Soccer
Stage to Glory: Dani Olmo’s path from La Masia to Super Cup hat-trick hero
Dani Olmo stole the show in the German Super Cup with his hat-trick of goals firing RB Leipzig to a stunning 3-0 victory over Bayern Munich. Here’s how the Spaniard levelled up to success.
Few players have taken a more fascinating route to the heights of football than RB Leipzig’s Dani Olmo.
His performances over recent seasons, including a hat-trick against Bayern Munich in the 2023 German Super Cup, have seen him cement his status as one of Spain’s new midfield maestros.
A player who stands out with his tactical intelligence, ability to find a killer pass and willingness to take on opponents, Olmo has always had the self-belief to perform on the biggest stage.
In July 2014, having been raised at Barcelona's renowned La Masia academy since the age of nine, Olmo made the bold decision to move to Croatia's Dinamo Zagreb in search of regular playing time. It was an unusual decision and stunned the Catalan giants, but the route less travelled has certainly paid dividends.
Here, Olmo tells the story so far of his captivating career.
01
Level 1 – Running in the family
Olmo comes from a footballing family and he quickly became inseparable from his ball. He loved playing so much that, as he recalls, he even hesitated for a moment in taking a photo with Lionel Messi because it meant interrupting a game.
“I've been with a ball ever since I was small. It's what I've always wanted to do. I've kept all the balls from when I was small. I remember a ball that I had when I took a photo with Lionel Messi when I was seven or eight years old and I still have that ball at home. Those are memories that'll last your whole life. I didn’t even want to take the photo because I wanted to keep playing. But I no longer regret that I stopped playing football for five minutes.”
He initially joined Espanyol’s academy, but when Barcelona came calling and offered him a place at La Masia, he couldn't turn them down. “They came back and kept insisting.”
Olmo (second left) in action for Spain Under-17s
© Nikolay Doychinov/Getty Images
02
Level 2 – The big decision: moving to Croatia
At the age of 16, and with first-team football still a very distant prospect, he stunned Barcelona by accepting an offer from Croatian club Dinamo Zagreb.
“No other club offered me a sporting project like the one Dinamo were offering – the possibility that, at the age of 15 or 16, I could be part of the first team, training with international and professional players. I decided to go there so I could keep growing and I don’t regret it, because, as I've shown, I've improved greatly, as a footballer and as a person. Today, I'm the player I am because I of the time I spent there.”
No other club offered me a sporting project like the one Dinamo were offering – the possibility that, at the age of 15 or 16, I could be part of the first team, training with international and professional players
03
Level 3 – Understanding his new homeland
Despite his youth, he wasn't intimidated. He learned the language and even the football songs. The experience marked him greatly, so much so that he joined the Common Goal project, where members pledge one percent of their earnings to a fund which helps tackle social issues. Olmo’s donations support a project run by football-based community organisation Cross Cultures Projects Association in Croatia, which aims to bring back stability to post-conflict communities.
“I have many wonderful and special memories of Croatia. I remember my first match with the first team, which was in a memorial tournament in Vukovar for those who perished in the war. I felt very integrated into that country and I identify with the people, and there are many things which affected me, so I felt that I wanted to help in some way or other.
“I learned about these things and I learned the language and that meant I could relate better to them. There was a very special affection from the Dinamo supporters and the public in general, very special. To this day, I say that Croatia is my second home and I’m sure I'll always come back on a regular basis.”
There was a very special affection from the Dinamo supporters and the public in general
Playing for Zagreb in the UEFA Europa League, aged 20
© Gualter Fatia/Getty Images
04
Level 4 – The big breakthrough
Olmo made his competitive debut against NK Lokomotiva in February 2015 and scored his first goal against Rijeka in the final game of the 2016-17 season. But it was his second goal which provided lift off, as it came in the intimidating derby against Hajduk Split – a fixture which made a huge impression on him.
“It’s a really fiery derby, there are firecrackers and pyrotechnics everywhere. Some supporters don’t even care how the league finishes, they just want you to win this match. I came on in the 50th minute, with us winning 1-0, and they equalised from a corner. My goal made it 2-1. I realised how important this goal was when I saw my team-mates leaping off the bench. I always say it's one of the key moments in my career, that’s for sure.”
