Marcel Hartel

Marcel Hartel (born 19 January 1996) is a German professional footballer who plays as midfielder^[1][2] for Major League Soccer side St. Louis City SC.^[3]

Marcel Hartel

Personal information
Date of birth	(1996-01-19) 19 January 1996 (age 29)
Place of birth	Cologne, Germany
Height	1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	St. Louis City SC
Number	17
Youth career
0000–2002	SC West Köln
2002–2016	1. FC Köln
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2015–2017	1. FC Köln II	37	(6)
2016–2017	1. FC Köln	8	(0)
2017–2019	Union Berlin	54	(4)
2019–2021	Arminia Bielefeld	55	(1)
2021–2024	FC St. Pauli	98	(24)
2024–	St. Louis City SC	29	(5)
International career
2017–2018	Germany U21	9	(4)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 4 July 2025

Club career

Early career

Born in Cologne, Hartel started playing football as a youth for SC West Köln. In 2002, he joined 1. FC Köln's youth system.^[4] He was able to move through the club's youth ranks and made his Bundesliga debut on 20 February 2016, in a 1–0 away defeat against Borussia Mönchengladbach.^[5] During the 2016–17 season, he made 12 appearances for 1. FC Köln's reserves, scoring three goals and contributing five assists.^[4]

Union Berlin

In May 2017, Union Berlin announced the signing of Hartel on a three-year deal.^[4] He scored his first goal for the club in a 1–1 draw with Arminia Bielefeld. On 31 January 2019, he scored against his former side, Köln, after controlling the ball up into the air and hitting a stunning bicycle kick. The goal was voted Goal of the Month by viewers of Sportschau on ARD,^[6] and later also Goal of the Year.^[7]

Arminia Bielefeld

On 27 July 2019, after playing a key role in Union Berlin's historic promotion to the Bundesliga, Hartel joined Arminia Bielefeld.^[8] In the 2019–20 season, he was part of the title-winning team winning promotion to the Bundesliga.^[9] He showed a strong performance during pre-season, and he became one of the undisputed regulars of Arminia at the start of the 2020–21 season. This led him to appear in all the games in the first half of the season.^[10] As head coach Uwe Neuhaus was replaced by Frank Kramer in March 2021,^[11] Hartel lost his place in midfield.^[12] He finished the season with 22 league appearances^[13] and one in the cup by the end of the season, as they were eliminated in the first round against Regionalliga side Rot-Weiss Essen.^[14]

FC St. Pauli

Hartel joined 2. Bundesliga club FC St. Pauli on 10 August 2021 on an undisclosed deal.^[15]

St. Louis City SC

On 2 July 2024, Hartel signed for Major League Soccer club St. Louis City SC on a four-year contract as a Designated Player.^[16]

Career statistics

As of match played 20 October 2024^[2]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			DFB-Pokal		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
1. FC Köln II	2014–15	Regionalliga West	7	0	—		—		7	0
	2015–16	Regionalliga West	20	4	—		—		20	4
	2016–17	Regionalliga West	12	3	—		—		12	3
	Total		39	7	—		—		39	7
1. FC Köln	2015–16	Bundesliga	6	0	—		—		6	0
	2016–17	Bundesliga	2	0	—		—		2	0
	Total		8	0	0	0	—		8	0
Union Berlin	2017–18	2. Bundesliga	28	2	2	0	—		30	2
	2018–19	2. Bundesliga	26	2	2	0	2[a]	0	30	2
	Total		54	4	4	0	2	0	60	4
Arminia Bielefeld	2019–20	2. Bundesliga	33	1	2	0	—		35	1
	2020–21	Bundesliga	22	0	1	0	—		23	0
	Total		55	1	3	0	—		58	1
FC St. Pauli	2021–22	2. Bundesliga	31	2	3	0	—		34	2
	2022–23	2. Bundesliga	34	5	2	0	—		36	5
	2023–24	2. Bundesliga	33	17	4	4	—		37	21
	Total		98	24	9	4	—		107	28
St. Louis City	2024	MLS	9	3	—		4[b]	2	13	5
Career total			263	39	16	4	6	2	285	45

1. Appearances in Bundesliga relegation play-offs
2. Appearances in Leagues Cup

Honours

Arminia Bielefeld

• 2. Bundesliga: 2019–20^[9]

FC St. Pauli

• 2. Bundesliga: 2023–24

Individual

• Sportschau Goal of the Month: January 2019^[6]
• Sportschau Goal of the Year: 2019^[7]