Zdravko Kuzmanovic
Encyclopedia
Zdravko Kuzmanović is a Swiss-born Serbian
footballer who plays as a midfielder
for VfB Stuttgart
in the Germanic Bundesliga
.
, Switzerland to a family of Bosnian Serb expats
(his father hails from a small village called Skugrić near Modriča
, Bosnia and Herzegovina
, SFR Yugoslavia), Kuzmanović continued the family tradition as both his father Ljubo and his grandfather played football for the lower league football in Bosnia and Herzegovina
at the local club in Gradačac
– FK Zvijezda
. Kuzmanović's father also played professionally in Berlin
, before eventually ending his career at FC Thun
of Switzerland, and continuing to live in the country.
. He was promoted to first team in 2005–06 season and also played for Basel II at 1. Liga
that season.
On 30 January 2007, at the age of 19, he signed a 4½ year contract with ACF Fiorentina
. On 4 March 2007 he played his first Serie A match for Fiorentina against Torino F.C.
He went on to become an integral first team player for Fiorentina, notching up over 70 Serie A appearances and featuring in their successful European Competition runs.
On 31 August 2009 Kuzmanović signed a four year contract with VfB Stuttgart
.
began talks with him about the possibility of playing for the Serbian national team
and he accepted call up to squad against Kazakhstan
and Portugal
in March 2007. He scored his first two goals for Serbia
in the away game versus Belgium, but they weren't enough to get a point, since Serbia lost 3–2. Although Kuzmanović was born in Thun
and played for Switzerland at youth level, he has decided to play for Serbia on the senior level, stating: "I'm Serbian and I want to give all for my country, it's a matter of what you feel in your heart and I must listen to it." In the 2010 FIFA World Cup
match between Serbia and Ghana
, Kuzmanović conceded a penalty by handling the ball, one that Ghana scored and was the only goal in the match which Ghana won.
He played once at 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
qualifying for Switzerland U21
thus ineligible to play for Serbia at the same campaign, which Serbia lost to the Netherlands
in the final. He also played a friendly verse France U21
in February 2007, before accepted the call-up from Serbia.
|2005–06||rowspan="2"|Basel
||rowspan="2"|Super League
||17||1||-||-||2||1||19||2
|-
|2006–07||17||3||-||-||10||2||27||5
|-
|2006–07||rowspan="3"|Fiorentina
||rowspan="3"|Serie A
||4||0||0||0||0||0||4||0
|-
|2007–08||34||1||2||0||13||1||49||2
|-
|2008–09||32||2||1||0||8||0||41||2
|-
|2009–10
||rowspan="3"|VfB Stuttgart
||rowspan="3"|Bundesliga
||26||3||2||0||6||2||34||5
|-
|2010–11
||32||9||3||0||12||2||47||11
|-
|2011–12
||12||2||2||1||0||0||14||3
|-
34||4||0||0||12||3||46||7
70||3||3||0||21||1||94||4
70||14||7||1||18||4||95||19
174||21||10||1||51||8||235||30
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
footballer who plays as a midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
for VfB Stuttgart
VfB Stuttgart
Verein für Bewegungsspiele Stuttgart 1893 e. V., commonly known as VfB Stuttgart, is a German sports club based in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg. The club is best known for its football team, which has participated in all but two Bundesliga seasons...
in the Germanic Bundesliga
Fußball-Bundesliga
The Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...
.
Early life
Born in ThunThun
Thun is a municipality in the administrative district of Thun in the canton of Bern in Switzerland with about 42,136 inhabitants , as of 1 January 2006....
, Switzerland to a family of Bosnian Serb expats
Expatriate
An expatriate is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing...
(his father hails from a small village called Skugrić near Modriča
Modrica
Modriča is a city and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in Republika Srpska entity. It is located near the towns of Šamac, Derventa and Doboj...
, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
, SFR Yugoslavia), Kuzmanović continued the family tradition as both his father Ljubo and his grandfather played football for the lower league football in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
at the local club in Gradačac
Gradacac
Gradačac is a town and municipality in the northeastern part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, located roughly south of the Sava river. Administratively, Gradačac is part of the Tuzla Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina...
