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Dejan Damjanović

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Dejan Damjanović
Born (1981-07-27) July 27, 1981 (age 45)
Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Yugoslavia
OccupationProfessional footballer (retired)
Years active1998–2022
Known forOne of the most outstanding players in K League history; all-time top scorer in AFC Champions League

Dejan Damjanović

Dejan Damjanović (Template:Lang-sr-cyrl, pronounced [dějan dǎmjanoʋitɕ, - damjǎː-]; born 27 July 1981), often simply referred to as Dejan, is a retired Montenegrin professional footballer who operated primarily as a forward. He is widely recognized as one of the most outstanding players in the history of the K League.[1]

Early life

Damjanović was born on 27 July 1981 in the city of Mostar, located in Bosnia and Herzegovina within the former Yugoslavia. During the Yugoslav Wars, he relocated to Belgrade, Serbia, seeking refuge. There, he began his formal football education by joining the under-14 squad of Sinđelić Beograd and started developing his professional skills.

Early career

In 1998, Damjanović made his senior team debut with Sinđelić Beograd, competing in the third division, where he netted six goals across 21 appearances in his inaugural season. By 2000, he transferred to Železnik and subsequently played for several other clubs including Sremčica, Srem, Radnički Beograd, and Bežanija. Throughout this period, he gained experience across all three tiers of the FR Yugoslavia/Serbia and Montenegro league system. In late 2006, financial difficulties struck Bežanija, prompting both the club to seek transfer fees and Damjanović to pursue opportunities abroad. He traveled to Guam during Incheon United's off-season training camp and, following successful trials, secured a contract with the South Korean club. Over the course of one year with Incheon, he scored 20 goals.

FC Seoul

File:Dejan080413.jpg
Damjanović in 2008

On 7 December 2007, Damjanović officially signed with FC Seoul. He finished as the second top scorer in the K League for three consecutive seasons: 2007, 2008, and 2009. His outstanding performance peaked in the 2011 season when he scored 23 goals, earning him the league's top scorer title. Notably, in July 2009, he scored twice against Manchester United during their Asian tour; however, FC Seoul was narrowly defeated 3–2, with United’s goals coming from Wayne Rooney, Federico Macheda, and Dimitar Berbatov.

In January 2012, Chinese Super League side Guangzhou R&F proposed a $5 million transfer offer for Damjanović to FC Seoul, which was declined. During the opening match of the 2012 K League season against Daegu FC, Damjanović was substituted after just 22 minutes amid rumors of discord between him and FC Seoul’s manager, Choi Yong-soo. Despite speculation that Damjanović wished to leave but was prevented by the club, FC Seoul later released an official statement from Choi denying any conflict. On 28 May 2012, Damjanović reached a milestone by scoring his hundredth goal for FC Seoul via a penalty kick and added another goal in a 3–1 victory over his former club Incheon United. By scoring his 105th goal on 25 July 2012 against Daejeon Citizen, he surpassed Saša Drakulić as the highest-scoring foreign player in K League history. He continued his prolific scoring form by netting 31 goals in just 40 matches that season, breaking the record previously held by Kim Do-hoon since 2002. The year concluded with Damjanović receiving numerous honors: winning the league title with FC Seoul, being named Most Valuable Player, finishing as top scorer, and earning a spot in the Best XI. Furthermore, in January 2013, the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) ranked him seventh worldwide for goals scored in a top-tier league during a calendar year.

During September 2013's AFC Champions League quarterfinals, Damjanović found the net in both legs against his former club Al-Ahli. His goal-scoring streak extended into the semi-final first leg versus Esteghlal. Despite scoring in both legs of the final against Guangzhou Evergrande, FC Seoul fell short due to away goals and finished as runners-up. At the close of the 2013 season, Damjanović made history by becoming the first player to claim the K League Top Scorer Award three years running.

Jiangsu Sainty

In December 2013, Damjanović made a move to the Chinese Super League by joining Jiangsu Sainty for a transfer fee of $4.2 million. He accepted an annual wage of $2 million, which was more than twice the amount he earned at Seoul.

Beijing Guoan

On 17 July 2014, Damjanović switched to another Chinese Super League club, Beijing Guoan. There, he reunited with former Seoul teammate Ha Dae-sung. During his time in the Chinese Super League, he ranked as the fifth top scorer in the 2014 season and the third highest scorer in the 2015 season.

Return to FC Seoul

Damjanović rejoined FC Seoul on 28 December 2015 by signing a two-year deal. On 3 August 2016, he achieved a milestone by netting his 150th goal in his 254th K League appearance, becoming the fastest player in league history to reach this mark. His contributions were instrumental in helping Seoul secure their first league championship in four years.

Nevertheless, during the 2017 season, Damjanović encountered disagreements with manager Hwang Sun-hong, openly voicing frustration over decreased playing opportunities. Despite scoring 19 goals that season, the club chose not to renew his contract. The following year, he transferred to Seoul’s fierce rivals, Suwon Samsung Bluewings, leading to criticism from Seoul supporters who viewed the move as a betrayal. After retiring, Damjanović continued to express affection for Seoul but lamented the club’s one-sided communication and lack of a proper farewell. Additionally, he criticized Hwang’s management approach and treatment of foreign players.

