Simon Kjær facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Simon Kjær

Kjær playing for Sevilla in 2017
Personal information
Full name	Simon Thorup Kjær
Date of birth	(1989-03-26) 26 March 1989 (age 36)
Place of birth	Horsens, Denmark
Height	1.90 m
Playing position	Centre-back
Youth career
1993–2001	Lund IF
2001–2007	Midtjylland
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2007–2008	Midtjylland	19	(0)
2008–2010	Palermo	62	(5)
2010–2013	VfL Wolfsburg	57	(3)
2011–2012	→ Roma (loan)	22	(0)
2013–2015	Lille	66	(1)
2015–2017	Fenerbahçe	54	(3)
2017–2020	Sevilla	46	(2)
2019–2020	→ Atalanta (loan)	5	(0)
2020	→ AC Milan (loan)	15	(0)
2020–2024	AC Milan	76	(0)
Total		422	(14)
National team
2006	Denmark U18	1	(0)
2006–2008	Denmark U19	10	(1)
2008	Denmark U20	1	(0)
2008–2011	Denmark U21	2	(0)
2009–2024	Denmark	132	(5)
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Simon Thorup Kjær (born March 26, 1989) is a Danish former professional footballer. He played as a centre-back, which is a defender position.

Kjær was recognized as a top young talent in Denmark. He was named the Danish under-19 talent of the year in 2007. In 2009, he won the Danish Talent of the Year award. He played 132 matches for the Danish national team. This included playing in the FIFA World Cup in 2010, 2018, and 2022. He also played in the UEFA European Championship in 2012, 2020, and 2024.

Simon Kjær's Club Career

Starting Out at Midtjylland

Simon Kjær was born in Horsens, Denmark. He started playing football at just four years old. He joined a local club called Lund IF. Later, in 2004, he moved to the youth team of FC Midtjylland, a top Danish club. His father, Jørn Kjær, worked there as the equipment manager.

Simon was one of the first players to come through Midtjylland's special football academy. This was the first academy of its kind in Denmark. He began as a midfielder but a coach moved him to play as a defender. This is the position he played for the rest of his career. In 2006, he was named the best player at a youth tournament in France. Midtjylland even turned down offers from other clubs for him.

Simon made his first team debut for Midtjylland in June 2006. He signed his first professional contract a few months later. In 2007, he had a successful trial with Real Madrid. However, Midtjylland refused their offer. Instead, Simon signed a five-year contract with his home club.

He played his first game in the Superliga (Denmark's top league) on September 30, 2007. His strong performances quickly caught the eye of big clubs like Middlesbrough and Chelsea. He became a regular starter in the second half of the 2007–08 season. He formed a strong defensive team with Magnus Troest.

Playing in Italy with Palermo

In February 2008, Simon Kjær signed a five-year contract with the Italian club Palermo. He officially joined them in the summer of 2008. This move earned Midtjylland about €4 million.

Simon's start at Palermo was a bit tough. He had to compete for a spot and get used to playing in Italy. He made his debut on October 26, 2008, coming on as a substitute. Three days later, he made his first start. Simon scored his first goal for Palermo in his third game on November 2, 2008. He also helped set up another goal in that game.

He quickly became a key player in the team's defense. His strength and determination helped him improve a lot. He was even named the second-best player under 21 in Italy's Serie A league. He scored two more goals that season. Simon finished the 2008–09 season as Palermo's top-scoring defender with three goals.

In the 2009–10 season, Simon became a regular starter. He formed a strong defense with Cesare Bovo. He signed a better contract with Palermo in September 2009. In November 2009, he was named the Danish Talent of the Year. In January 2010, he also won the Danish Footballer of the Year award for 2009. He scored two goals that season and helped Palermo finish fifth in the league. This meant they qualified for the UEFA Europa League.

Moving to Germany with VfL Wolfsburg

On July 8, 2010, Simon Kjær joined the German club VfL Wolfsburg. The transfer fee was reportedly over £10 million. This made him the most expensive Danish footballer ever at that time. Simon felt this was the right step for his career. He believed Wolfsburg was a strong team that could challenge for the top in the Bundesliga.

He made his official debut for Wolfsburg on August 15, 2010. He played his first Bundesliga game five days later. Simon scored his first goal for Wolfsburg in January 2011. This goal helped the team win their first game in eight matches. He played in 34 games that season.

