Clubs: 1. FSV Mainz 05, Borussia Dortmund

• Born to Bosnian-Serb parents in Banja Luka, Subotić moved to Germany at the age of five; five years later his family left Germany for the United States, where he made his home in Utah and Florida.

• Spotted by a local scout, he played for the United States at the 2005 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Peru and was recruited by Mainz after impressing on a European tour, thus returning to Germany 12 years after his departure.

• Made his Bundesliga debut for Mainz against FC Bayern München on the last day of the 2006/07 campaign, after which the club were relegated; shone in the second tier under Jürgen Klopp and followed the coach to Dortmund in summer 2008.

• Enjoyed a brilliant first season for Dortmund, making more appearances than any other player – 33 – and scoring six goals; was the team's only Bundesliga ever-present the following term and maintained his high level of consistency in the club's title-winning campaigns of 2010/11 and 2011/12.

• Eligible to play senior international football for three countries, he opted for Serbia, making his debut in a FIFA World Cup qualifier against Romania (3-2) in March 2009 and going on to appear at 2010 finals, playing from start to finish in an historic 1-0 defeat of Germany in Port Elizabeth.