Dejan Damjanović


Dejan Damjanović, also known mononymously as Dejan, is a Montenegrin footballer who plays as a forward for Daegu FC.

Early life

Damjanović was born in the town of Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina on 27 July 1981. During the Yugoslav Wars, he moved to Serbia, initially to Pančevo, and then to Belgrade.

Club career

Early career

Damjanović made his debut for Sinđelić Beograd in 1998, scoring 6 goals in 21 matches in his first season. He moved to Železnik in 2000 and later also played with Bežanija and Radnički Beograd. He played one season in Saudi Arabia with Al-Ahli and in summer 2006 he returned to Serbia and played with Bežanija in the debut season of the Serbian SuperLiga. During the winter break, by early 2007, he moved to South Korean club Incheon United.

FC Seoul

Damjanović signed a contract with FC Seoul on 7 December 2007.
He was the second highest scorer in the K-League in 2007, 2008 and 2009. With 23 goals for Seoul in 2011 season, he was crowned the league's top scorer.
In July 2009, he managed to score two goals against Manchester United in United's Asian tour. However, FC Seoul lost 3–2, United's goals being scored by Wayne Rooney, Federico Macheda and Dimitar Berbatov.
In January 2012, Chinese Super League club Guangzhou R&F offered $5 million to FC Seoul for Damjanović, but it was rejected by Seoul. Damjanović scored his 100th career goal with FC Seoul from a penalty goal, along with the 101st in the same match over a 3–1 win against his former club Incheon United on 28 May 2012. On 25 July 2012, he became top scorer in K-League foreign player history by scoring his 105th goal in the match against Daejeon Citizen. The previous record holder is Saša Drakulić who made 104 goals in K-League.
In the first match of the 2012 K-League season, Damjanović was substituted out after 22 minutes against Daegu FC. It had been speculated that the FC Seoul manager, Choi Yong-Soo, and Damjanović had a rift. Damjanović wanted to leave but FC Seoul would not let him. However, as time went on, FC Seoul issued an official statement by Choi saying there was no tension between the two.
He finished the 2012 K-League season with many accolades and records broken. He scored 31 goals in 40 appearances, thus breaking the record held by Kim Do-Hoon in 2002. He won the league with FC Seoul as well as becoming the Golden Boot winner, a spot in the K-League Best XI in the forward position, and the K-league MVP.
In January 2013, IFFHS ranked Damjanović seventh in the world for most goals in a top-division league surpassing players such as Zlatan Ibrahimović, Robin van Persie, and Wayne Rooney.
In September 2013, Damjanović scored in both of two legs of the AFC Champions League quarter finals against his former team Al-Ahli. His scoring continued against the first leg of the semi-final against Esteghlal.
Despite scoring in both legs of the 2013 AFC Champions League Final against Guangzhou Evergrande, FC Seoul lost on away goals and thus ending the competition as runners-up.

Jiangsu Sainty

In December 2013, Damjanović transferred to Chinese Super League side Jiangsu Sainty with transfer fee $4.2 million.

Beijing Guoan

On 17 July 2014, Damjanović transferred to fellow Chinese Super League side Beijing Guoan.

FC Seoul

On 28 December 2015, Damjanović returned to FC Seoul, signing a two-year contract.
On 3 August 2016, Damjanović scored his 150th goal in 254th appearance in the K League, setting a record for the quickest player to reach 150 goals in the K League history.

Suwon Samsung Bluewings

On 4 January 2018, Damjanović signed for FC Seoul's biggest rivals Suwon Samsung Bluewings. He was released in December 2019.

Daegu FC

In late December 2019, Daegu FC announced the signing of Damjanović on a free transfer. On June 14, he scored his first goal since moving against FC Seoul.

International career

Damjanović's first international as a Montenegrin football player was against Italy on 16 October 2008. He scored two goals in the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Cyprus. He scored his third international goal in a 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification match against Ukraine on 16 October 2012.
On 26 March 2013, during a 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier against England, Damjanović came on, as a substitute, for Mitar Novaković in the 46th minute. Twenty minutes later he scored his fourth international goal to end the match in a 1–1 draw.
On 6 September 2013, during a 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier, Damjanović provided the only goal for Montenegro as they tied 1–1 with Poland in Warsaw.
On 11 October 2013, Damjanović scored the only goal for Montenegro in their 4–1 defeat to England at Wembley Stadium in the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

Career statistics

Club

International goals

#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.6 June 2009Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium, Larnaca1–22–22010 FIFA World Cup qualification
2.6 June 2009Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium, Larnaca2–22–22010 FIFA World Cup qualification
3.16 October 2012Olympic Stadium, Kiev1–01–02014 FIFA World Cup qualification
4.26 March 2013Podgorica City Stadium, Podgorica1–11–12014 FIFA World Cup qualification
5.6 September 2013National Stadium, Warsaw, Warsaw1–01–12014 FIFA World Cup qualification
6.11 October 2013Wembley Stadium, London1–21–42014 FIFA World Cup qualification
7.5 March 2014Podgorica City Stadium, Podgorica1–01–0Friendly
8.14 June 2015Friends Arena, Solna1–31–3UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying

Honours

Club

Radnički Beograd
Bežanija
Al-Ahli
FC Seoul
Suwon Samsung Bluewings
Source:
His daughter and son were born in South Korea.