Loan to Roma

In August 2011, Simon Kjær moved back to Italy. He joined Roma on a one-year loan deal. Roma had the option to buy him permanently later.

He made his debut for Roma on September 17, 2011. However, he received a red card in his third game. This meant he missed several matches due to suspension and injury. He returned to play in January 2012. Roma decided not to sign him permanently after the season, as they felt his performances were not strong enough.

Back to Wolfsburg

After his loan at Roma ended, Simon initially said he wouldn't return to Wolfsburg. However, the coach changed his mind and wanted Simon back in the team.

He played his first game back for Wolfsburg in August 2012. He slowly regained his spot in the starting lineup. In December 2012, he scored his first goal of the season. He scored another goal in April 2013. Simon played 25 games that season before an injury ended his year early.

Playing in France with Lille LOSC

On July 5, 2013, Simon Kjær signed a four-year deal with the French club Lille. He felt this was the right move for his career and for him personally.

He made his Lille debut in the first game of the season. He quickly became a key player in the defense, working well with Marko Baša. Simon helped Lille keep many clean sheets (games where the opponent doesn't score). In the 2013–14 season, Lille had the best defense in Europe's major leagues. They only let in 26 goals in 38 matches. Simon was often named in the "Team of the Week" and even made the "Ligue 1 Team of the Season." He played 37 games and scored one goal that season.

In the 2014–15 season, Simon continued to play a big role. He helped Lille qualify for the UEFA Champions League. He scored his first league goal for Lille in August 2014. He also scored in his UEFA Europa League debut. Simon played 42 games and scored three goals that season.

Time in Turkey with Fenerbahçe

Kjær playing for Fenerbahçe in a UEFA Champions League match against Shakhtar Donetsk in 2015

On June 16, 2015, Simon Kjær joined the Turkish club Fenerbahçe. He signed a four-year deal for €7.65 million.

He made his Fenerbahçe debut in a UEFA Champions League match. However, he was sent off in the return leg, and Fenerbahçe was knocked out. He made his league debut shortly after. Simon faced some criticism early on for getting yellow cards. But his performances improved over time. In December 2015, he scored his first goal for Fenerbahçe. He helped the team keep many clean sheets and reach the Turkish Cup final. He played 45 games and scored two goals that season.

In the 2016–17 season, Simon captained Fenerbahçe in some matches. He scored in a UEFA Europa League game in September 2016. He scored again in November 2016. Despite some injuries, he remained an important player for the team. He played 43 games and scored three goals that season.

Playing in Spain with Sevilla

Kjær attempting to make a tackle during a match against Spartak Moscow in 2017

Because Fenerbahçe was banned from European football, Simon Kjær wanted to leave. On August 2, 2017, he joined the Spanish club Sevilla. He signed a four-year deal for €12.5 million.

Simon made his Sevilla debut in the first game of the season. He scored his first goal for the club in October 2017. He became a regular starter for a couple of months. However, he then suffered an injury. He returned in December 2017. In January 2018, he scored his first league goal for Sevilla. He helped Sevilla beat Manchester United in the UEFA Champions League. He played 27 games and scored three goals that season.

In the 2018–19 season, Simon continued to play as a center-back. He suffered a hamstring injury in October 2018. He returned in November but continued to deal with injuries throughout the season. He played 37 games that season.

Loan to Atalanta

On September 1, 2019, Simon Kjær was loaned to the Italian club Atalanta.

He made his Atalanta debut on September 24, 2019. However, he didn't play much and the loan deal ended early.

Joining AC Milan

On January 13, 2020, Simon Kjær signed with AC Milan on loan. This was for the rest of the 2019–20 season. Milan had the option to buy him permanently. He had been linked to Milan before, but a move never happened. Simon chose the number 24 jersey, which was worn by another Danish defender, Martin Laursen, who played for Milan.

On January 15, 2020, Simon made his debut for Milan in a cup game. Four days later, he played his first Serie A game for the club. He suffered a muscle injury in February 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, league matches were stopped. This gave him time to recover. He returned to play in the Coppa Italia semi-finals. Simon competed with other defenders for a starting spot. Milan bought him permanently from Sevilla on July 15, 2020.

On March 11, 2021, Simon scored his first goal for Milan. He extended his contract with Milan until 2024 on October 27, 2021.

On December 1, 2021, Simon suffered a serious knee injury. He had surgery and was out for six months.

