The 'Tank' who saved Ozil from an armed robbery and once worked as a nightclub bouncer

Dubbed 'The Tank,' Sead Kolasinac forged his reputation on aggression, loyalty, and old-school toughness. Born in Karlsruhe, Germany, to Bosnian parents who fled the war, the defender worked as a nightclub bouncer in his teenage years while progressing through Schalke's renowned academy.

In Gelsenkirchen, he became a cult figure due to his uncompromising style and connection with the fans. He later made global headlines in 2019 when he confronted armed robbers during an attempted carjacking involving his then-Arsenal teammate Mesut Ozil in London.

As one of only two players in the Bosnia and Herzegovina squad with prior World Cup experience—alongside the 32-year-old Edin Dzeko—Kolasinac is also remembered for an unfortunate own goal just three minutes into the match against Argentina at the Maracanã, during the country's very first FIFA tournament finals game in 2014.

For the past three seasons, the left-back has represented Atalanta, following a two-year stint at Marseille, but his contract with the Bergamo club is now expiring.