More than a player, teammate, captain: RSL parts ways with Damir Kreilach

The 34-year-old midfielder from Vukovar, Croatia signed off from Real Salt Lake for the last time Wednesday, but leaves a legacy not even his numbers can explain.

Change comes to every man, woman and child, and changes is the only constant in professional sports.

But that doesn’t make Damir Kreilach’s split from Real Salt Lake any easier.

The 34-year-old midfielder from Vukovar, Croatia signed off from RSL for the last time Wednesday, but leaves a legacy not even his numbers can explain.

The former midfielder/forward/goal-scorer/setup man/captai/all-around Great Dude leaves a lasting legacy on the Wasatch Front, which embraced him almost as much as he embraced the people of Utah.

Kreilach’s six years in Utah included 12,896 minutes played — the team’s Iron Man during the 2018, 2019 and 2020 season — with five MLS Cup Playoff appearances, a 2021 Western Conference finals spot, and 55 goals scored in MLS play. that’s the third-highest goal scoring mark in club history for the team’s leading scorer in 2018, 2020 and 2021.

“Unfortunately we are faced with saying a very difficult goodbye to Damir Kreilach, a beloved figure in our club’s history who provided nearly unparalleled impact, leadership and service to Real Salt Lake,” said RSL sporting director Kurt Schmid in a statement. “It’s impossible to put into words what Damir has meant to our club during the last six years. Everyone across Utah’s soccer landscape owes Damir a massive debt of gratitude for the countless moments he provided on the field as well as the community impact he quietly made off it.

“Damir is a consummate professional, a true gentleman, and an unequivocal leader who holds himself and his teammates to the highest of standards. We wish him and his family nothing but success in his future endeavors, and want everyone to know that the Kreilach family will always have a home here in Utah.”

Kreilach’s impact in Salt Lake went far beyond the club he called home. He and his wife Ivana have become fixtures in the community, raising (and growing) a family in Utah, and donating 500 tickets per match to underprivileged youth for every home game in 2022 and 2023.

When Kreilach was approached about the club’s sponsorship for the fixture of the stadium that would become Kreilach’s Corner, the midfielder didn’t hesitate. Without question, he offered his own salary to make thousands of dreams come true for children and youth who otherwise might not experience The Game in his new country.

He brought a blank check to the canvas, and Kreilach was the artist of many masterful memories in claret and cobalt.

“In our 6 years, we shared joy, happiness and pleasure with all of you,” Kreilach wrote in a letter to the fanbase Wednesday morning.

“I came to help the club achieve its goals and objectives, grow as a soccer player & improve as a person. With your help, encouragement and support, we have achieved everything we were hoping for.

“My family and I will be eternally grateful for the welcome and love we received from this club, the fans and the state of Utah. 

“Thank you a thousand times.

“Even though our paths diverge, I will always be a member of the RSL family.”

It’s true that a back injury and subsequent surgery cost Kreilach, who was once on a Designated Player-level salary since joining RSL from Germany’s Union Berlin in 2018. Father Time comes for every man, and in the case of Kreilach, it included limiting the standout striker to just five matches and three starts in 2022 before coming off the bench in 12 of his 27 appearances en route to four goals and an assist in MLS play in 2023.

The club initially had Kreilach under contract through the 2024 season, but after lengthy discussions, deliberations and declining his option, both sides made the decision to part ways and pave the way for Kreilach to move on to his next step (which he’ll announce as early as Thursday morning, according to several sources).

And so while tributes pour in across the internet for a remarkable player in the history of Real Salt Lake, know that for as valuable as his contributions were on the pitch, Kreilach’s biggest contribution will remain in raising up the communities he visited.

“I will always worry and support this club,” he said. “You will forever remain in my heart.”