Simon Kjær: Difference between revisions
Danish footballer (born 1989)
Simon Thorup Kjær (born 26 March 1989) is a Danish professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Serie A club AC Milan and captains the Denmark national team.
Kjær was named 2007 Danish under-19 talent of the year and 2009 Danish Talent of the Year. He has played over 120 matches for Denmark, including participation at the FIFA World Cup in 2010, 2018 and 2022, and the UEFA European Championship in 2012 and 2020.
Club career[edit]
FC Midtjylland[edit]
Born in Horsens, Kjær started playing football when he was four years old.[3] This led him to join a small-time club Lund IF near Horsens, before moving to the youth team of Danish Superliga club FC Midtjylland in 2004, where his father, Jørn Kjær, was the club’s equipment manager.[4][5] He was one of the first players to graduate from FCM’s football academy, the first of its kind in Denmark, coming through the system alongside Midtjylland teammates Jesper Weinkouff, Christian Sivebæk and former teammate, Winston Reid.[6] Kjær started out playing in the midfield position before one of his coaches switched him to a defender position, a position he plays to date.[3] While at the club system, Kjær was named the best player of a French youth tournament in April 2006.[7] This resulted in Midtjylland subsequently rejecting offers from Lille OSC for Kjær and Jesper Juelsgård.[8]
Kjær made his senior debut for Midtjylland in the Viasat Cup training matches in June 2006,[9] Two months later, he signed his first professional contract, keeping him until 2009.[5][10] Kjær was promoted to the first team squad in January 2007.[11] He had a successful trial with Real Madrid in August 2007, but their transfer offer was refused by FC Midtjylland.[12][13][14] Soon after, Kjær signed a five-year contract with Midtjylland instead in September 2007.[15][16]
Kjær made his Superliga debut on 30 September 2007, in the 2–0 victory against AGF[17][18] By October 2007, his performances attracted the likes of Premier League clubs Middlesbrough and Chelsea.[19][20] He went on to play three more matches in the first half of the Danish Superliga 2007–08 season.[21][22][23] Kjær played all 15 games in the second half of the Superliga season, forming a defensive partnership with Magnus Troest.[24][25][26][27] He kept three consecutive clean sheets between 29 March 2008 and 13 April 2008 against OB, Copenhagen and AaB.[28][29][30]
Palermo[edit]
In February 2008, Kjær signed a five-year contract with Italian club Palermo, effective from the summer 2008,[31][32] earning Midtjylland a €4 million transfer fee.[33] On 5 June 2008, he was presented at the club’s press conference alongside new signing, Andrea Raggi.[34]
However, his start to his Palermo’s career suffered a setback when Kjær faced competitions in the club’s defence, as well as, adapting in Italy.[35][36][37][38][39] On 26 October 2008, he made his Palermo debut, coming on as a half-time substitute against Fiorentina in Serie A, as they lost 3–1.[40] After the match, his performance was praised by the club.[41][42] This was followed by making his first start for the club, as they drew 1–1 against Lecce three days later.[43] Kjær scored his first goal for Palermo in his third appearance on 2 November 2008, as well as, setting up the club’s first goal of the game, in a 3–0 win over Chievo.[44][45] He has been involved in the first team, establishing himself in the starting eleven, playing in the centre-back position.[46][47][48][49] Due to his physical strength and tenacity, Kjær’s performance continued to improve and was named the second best player under 21 in Serie A by La Gazzetta dello Sport.[50][51][52] It wasn’t until 15 March 2009 when he scored his second goal of the season, in a 5–2 win against Lecce.[53] Kjær then scored his third goal of the season, in a 4–1 win against Bologna on 19 April 2009.[54] For his performance, he was named Serie A’s Team of the Week.[55] Kjær ended the 2008–09 season as the club’s top scoring defender in Serie A with three goals in 27 appearances in all competitions.[56][57][58][59]
Kjær confirmed his reputation as a first team regular in the 2009–10 season, and formed a strong defensive partnership with fellow centre-back Cesare Bovo.[60][61][62][63][64] As a result, he signed an improved contract with the Sicilian club in September 2009.[65] From the start of the 2009–10 season, Kjær started in every match until he missed one match, due to suspension.[66] He returned to the starting line-up from suspension, playing the whole game, as Palermo lost 5–3 against Inter Milan on 29 October 2009.[67] A week later on 8 November 2009, Kjær scored his first goal of the season, in a 3–1 loss against Bologna.[68] He was named 2009 Danish Talent of the Year in November 2009, beating Arsenal‘s Nicklas Bendtner and Ajax‘s Christian Eriksen after his successful…
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