Mladen Krstajić

Mladen Krstajić

Krstajić in 2007
Personal information
Full name	Mladen Krstajić
Date of birth	(1974-03-04) 4 March 1974 (age 42)
Place of birth	Zenica, SFR Yugoslavia
Height	1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Playing position	Defender
Youth career
1984–1992	Čelik Zenica
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1992–1993	Senta	15	(1)
1993–1996	Kikinda	55	(2)
1996–2000	Partizan	84	(7)
2000–2004	Werder Bremen	112	(11)
2004–2009	Schalke 04	131	(7)
2009–2011	Partizan	43	(3)
Total		440	(31)
National team
1999–2008	Serbia	59	(2)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

Mladen Krstajić (Serbian Cyrillic: Младен Крстајић; born 4 March 1974) is a former Serbian footballer who played as a centre back. He was known for his composure, leadership and defensive ability. He represented Serbia and Montenegro at the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

Mladen Krstajić was born in Zenica, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina, SFR Yugoslavia to Bosnian Serb mother from Bijeljina and Montenegrin father from Žabljak, SR Montenegro. He grew up in Bosnia and Herzegovina and played in the youth squads of NK Čelik Zenica (1984–1992). Because of the Bosnian War he and his family moved to Serbia.

After playing in the youth system of NK Čelik, Krstajić moved to Kikinda in April 1992, following the breakout of the Bosnian war. He started playing with FK Senta for six months. He then moved on the OFK Kikinda, at that time a first league club. At some point of a successful career as a Serbian football player, there comes the time, to decide, whether one wants to play for Partizan or for Zvezda, and Krstajić decided to take the move to Partizan in 1996. According to Krstajić himself, also FK Crvena zvezda was interested in him, but as he comes from a "Partizan" family, he decided to sign a contract with his favourite club. His four and a half years at Partizan was more than successful, winning the national championships three times (1996, 1997, 1999) and also the national cup in 1998.