
György Garics had a consistent and long professional career, spending a significant portion of it in top European leagues like Serie A in Italy and the Bundesliga in Germany. His contributions to clubs like Rapid Vienna, where he won the Austrian Bundesliga, and his tenure with various Italian teams highlight his reliability as a full-back. His international career, marked by his choice to represent Austria and his participation in major tournaments like Euro 2008 and Euro 2016, also established him as a recognized figure in Austrian football. The public discussion surrounding his national team choice in Hungary underscores his significance as a player with dual heritage.