On May 22, 2022, Milan won the Serie A title. Simon Kjær became a Serie A champion with his team. This was his first major trophy in his career.

On May 21, 2024, AC Milan announced that Simon Kjær would leave the club after his contract ended.

Retirement from Football

On January 13, 2025, Simon Kjær officially announced his retirement from professional football. He was 35 years old.

Simon Kjær's International Career

Simon Kjær played for Denmark's youth teams. He made his debut for the Denmark U19 team at age 17 in 2006. He was named the Danish under-19 talent of the year in 2007. He also played for the Denmark U21 team.

Playing for the Senior National Team

Kjær marking Eiður Guðjohnsen during a match between Denmark and Iceland in 2011

Simon Kjær was called up to the senior Danish national team in February 2009. The coach, Morten Olsen, was impressed by his play.

He played his first game for Denmark on June 6, 2009. Denmark won 1–0. Simon quickly became a regular starter for Denmark. He helped Denmark qualify for the 2010 World Cup.

On May 28, 2010, Simon was named in Denmark's squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. He started in Denmark's first two games. His long passes were praised, helping set up a goal against Cameroon. He felt playing in the World Cup helped him grow as a player.

Kjær (right) looking on as Daniel Agger attempts to take a header against the Netherlands at UEFA Euro 2012

Simon continued to play for Denmark. He helped them qualify for UEFA Euro 2012. He started in all three group games at Euro 2012.

On March 22, 2013, he scored his first goal for Denmark. This was in a 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification game.

Simon scored his second goal for Denmark in November 2014. He helped the team keep three clean sheets in a row in 2015. Denmark did not qualify for UEFA Euro 2016.

After Daniel Agger retired, Simon Kjær became the captain of the Danish national team. He helped Denmark qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. He captained Denmark in their first World Cup match. He helped the team reach the knockout stage. Denmark was defeated by Croatia in a penalty shootout.

After the World Cup, Simon continued to captain Denmark. He played his 100th match for Denmark on October 14, 2020, against England.

He captained the team for UEFA Euro 2020. On June 12, 2021, during a match against Finland, his teammate Christian Eriksen collapsed. Simon was the first to help him and call for medical attention. He made sure Eriksen's airways were clear. He also guided his teammates to form a circle around Eriksen to give him privacy. He comforted Eriksen's wife. For his actions, Simon Kjær received the UEFA President's Award in 2021. Denmark reached the semi-finals of Euro 2020.

On August 22, 2024, Simon Kjær announced his retirement from international football. He scored five goals in 132 games for Denmark.

Simon Kjær's Life Outside Football

Simon Kjær is very good with languages. Besides Danish, he speaks five other languages, including English and Italian. When he was growing up, he looked up to famous defenders like John Terry and Fabio Cannavaro. He was also a fan of Liverpool. His father supported his football dreams, but his mother, who was a teacher, was not as keen at first.

Even though he didn't love studying, Simon managed to get his diploma from school. He is married to Elina Gollert, who is Swedish. They have two children, Milas and Viggo. They got married in the summer of 2017.

Simon has a small superstition. He always puts on his right sock first every morning, not just before games.

Career Statistics

Club

International

Scores and results list Denmark's goal tally first.

List of international goals scored by Simon Kjær

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	22 March 2013	Andrův stadion, Olomouc, Czech Republic	Czech Republic	2–0	3–0	2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
2.	14 November 2014	Partizan Stadium, Belgrade, Serbia	Serbia	2–1	3–1	UEFA Euro 2016 qualification
3.	3 June 2016	Toyota Stadium, Toyota, Japan	Bosnia and Herzegovina	1–0	2–2 (3–4 p)	2016 Kirin Cup
4.	7 September 2021	Parken Stadium, Copenhagen, Denmark	Israel	2–0	5–0	2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
5.	9 October 2021	Zimbru Stadium, Chișinău, Moldova	Moldova	2–0	4–0	2022 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours and Awards

AC Milan

• Serie A: 2021–22

Individual Awards

• Danish Talent of the Year: 2009
• Danish Player Of The Year: 2009, 2021
• The Guardian Footballer of the Year: 2021
• Ballon d'Or nominee: 2021

See also

In Spanish: Simon Kjær para niños

• List of men's footballers with 100 or more international caps

Images for kids

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  Kjær during his time at Palermo in 2009

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  Kjær playing for Lille in 2014

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  Kjær training with Fenerbahçe in 2016