RetroShirts

Retro Marko Arnautović Shirt – The Maverick Who Became Austria's Greatest Goalscorer

Austria · Werder, Stoke, Inter

Few footballers embody the fine line between genius and chaos quite like Marko Arnautović. Born in Vienna to a Serbian father and Austrian mother, the powerful striker has spent nearly two decades proving that raw talent, when paired with fearless self-belief, can conquer the biggest stages in European football. Standing 1.92 metres tall with silky technique that belies his size, Arnautović has scored goals in the Bundesliga, Premier League, Serie A and now the Serbian SuperLiga, carving out a career that is as celebrated as it is controversial. He is the all-time top goalscorer for the Austria national team, a record that cements his place among the nation's greatest ever footballers. For collectors, a retro Marko Arnautović shirt is far more than fabric and thread – it is a piece of modern footballing folklore. Whether from his breakthrough years at Werder Bremen, his talismanic Stoke City era, or his Scudetto-winning spell at Inter, every jersey tells a story of audacity, redemption and goals few strikers of his generation could match.

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Career History

Marko Arnautović's career is a rollercoaster of towering highs and headline-grabbing lows. After starting out at Austria Wien and FC Twente – where he won the Eredivisie in 2009-10 under Steve McClaren – he earned a dream move to Internazionale, playing under José Mourinho during the club's treble-winning golden age. Though first-team chances were limited, those months in Milan planted the seed for his later return. A transfer to Werder Bremen in 2010 gave Arnautović his first proper platform in a top European league, and over four seasons in the Bundesliga he matured from an unpredictable prodigy into a feared attacker. In 2013 he moved to Stoke City, where he became a Premier League cult hero. His four years in the Potteries produced some of the finest goals of the mid-2010s and ended with him voted the club's Player of the Year. A lucrative switch to West Ham followed, then a big-money transfer to Shanghai Port in China, where he won the Chinese FA Cup. His 2021 move to Bologna reignited his form and opened the door to an emotional return to Inter in 2023, where he finally lifted the Serie A title in 2023-24. At international level, he overtook Toni Polster to become Austria's all-time top scorer, leading his country at Euro 2016, Euro 2020 and Euro 2024. Along the way there have been suspensions, feuds and touchline theatrics – but also moments of brilliance that defined an era for Austrian football.

Legends and Teammates

Arnautović's journey has been shaped by a fascinating cast of teammates, managers and rivals. At Inter he trained alongside legends like Samuel Eto'o, Javier Zanetti and Wesley Sneijder, absorbing lessons from Mourinho that he later credited for his tactical maturity. At Werder Bremen he linked up with Claudio Pizarro and Aaron Hunt under Thomas Schaaf, while at Stoke he formed memorable partnerships with Peter Crouch and Bojan Krkić under Mark Hughes – a manager who publicly backed his maverick personality. At West Ham, Manuel Pellegrini made him the focal point of attack. Internationally, he has been mentored by David Alaba and forged Austria's modern identity alongside Marcel Sabitzer, Julian Baumgartlinger and goalkeeper Heinz Lindner. His rivalry with fellow Austrian Marc Janko to claim the national scoring record added spice, while clashes with English defenders like Jonny Evans and Laurent Koscielny became Premier League folklore. Back at Inter under Simone Inzaghi, he stood beside Lautaro Martínez and Nicolò Barella as they swept to the Scudetto, completing a career-long circle.

Iconic Shirts

The shirts worn by Marko Arnautović read like a tour of modern football's most evocative designs. His FC Twente red-and-white striped kit from the 2009-10 title season is a prize for Eredivisie collectors, while his 2009-10 Inter shirt – the iconic black-and-blue Nike jersey from the treble year – remains one of the most sought-after items on the retro market. His Werder Bremen jerseys, particularly the green-and-white Nike shirts of the early 2010s, carry Bundesliga authenticity that fans adore. But it is his Stoke City shirts, with their classic red-and-white stripes and Bet365 sponsorship, that capture the heart of English collectors, symbolising the Britannia Stadium era and Arnautović's individual brilliance. His claret-and-blue West Ham shirt, worn as captain and top scorer in 2017-18, and his blue-and-red Bologna kit, are rising in value. Meanwhile, his Austria national team shirts – especially the red Puma jerseys from Euro 2016 and Euro 2020 – celebrate the record goalscorer who rewrote his country's history books.

Collector Tips

A retro Marko Arnautović shirt gains value through the moments it represents. Look for his 2009-10 Inter shirt, 2013-17 Stoke home jerseys, and Austria national team kits from Euro 2016 onwards – particularly those tied to his record-breaking goals. Match-worn or player-issue versions command premium prices, but high-street replicas in excellent condition with original tags, correct sponsor patches and authentic Nike, Puma or Macron hologram tags remain excellent collector pieces. Always verify stitching, badge quality and season-specific details before buying a retro Marko Arnautović shirt.