– FK Zvijezda
NK Zvijezda Gradacac
NK Zvijezda Gradačac, or commonly referred to as just Zvijezda is a football club from Bosnia and Herzegovina, based in the town of Gradačac. Zvijezda host their home matches at the Banja Ilidža stadium, which has a capacity of 5,000 seats...
. Kuzmanović's father also played professionally in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, before eventually ending his career at FC Thun
FC Thun
FC Thun 1898 is a Swiss football team from the Bernese Oberland town of Thun. The club currently plays in the Swiss Super League after being promoted in the 2009/10 season. The club plays at the Arena Thun which accommodates a total of 10,300 supporters, both seated and standing...
of Switzerland, and continuing to live in the country.
Club career
Kuzmanović started his professional career at BaselFC Basel
Fussball Club Basel 1893, widely known as FC Basel is a Swiss football club based in Basel. They are one of the most successful clubs in Swiss football, having won the Swiss Super League 14 times, the third most for any Swiss club. They were most successful in the late 1960s and 1970s, winning the...
. He was promoted to first team in 2005–06 season and also played for Basel II at 1. Liga
Swiss 1. Liga (football)
1. Liga is the third tier of the Swiss Football League. The division is split into three groups of 16 teams, by geographical region.-Regional Format:...
that season.
On 30 January 2007, at the age of 19, he signed a 4½ year contract with ACF Fiorentina
ACF Fiorentina
ACF Fiorentina, commonly referred to as simply Fiorentina, is a professional Italian football club from Florence, Tuscany. Founded by a merger in 1926, Fiorentina have played at the top level of Italian football for the majority of their existence; only four clubs have played in more Serie A...
. On 4 March 2007 he played his first Serie A match for Fiorentina against Torino F.C.
Torino F.C.
Torino Football Club, commonly referred to as simply Torino, is a professional Italian football club based in Turin, Piedmont, that was founded in 1906. The club has spent most of its history in the top tier in Italian football....
He went on to become an integral first team player for Fiorentina, notching up over 70 Serie A appearances and featuring in their successful European Competition runs.
On 31 August 2009 Kuzmanović signed a four year contract with VfB Stuttgart
VfB Stuttgart
Verein für Bewegungsspiele Stuttgart 1893 e. V., commonly known as VfB Stuttgart, is a German sports club based in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg. The club is best known for its football team, which has participated in all but two Bundesliga seasons...
.
International career
In early 2007, Serbian FAFootball Association of Serbia
The Football Association of Serbia is the governing body of football in Serbia, based in Belgrade. It organizes Serbian football leagues, namely the Serbian Superliga, the Serbia national football team, as well as the Second Leagues....
began talks with him about the possibility of playing for the Serbian national team
Serbia national football team
The Serbia national football team represents Serbia in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of Serbia, the governing body for football in Serbia. Serbia's home ground is Stadion Crvena Zvezda in Belgrade and their last head coach was Vladimir Petrović...
and he accepted call up to squad against Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan national football team
The Kazakhstan national football team represents Kazakhstan in international men's association football and is directed by Football Federation of Kazakhstan. They split from the Soviet Union national football team after independence in 1991 and joined the Asian Football Confederation's Central and...
and Portugal
Portugal national football team
The Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...
in March 2007. He scored his first two goals for Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
in the away game versus Belgium, but they weren't enough to get a point, since Serbia lost 3–2. Although Kuzmanović was born in Thun
Thun
Thun is a municipality in the administrative district of Thun in the canton of Bern in Switzerland with about 42,136 inhabitants , as of 1 January 2006....
and played for Switzerland at youth level, he has decided to play for Serbia on the senior level, stating: "I'm Serbian and I want to give all for my country, it's a matter of what you feel in your heart and I must listen to it." In the 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
match between Serbia and Ghana
Ghana national football team
The Ghana national football team, popularly known as the Black Stars, is the national association football team of Ghana and is controlled by the Ghana Football Association...
