FIRST TEAM
03/30/2019

Andrej Kramaric: TSG's record goalscorer

Andrej Kramaric became TSG Hoffenheim's outright record goalscorer in the Bundesliga when he scored the fourth and final goal in the 4-1 rout of Bayer Leverkusen on Friday. The Croatian forward now has 47 goals, one more than the previous record-holder Sejad Salihovic.

Andrej Kramaric's 47th Bundesliga goal was probably the easiest of the lot. Ishak Belfodil's cross-cum-shot was drifting towards the far corner when the Croatian forward tapped the ball into an empty net from close range. It was a slight touch, but a record-breaking one: Kramaric is now TSG's all-time highest scorer in the Bundesliga with 47 goals, one more than previous holder Sejad Salihovic.

It's a record that makes the Hoffenheim forward proud. In a lengthy SPIELFELD interview at the start of March, the Croatian said: "I want to be the best goalscorer in TSG's history. I'm proud of my numbers and I hope that I make it." Barely a month later, the frontman has already achieved his ambitious goal.

"I'm obviously very happy and proud to now be the record goalscorer. I could never have expected this when I joined Hoffenheim. It's a crazy feeling to now have my name in the record books," the striker said in his post-match interview.

The Croatian initially joined TSG on loan from Leicester City in the 2015/16 winter break, but made the move permanent in the summer of 2016. His first Bundesliga goal for Hoffenheim came in his fourth appearance for the club on 13 February 2016  in a 1-1 draw in Bremen. That goal has since been followed by 46 more in the German top flight, with the forward scoring a further eight competitive goals in the DFB Cup and European competition. Kramaric's goals made a key contribution as Hoffenheim preserved their top-flight status in the second half of the 2015/16 season, and were equally pivotal as the Kraichgau club qualified for Europe in the past two seasons.

The World Cup runner-up wants to emulate that feat with Hoffenheim this term too, saying: "I still want to achieve more with TSG and will continue to give my all to make us successful. I hope that the victory against Leverkusen was just the starting point for us to end the season in the best possible way and ensure we qualify for Europe again." TSG Hoffenheim will be counting on further goals from their record goalscorer in the Bundesliga if they are to do so.

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