Pascal Groß

Pascal Alexander Groß ( born 15 June 1991) is a German professional footballer who plays as a midfielder or full-back for Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund and the Germany national team.

A versatile player, Groß has played as a defensive-midfielder, right-back, attacking-midfielder or forward in his career. He was Brighton & Hove Albion’s all-time top scorer in the Premier League until 2025, when he was overtaken by Danny Welbeck. Groß played for Germany at youth international level. He was called up to the senior squad for the first time aged 32 in August 2023. He made his debut on 9 September 2023 in a friendly against Japan. He was selected for the German final squads at the UEFA Euro 2024.

Club career

Early career

Groß played his first fully professional match in the Bundesliga for 1899 Hoffenheim on 2 May 2009 in a 0–4 loss against VfL Wolfsburg. being substituted on in the 89th minute for Chinedu Obasi. He scored his first senior career goal playing for Hoffenheim II playing against Stuttgarter Kickers II on 16 August 2009. In January 2011, he transferred to Karlsruher SC along with Hoffenheim teammate Marco Terrazzino.

Ingolstadt

In the summer of 2012, Groß joined FC Ingolstadt on a two-year deal. In the 2014–15 season, he played a vital role in the promotion of FC Ingolstadt to the Bundesliga as he scored 7 goals and assisted 23 goals.

Groß scored five league goals for FC Ingolstadt in the 2016–17 season as they were relegated from the Bundesliga. He created more chances than any other player in the league that season, a total of 95 chances.

Brighton & Hove Albion

2017–18 season

In May 2017, Brighton & Hove Albion signed Groß for a fee of £3 million. He agreed to a four-year contract while the transfer fee paid to Ingolstadt was the first of a series of record signings for the club that season. He made his debut for Brighton in the Premier League on 12 August 2017, in a 2–0 home defeat to title favourites Manchester City. On 9 September 2017, Groß made history by scoring Brighton's first ever Premier League goal, adding a second shortly after half time and providing an assist for Tomer Hemed in a 3–1 win at home against West Bromwich Albion. On 15 September, in Brighton's 2–1 league defeat away to AFC Bournemouth, Groß provided the assist for Solly March's opening goal.

Groß's creative exploits for Brighton throughout the month of September earned him a nomination for the Premier League Player of the Month award. He was a key player for Brighton, being directly involved in four of their league goals scored throughout the month.

On 15 October 2017, Groß provided his third assist of the season for Brighton, setting up Anthony Knockaert in a 1–1 league draw at home to Everton. On 20 November, Groß scored for Brighton in a 2–2 home draw against Stoke City. The goal brought his contribution tally up to three goals and five assists throughout the course of the season. Groß ended a successful season for Brighton with seven goals and eight assists, including heading the winner against Manchester United on 4 May 2018, a win that secured Brighton's Premier League status. Amongst many highlights, Groß was voted Brighton's player of the season by an overwhelming majority.

On 6 June 2018, Groß signed a contract extension with Brighton, keeping him at the club until 2022.

2018–19 season

He scored against Manchester United again in another win over the side on 19 August 2018 in Brighton's first win of the 2018–19 season netting the Albion's third in a 3–2 home victory. Groß scored three goals from 4 May 2018 to 19 January 2019 which all came up against Manchester United. His third coming in a 2–1 away loss at Old Trafford. He made one FA Cup appearance where he came off the bench in a 2–1 home win over Derby County that took his team into the quarter-finals. The Sussex club were eventually knocked out by Manchester City in the semi-final at Wembley.

On 27 April 2019, he scored an equaliser at home against Newcastle United, helping Brighton claim a point in their fight for survival. On 4 May 2019 Brighton's bitter rivals, Crystal Palace beat Cardiff City – Brighton's relegation rivals – which ensured Brighton's Premier League football for the next season.

2019–20 season

Groß played the whole of Brighton's opening match of the 2019–20 season, a 3–0 win at Watford. On 5 October, a Groß cross was spilt by Tottenham Hotspur's keeper, Hugo Lloris, and Neal Maupay nodded home the first in a 3–0 victory over the London side. Lloris dislocated his elbow after an awkward landing from the cross which would rule him out for the rest of 2019. Groß scored his first goal of the season to open the scoring in a 3–2 home win over Everton on 26 October 2019.

2020–21 season

Groß made his 100th appearance for and captained the side in a 2–0 away win over Preston North End in the EFL Cup on 23 September 2020. He scored his first goal of the season on 28 November, a 93rd-minute penalty to claim Brighton's first Premier League points against the defending champions Liverpool. In the reverse fixture Groß appeared in Brighton's 1–0 away victory over Liverpool on 3 February 2021 to claim their first league win at Anfield since 1982. Groß captained Brighton on 18 May with Lewis Dunk out suspended in the match against champions Manchester City with fans returning to football. He assisted Adam Webster's header which tied the score at 2–2 – from 2–0 down – in which Brighton won 3–2 for their first victory over City since 1989.

