| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Marija Maredinho Banušić | ||
| Birth name | Marija Banušić | ||
| Date of birth | (1995-09-17)17 September 1995 (age 29) | ||
| Place of birth | Uppsala, Sweden | ||
| Height | 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder,forward | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Napoli | ||
| Number | 10 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| VP | |||
| IK Fyris | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2011 | Gamla Upsala SK | ||
| 2012 | IK Sirius | 16 | (16) |
| 2013–2014 | Kristianstads DFF | 33 | (7) |
| 2015 | Chelsea Ladies | 8 | (0) |
| 2016 | Eskilstuna United DFF | 16 | (6) |
| 2017–2018 | Linköpings FC | 26 | (13) |
| 2018–2019 | Beijing BG Phoenix | ||
| 2019–2021 | Montpellier | 13 | (3) |
| 2021 | Roma | 5 | (1) |
| 2021–2022 | Pomigliano | 21 | (7) |
| 2022–2023 | Parma | 13 | (4) |
| 2023– | Napoli | 1 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2014–2018 | Sweden | 7 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17 September 2023 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 00:52, 2 January 2022 (UTC) | |||
Marija Maredinho Banušić (born 17 September 1995) is a Swedish professionalfootballer who plays as amidfielder for ItalianSerie A clubNapoli. She previously played forLinköpings FC,Eskilstuna United DFF andKristianstads DFF of theDamallsvenskan, spent a season in England withFA WSL clubChelsea, a season in China withBeijing BG Phoenix and two seasons in France withMontpellier before spending half a season withAS Roma in 2021 and then one year withPomigliano and one year withParma. She won her firstcap for theSweden women's national team in November 2014. She has previously worn the nameMaredinho on her shirt, originally anickname her father had given her inhomage to male footballerRonaldinho,[1] which she later adopted as hermiddle name.[2]
In 2012 Banušić scored 16 goals forNorrettan clubIK Sirius and became atransfer target for clubs in theDamallsvenskan, Sweden's top division.[3] Banušić made a favourable early impression after signing for Kristianstads in 2013. Teammate and fellow Uppsala-nativeJosefine Öqvist called her a potential "världsspelare" (English:world-class player), whilecoachElísabet Gunnarsdóttir declared her the biggest talent in the history ofSwedish women's football.[4]
Banušić gave Kristianstads the lead in the 2014Svenska Cupen (English:Swedish Cup) final, but they were defeated 2–1 byLinköpings FC.[5] After the season she decided to leave Kristianstads and returned to Uppsala, where she considered several offers from other clubs from Sweden and abroad.[6] Banušić agreed a transfer toLondon-basedFA WSL clubChelsea Ladies in January 2015.[7]
With Chelsea Banušić started three of her eight league appearances as the club won the2015 FA WSL title. She was an unusedsubstitute in Chelsea's 1–0 win overNotts County at the2015 FA Women's Cup Final, staged atWembley Stadium for the first time. Banušić had fallen further down the pecking order when Chelsea broke the British transfer record to signFran Kirby during the season.
In December 2015 Banušić announced that she would return to Sweden to play for Damallsvenskan clubEskilstuna United DFF in 2016.[8] After moving toLinköpings FC the following season, her new club won the2017 Damallsvenskan title. While her teammates celebrated, an emotional Banušić invited her critics to eat their words.[9] In July 2018 she was reunited with her former Linköping coachKim Björkegren when she transferred to theChinese Women's Super League clubBeijing Phoenix.[10]
On 1 February 2021, Banušić signed with ItalianSerie A teamRoma.[11] She made her Roma debut on 6 February 2021, coming off the substitutes' bench in Roma's 4–0 away victory overPink Bari.[12] In her third appearance for Roma, Banušić scored an overhead kick againstInter Milan in what would prove to be the winning goal on the day.[13] Banušić was also part of the Roma squad that won the 2021Coppa Italia final againstAC Milan in May 2021.[14]
In total, Banušić made five appearances for Roma and scored one goal during her half-year stay in the Italian capital. On 14 July 2021, it was announced that Banušić had moved from Roma to newly-promoted Serie A clubPomigliano.[15] Seven goals in 21 appearances helped Pomigliano avoid relegation, before Banušić signed forParma in July 2022.[16]
On 2 August 2023 she signed for newly-promoted Serie A clubNapoli.[17]
In June 2013 Banušić was named in senior national team coachPia Sundhage's squad for a 1–1friendly draw withBrazil.[18] She was hopeful of a surprise call-up to Sweden'sUEFA Women's Euro 2013 squad,[19] but was not selected and went to the2013 UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship instead.
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In November 2014 Banušić made her seniorSweden debut againstCanada inLos Angeles. The match, which finished in a 1–0 defeat, was playedbehind closed doors but still counted as a fullFIFA international fixture. Banušić was disappointed with the result but satisfied with her performance after coming on as a second-half substitute. She hoped to stay in contention for a place at the2015 FIFA Women's World Cup.[20] She was particularly disappointed to be dropped from the national team forUEFA Women's Euro 2017, although she was recalled shortly afterwards.[2]
Because of her Croatian origin,[2] she was alsoeligible to representCroatia.
