Simon Kjær

Simon Kjær (2009)

Simon Thorup Kjær ( born March 26, 1989 in Horsens ) is a Danish football player. The center-back has since 2013 when Lille OSC under contract.

Kjær was already in his youth as one of the greatest defensive talents of his country. In 2008 he was voted the best " U-19 players of Denmark ". In 2009 he received the award for "Danish Talent of the Year ". He referred Nicklas Bendtner and Christian Eriksen, who were second and third respectively.

His father Jørn Kjær was also a professional player and ran during his active career, among other things Horsens fS and Herning Fremad, both forerunners of today's clubs AC Horsens and FC Midtjylland on.

• 3.1 As a player
• 3.2 In the club

Club career

Career start

Kjær began his career in the youth of his home club Lund IF. Even in childhood he moved to Jutland training club AC Horsens. There he became the most promising talent of the club, which is why he joined the youth academy of FC Midtjylland 2004.

Even as a youth player in Midtjylland he gained through regional awareness, as referred to him several football experts as one of the greatest talents of the country. In the season 2006/ 07 he was then taken by coach Erik Rasmussen at the age of 17 years in the first team of the club, however, came in the season in any league use. Although there was some potential for use granted Kjær, Midtjylland, however, was promoted to the surprise team of the season, the long was in the title fight and ended runner-up. Rasmussen confided largely to its well-established team regulars and waived the risk to integrate a youth player on the defensive. After the surprise success led to sell out of the service providers, after Rasmussen had to rebuild half the team. In the first half of the following season, September 30, 2007, Kjær celebrated then in a 2-0 win at home to Aarhus GF its long-awaited league debut. As a result, he formed together with Magnus Troest, Kolja Afriyie and Leon Jessen, the youngest defensive line in the league, which was the great strength of the team. The association presented itself, despite the many outlets further improved and celebrated with the second best defensive once again the runner-up title. Kjær had lived up to his high expectations and was moved into the focus of various major international clubs.

Even in the winter transfer period, he had completed a trial at Real Madrid, whose offer was rejected by Midtjylland due to low transfer fee. In the spring of 2008, the club agreed then with the Italian Serie A club U.S. Palermo on a transfer fee of bandied around four million euros.

U.S. Palermo

After Palermo was a weak start to the season 2008/ 09, coach Stefano Colantuono was replaced by Davide Ballardini, who had Kjær debut on 30 October 2008 during the 1-3 home defeat against Fiorentina minute to the 46th in Serie A. Then Bellardini presented to the defensive and made Kjær Cesare Bovo next to -budgetary central defender in the starting lineup. In his first season at Palermo, the Dane completed 27 games with three Torerfolgen and established itself with a strong performance at the age of 21 years as a regular player in Serie A.

2009/10 undertook the club with Dorin Goian an already prominent players for the central defense that barely came to train in the sequence. Bovo and Kjær presented themselves throughout the season as well-rehearsed duo with a low error rate. Palermo missed with table in fifth place just barely qualifying for the Champions League, Kjær was one of the top performers of the team. Having already emerged more speculation about a transfer to a major European club like Manchester United or again Real Madrid in the second half of the season to him by his employer, a new contract with the same maturity, but better terms were offered, which he accepted.

VfL Wolfsburg

In July 2010, undertook the Bundesliga club VfL Wolfsburg Kjær from the Italian first division side U.S. Palermo. He signed a four-year fixed-term contract and should reinforce the defense of Lower Saxony. The transfer fee is said to have amounted to around 12 million euros. Although the club again found unexpectedly in a relegation battle, he was a regular player for the whole season in central defense and finished 32 league games.

On August 31, 2011, VfL Wolfsburg Kjær awarded for the 2011/12 season at AS Roma. In addition, the Italians secured a purchase option. For AS Roma he played in Serie A and the Coppa Italia a total of 24 times.

Since the AS Roma a commitment Kjær was too expensive, he returned to the 2012/13 season to Wolfsburg back. There, coach and manager Felix Magath who receives approval and permission to leave the club. Since there was no new club, Kjær remained at VfL. In the first eight games, he came only to about 130 minutes of play. After the dismissal Magath Kjær was set in the Innenverteigung since the ninth Matchday under new coach Lorenz - Gunther Kostner next Naldo. Under Dieter Hecking he played at first, but then again could not prevail, and so landed on the bench.

Change to Lille

On 5 July 2013, the VfL ​​Wolfsburg announced the change of the central defender for OSC Lille.

National

On September 5, 2006 Kjær made ​​his debut in a 3-2 home friendly win the Danish U-19 national team at international level.

On September 19, followed by a unique interlude in the U-18 team before he was a fixture in the U- 19 team until October 2007. In May 2008 he made his debut for the Danish U-21 before in June 2006 he was promoted to A-National player after the injury-related retirement of Martin Laursen. As a result he made during the successful World Cup qualifiers in 2010 together with Daniel Agger the Innenverteidung Denmark.

After a warm-up game for the football World Cup 2010 had moved against Senegal knee injury his participation in the final round for a long time was uncertain. On 28 May 2010, however, he gave the all-clear and was appointed to result in the final squad of his country for the tournament. In the World Cup, remained largely unremarkable in Kjær, Denmark was eliminated after the group stage.

In May 2011, Kjær was nominated by U-21 coach Keld Bordinggaard for the preliminary squad for the U -21 Football Championship on home soil in 2011, VfL Wolfsburg, however, refused to release so that Kjær could not participate in the tournament.

Achievements

As a player

• Talents pinches (Danish U-19 Player of the Year ): 2007
• Danish Talent of the Year: 2009

In the club

• Danish runners-up: 2008 ( with FC Midtjylland )