Olmo celebrates after scoring for Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League
© Dan Mullan/Getty Images
05
Level 5 – Champions League debut
The next big step came in 2019-20 when he played in the Champions League group stage for the first time. His first match was at home to Serie A side Atalanta – a 4-0 win for Dinamo.
“There are some moments that have a before and an after and this was another one of them. We won 4-0 and I don’t think Dinamo Zagreb have ever done anything like that in their history.”
06
Level 6 – Spain come calling
Three months later, he received his first Spain call-up, getting the news at the end of a training session. “The coach gathered us all together in a circle, all together, and he said: ‘Guys, we have some good news. We have one more full international player in the team. Dani has been picked [for Spain].’ I didn't expect it and I didn't know about it. I was almost in shock. I was so focused on training, I didn't even know that there was a squad announcement. And when they told me, it was incredible, it was a joy, an immense joy.”
When they told me, it was incredible, it was a joy, an immense joy
His debut came against Malta in Cádiz and he celebrated with a goal after coming on as a second-half substitute, but it was the national anthem which gave him goosebumps.
“It was incredible. To be able to hear it with the senior team and in a stadium like the Ramon Carranza in Cádiz, where they love team to the death, and they live it and cheer it – it was indescribable. I didn't have the words to express it and I don't have them now. My whole family was there including my grandparents who are from Cádiz.”
It was indescribable. I didn't have the words to express it and I don't have them now
Olmo in World Cup qualifier action for the Spain national team
© David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images
07
Level 7 – Moving to a new style at RB Leipzig
In January 2020, Olmo accepted another new challenge, this time in the form of RB Leipzig in Germany. It was a difficult goodbye. “The farewell was tough. I knew that I was going to leave behind a lot of team-mates, a lot of people from the staff, like therapists and players who'd helped me a lot in my career.”
He then had to adapt to Leipzig’s demanding, high-energy style under Julian Nagelsmann.
“I knew it was a big jump, but I thought I was ready for it. At the beginning it wasn't easy and there were a couple of games that I didn’t participate in but, well, I was still clear about what I wanted to achieve and I knew what I had to do to achieve it. So I kept working in training until I had a chance and Julian gave me a lot of encouragement.
“It's a more physical, more direct style, always looking to move forward. We play in extreme situations, with a lot of pressure. And that's where everyone has to use their skills to get out of that situation. In that sense, I think I've also improved a lot in playing under pressure between the lines.”
Olmo in RB Leipzig colours against Manchester City in the Champions League
© Marc Atkins/Getty Images
08
Level 8 – Euro 2020: 'The Strength of the Group'
Olmo took his career up another step as he helped Spain reach the Euro 2020 semi-finals before losing to eventual champions Italy on penalties. He provided three assists in five games, including two after coming off the bench in the round of 16 match against Croatia. But it was the spirit in the group that left a mark.
“We didn’t just build that team during Euro 2020, but also during the qualifiers. We had a great squad and it was incredible. They made a documentary for Amazon about it called The Strength Of The Group and I don’t think there's a better title to describe that team. We had to overcome adversity, lots of obstacles and it was tough work getting as far as we did, but we did it in the end. There are experiences you need to get through if you want to keep going forward. We're proud of our performance, but we have the idea that we could do much, much more.”
Olmo keeps the match ball after scoring his hat-trick in the final
© Lukas Schulze via Getty Images
09
Level 9 – Scoring hat-tricks and lifting trophies
Olmo has been a shining light in RB Leipzig’s recent rise to lifting regular silverware. He scored a penalty in the final shootout as they won the DFP-Pokal cup trophy for the first time in 2022, and assisted Christopher Nkunku for the first goal in the final against Frankfurt as they successfully defended the trophy 12 months later.
In the German Super Cup in August 2023, his performance saw the match dubbed ‘the Dani Olmo Show’. Facing Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena, Olmo netted twice in the first half before completing his hat-trick with a 68th-minute penalty.
After lifting the title for the first time in the club’s history, Olmo said: "It was an amazing night. I think it was a perfect game.”
10
Level 10 – Whatever comes next, his enjoyment will remain
Olmo’s passion for football is clear to anyone who watches him. Even the pressure and tactical instructions cannot detract from his enjoyment of the game. “It's clear you enjoy it more if you end up winning, but that's the way it is! You have to learn to live with the pressure. If you have confidence in yourself, pressure is the least of it.
“There are still many things I want to achieve, but I'll always have pride at what I've already experienced and been through.”