, Kuzmanović conceded a penalty by handling the ball, one that Ghana scored and was the only goal in the match which Ghana won.
He played once at 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
The UEFA U-21 Championship 2007 were held from 10 June 2007 to 23 June 2007. It is the 16th staging of UEFA's European Under-21 Football Championship....
qualifying for Switzerland U21
Switzerland national under-21 football team
The Switzerland national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Switzerland and is controlled by the Swiss Football Association...
thus ineligible to play for Serbia at the same campaign, which Serbia lost to the Netherlands
Netherlands national under-21 football team
The Netherlands national under-21 football team is the national under-21 team of the Netherlands and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association. The team competes in the European Under-21 Championship, held every two years....
in the final. He also played a friendly verse France U21
France national under-21 football team
The France national under-21 football team , known in France as Les Espoirs , is the national under-21 football team of France and is controlled by the French Football Federation. The team competes in the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, held every two years...
in February 2007, before accepted the call-up from Serbia.
Club
|-|2005–06||rowspan="2"|Basel
FC Basel
Fussball Club Basel 1893, widely known as FC Basel is a Swiss football club based in Basel. They are one of the most successful clubs in Swiss football, having won the Swiss Super League 14 times, the third most for any Swiss club. They were most successful in the late 1960s and 1970s, winning the...
||rowspan="2"|Super League
Swiss Super League
The Swiss Super League or Axpo Super League is the top tier of the Swiss Football League. The Swiss Super League is currently ranked 16th according to UEFA's ranking of league coefficients, which is based upon Swiss team performances in European competitions.-Names:-Participating clubs:The teams...
||17||1||-||-||2||1||19||2
|-
|2006–07||17||3||-||-||10||2||27||5
|-
|2006–07||rowspan="3"|Fiorentina
ACF Fiorentina
ACF Fiorentina, commonly referred to as simply Fiorentina, is a professional Italian football club from Florence, Tuscany. Founded by a merger in 1926, Fiorentina have played at the top level of Italian football for the majority of their existence; only four clubs have played in more Serie A...
||rowspan="3"|Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
||4||0||0||0||0||0||4||0
|-
|2007–08||34||1||2||0||13||1||49||2
|-
|2008–09||32||2||1||0||8||0||41||2
|-
|2009–10
2009–10 Fußball-Bundesliga
The 2009–10 Fußball-Bundesliga was the 47th season of the Fußball-Bundesliga, Germany's premier football league. The season commenced on 7 August 2009 with the traditional season opening match involving the defending champions VfL Wolfsburg and VfB Stuttgart. The last games were played on 8 May 2010...
||rowspan="3"|VfB Stuttgart
VfB Stuttgart
Verein für Bewegungsspiele Stuttgart 1893 e. V., commonly known as VfB Stuttgart, is a German sports club based in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg. The club is best known for its football team, which has participated in all but two Bundesliga seasons...
||rowspan="3"|Bundesliga
Fußball-Bundesliga
The Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...
||26||3||2||0||6||2||34||5
|-
|2010–11
2010–11 Fußball-Bundesliga
The 2010–11 Fußball-Bundesliga was the 48th season of the Fußball-Bundesliga, Germany's premier football league. The season started on the weekend of 21 August 2010 with the traditional season opening match involving the defending champions and ended with the last games on 14 May 2011. The winter...
||32||9||3||0||12||2||47||11
|-
|2011–12
2011–12 Fußball-Bundesliga
The 2011–12 Fußball-Bundesliga is the 49th season of the Fußball-Bundesliga, Germany's premier football league. The season started on 5 August 2011 with the season opening match involving defending champions Borussia Dortmund and will end with the last games on 5 May 2012...
||12||2||2||1||0||0||14||3
|-
34||4||0||0||12||3||46||7
70||3||3||0||21||1||94||4
70||14||7||1||18||4||95||19
174||21||10||1||51||8||235||30
International goals
External links
- Profile at Swiss FA
- Zdravko Kuzmanović at reprezentacija.rs