2021–22 season

Groß set up Alexis Mac Allister's winner with a grounded pass into the box in the 2–1 away victory over Burnley on 14 August in the opening game of the 2021–22 season. He then assisted Shane Duffy's header from the corner spot in Brighton's 2–0 home victory over Watford on 21 August in the second game of the season. Groß had a penalty saved by Jack Butland in the home fixture against bitter rivals Crystal Palace on 14 January 2022, failing to put Brighton 1–0 up in an eventual 1–1 draw.

On 7 May, he scored his first goal of the campaign, calmly steering in Brighton's third in a 4–0 victory over Manchester United earning Brighton their biggest ever top-flight victory. Groß scored again two games later, his second and the last of the season on the final day of the campaign, putting Brighton ahead after they trailed at half time in the 3–1 home victory over West Ham United. He later assisted Albion's third goal, a Danny Welbeck strike, who happened to set up Groß's goal. The victory meant they achieved their highest-ever top-flight finish, finishing ninth.

On 3 June, it was announced that he had signed a new contract with Albion, signing on until June 2024. Graham Potter was pleased by Groß's extension, commenting "I am delighted for Pascal and the club that he's now signed," adding "He is an excellent professional on and off the pitch."

2022–23 season

On the opening day of the season Groß scored both goals against Manchester United in the 2–1 away win to claim Brighton's first ever victory at Old Trafford, which gave him three in two games against United and four overall. Groß scored in Brighton's first home win of the season, as they beat Leeds United 1–0. Groß captained Brighton to a 5–1 away thrashing of Championship team Middlesbrough in the third round of the FA Cup on 7 January 2023. The opening goal was his first ever FA Cup goal. Groß made his 200th appearance for Brighton on 15 March, as Albion beat Crystal Palace 1–0 at Falmer Stadium.

On 19 April, Groß signed a contract extension to run until 2025. Roberto De Zerbi was very delighted with the announcement and cited Groß as "...one of the secrets to Albion’s success." Four days later, he played the full 120 minutes in the FA Cup semi-final against Manchester United at Wembley and scored a penalty in the shootout which Brighton lost. During the midweek after the FA Cup semi-final defeat, Groß scored his first Premier League own goal putting Nottingham Forest back level in the 3–1 loss. Groß responded with a brace over Wolverhampton Wanderers, helping Brighton to a 6–0 thrashing, their biggest Premier League victory. He scored his 10th goal of the season on 21 May, putting Brighton back to two goals in front of Southampton in the 3–1 home win which secured Brighton a European spot for the first time in their history. The strike put him level with Glenn Murray and Neal Maupay as Brighton's all-time top goalscorer in the Premier League with 26 goals.

2023–24 season

On 26 August 2023, Brighton's third match of the season, Groß scored his 27th Premier League goal, becoming the club's all-time top scorer in that league, but his goal was a consolation in a 3–1 defeat at home to West Ham United. He scored Brighton's first ever away goal in Europe on 5 October, as they came back from 2–0 down to draw 2–2 at Marseille in the Europa League. He finished second only to Bruno Fernandes among the top players with most chances created in the league.

Borussia Dortmund

On 1 August 2024, Groß joined Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund, signing a contract until June 2026.

On 11 February 2025, Groß scored his first goal for Dortmund in a first leg 3–0 away victory over Sporting Lisbon in the UEFA Champions League round of 32. On 22 February, he assisted four goals in a 6–0 home victory over Union Berlin, becoming the third player in Bundesliga history to ever do that.

International career

Groß has represented Germany at youth level for the under-18, under-19 and under-20 national teams.

On 31 August 2023, Groß received his first call-up to the Germany senior national team by head coach Hansi Flick, for friendlies against Japan and France. He made his debut on 9 September, coming on as a 64th-minute substitute in the eventual 4–1 home loss against Japan and went on to make his first start for Germany in a 3–1 friendly win over the United States on 14 October.

Groß was named in Germany's squad for UEFA Euro 2024. He scored his first international goal in a pre-tournament friendly against Greece on 7 June. Only Richard Kress was older when scoring his first goal for Germany.

Style of play

Groß can operate as a central midfielder, winger, attacking midfielder and right-back. He is an accomplished set-piece taker, known for his accurate corner kicks and free kicks.

Personal life

Groß's father Stephan was also a footballer who played for Karlsruher SC.

Career statistics

Club

International

:''Germany score listed first, score column indicates score after each Groß goal''

Honours

FC Ingolstadt
* 2. Bundesliga: 2014–15

Individual
*Brighton & Hove Albion Player of the Year: 2017–18, 2023–24

References

External links

Profile
at the Borussia Dortmund website
*
*

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gross, Pascal
1991 births
Living people
Footballers from Mannheim
German men's footballers
Men's association football midfielders
TSG 1899 Hoffenheim II players
TSG 1899 Hoffenheim players
Karlsruher SC players
FC Ingolstadt 04 players
FC Ingolstadt 04 II players
Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. players
Borussia Dortmund players
Bundesliga players
2. Bundesliga players
Regionalliga players
Premier League players
UEFA Euro 2024 players
Germany men's youth international footballers
Germany men's international footballers
German expatriate men's footballers
Expatriate men's footballers in England
German expatriate sportspeople in England
21st-century German sportsmen