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Mateja Kežman (Serbian: Матеја Кежман; born 12 April 1979) is a Serbian professional footballer who plays for Russian Premier League club Zenit St. Petersburg, on loan from Paris Saint-Germain.
[edit] Club career
Kežman made his name at Partizan in his homeland before moving to Dutch side PSV Eindhoven for €8 million in 2000. In his debut season he became the top scorer in the Dutch Eredivisie, scoring 24 goals in 33 games. He also picked up the nickname 'Batman'; the famous theme song was played at the Philips Stadion every time he scored. Kezman and Arjen Robben gained the epithet 'Batman and Robben', a play on 'Batman and Robin'.
Kežman proceeded to score 81 goals over the following three seasons with PSV, achieving the record of being the first Dutch league player to score more league goals than games played in consecutive seasons, before finally moving for £5.3 million to English side Chelsea in the summer of 2004. He scored the winning goal in the Carling Cup final against Liverpool when Chelsea had won 3–2 after extra time.
He failed to make an impact with the London club and only started 14 games. He left for Atlético de Madrid after just one season with Chelsea who made a minor profit on this transfer[2].
After a short spell in Madrid, he was transferred to Fenerbahçe SK for $9.75m in August 2006 on a four year contract. He won the Turkish Super League with Fenerbahçe in their centennial year[3].
On 19 August, 2008 Kezman agreed to join Paris Saint-Germain on loan with a purchase option of €4 million + €1 million that the player himself would have to pay to Fenerbahçe upon leaving[4].
On 30 August, 2009 Zenit St Petersburg loaned the striker from Paris Saint-Germain for free with a purchase option for an undisclosed fee[5].
[edit] International career
Kežman marked his international debut for FR Yugoslavia during March 2000 just short of his 21st birthday with a goal against China in a friendly match as part of the preparations for Euro 2000. Head coach Vujadin Boškov included him in the final 23-man roster that he took to Belgium and Holland. Despite being the fourth attacking option behind Savo Milošević, Darko Kovačević and Predrag Mijatović, 21-year-old Kežman got his chance as substitute late in the group match versus Norway. However, after being on the pitch for about 90 seconds, he was sent off following a rash tackle on Erik Mykland.
Right after Euro 2000, FR Yugoslavia got a new head coach Ilija Petković under whose tenure Kežman secured a place in the team. Kežman led Serbia and Montenegro's scoring during the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifications with 5 goals, including the only goal in the final game against Bosnia and Herzegovina which in turn allowed Serbia and Montenegro to qualify directly, having come first in their group. During the competition, he was sent off in a group match against Argentina by referee Roberto Rosetti.
Despite being such a prolific striker for PSV he never reached the same heights for Serbia. He has managed 17 goals in 49 caps for Serbia and Montenegro[6].
Since his sending off against Argentina in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, he has not been called up to any of Serbia's friendlies nor did he participate in any of the qualification games for the Euro 2008. His views on that were very vocal during 2007–08, he claimed that they were very prejudice and not fair because he was at a Turkish club.[citation needed] Since then he retired from international football in 2008.[citation needed]
[edit] Career statistics
[edit] Honours
[edit] Partizan
[edit] PSV Eindhoven
[edit] Chelsea
[edit] Fenerbahçe
[edit] Individual
[edit] References
[edit] External links