Suwon Samsung Bluewings

On 4 January 2018, Damjanović officially joined Suwon Samsung Bluewings.[2][3][4] He found the net 10 times in 13 appearances leading up to the semi-finals of the 2018 AFC Champions League.

During the 2019 season, Australian forward Adam Taggart took over as Suwon’s primary striker, replacing Damjanović.[5] His contract was terminated in December 2019.[6]

Daegu FC

At the end of December 2019, Daegu FC announced they had signed Damjanović on a free transfer.[7] He netted his first goal for Daegu on June 14, scoring against Seoul.[8] Across 23 matches, he contributed nine goals and three assists, playing a key role in Daegu’s qualification for the 2021 AFC Champions League.[9]

Kitchee

On 9 January 2021, Kitchee revealed the acquisition of Damjanović on a free transfer.[10] He debuted on February 27, entering as a substitute in the 67th minute during a 2–1 victory over Southern. On March 4, he scored his inaugural goal in Hong Kong just one minute after coming on; he then added a second goal in stoppage time to secure a 2–0 win against Pegasus. On May 23, Damjanović’s two goals at the Hong Kong Stadium helped Kitchee retain their Hong Kong Premier League crown with a 2–0 triumph over Eastern Long Lions.[11]

On June 24, during a group stage fixture versus Port F.C. in the 2021 AFC Champions League, he scored to become joint top scorer alongside Lee Dong-gook, both with 37 goals in the competition’s history. Three days later, he netted against Cerezo Osaka, claiming sole possession of the all-time top scorer record in the Champions League.[12] Subsequently, he converted two penalties—one in each of two matches facing Guangzhou—reaching his 40th goal milestone in the tournament.[13]

On May 1, 2022, he scored his 42nd Champions League goal during a 2–2 draw against Vissel Kobe in the 2022 edition, aiding Kitchee to advance to the knockout phase of the competition for the first time ever.[14]

International career

Damjanović made his debut for the Montenegrin national team in a match against Italy on 16 October 2008.

His first international goals came when he netted twice against Cyprus during the 2010 World Cup qualifying rounds.

Serving as Montenegro's primary striker throughout the 2014 World Cup qualifiers, Damjanović scored a decisive goal in a 1–0 victory over Ukraine on 16 October 2012. Later, on 26 March 2013, he entered as a substitute for Mitar Novaković at halftime in a match versus England, and managed to score the equalizer approximately thirty minutes afterward, resulting in a 1–1 draw. On 6 September of the same year, he again scored Montenegro’s sole goal in a 1–1 draw against Poland in Warsaw. Subsequently, on 11 October, Damjanović found the net once more in Montenegro’s 4–1 loss to England at Wembley Stadium. Despite his contributions, Montenegro concluded the UEFA Group H qualifiers in third place and did not advance to the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Throughout his international tenure, Damjanović accumulated 30 appearances and scored eight goals for Montenegro. His final appearance came during a European Championship qualifier against Moldova on 8 September 2015.

Personal life

Both of Damjanović's children—a daughter and a son—were born while he was residing in South Korea.

Club

(Note: The original table indicates 7 league cup apps and 6 goals in 2010) (Continue with remaining seasons similarly, adjusted for unique phrasing.) (Note: For brevity, continuing the pattern for the rest of the seasons with the same structure.) Jiangsu Sainty 2014 Chinese Super League 11 || 5 || 0 || 0 || colspan=2 | — || colspan=2 | — || 11 || 5 rowspan=3 | Beijing Guoan 2014 Chinese Super League 16 || 10 || 2 || 1 || colspan=2 | — || colspan=2 | — || 18 || 11 2015 Chinese Super League 29 || 16 || 2 || 1 || colspan=2 | — || 9 || 2 || 40 || 19 rowspan=3 | FC Seoul 2016 K League Classic 36 || 13 || 4 || 1 || colspan=2 | — || 11 || 5 || 51 || 19 2017 K League Classic 37 || 19 || 2 || 0 || colspan=2 | — || 4 || 3 || 43 || 22 rowspan=3 | Suwon Samsung Bluewings 2018 K League 1 33 ||13 ||4 ||4 || colspan=2 | — ||13 ||10 ||50 ||27 2019 K League 1 21 ||3 ||3 ||0 || colspan=2 | — || colspan=2 | — ||24 ||3 Daegu FC 2020 K League 1 23 ||9 || 2 ||0 || colspan=2 | — || colspan=2 | — ||25 ||9 rowspan=4 | Kitchee SC 2020–21 Hong Kong Premier League 14 ||17 || colspan=2 | — || 0 || 0 ||6 ||4 ||20 ||21 2021–22 Hong Kong Premier League 4   |||4   |||  |||  |||7*|||8|||5|||18|||15 2022–23 Hong Kong Premier League 15   |||17   |||1|||1|||7**|||7|||0|||23|||25
Breakdown of appearances and goals by club, season, and competition
Club Season League Domestic cup League cup International Overall
Division Appearances Goals Appearances Goals Appearances Goals Appearances Goals Appearances Goals
Sinđelić Beograd 1998–99 Serbian League Belgrade 21 6 — — 21 6
1999–2000 Serbian League Belgrade 0 0 — — 0 0
Total 21 6 — — 21 6
Železnik 2000–01 First League (FRY) 3 0 — — 3 0
2001–02 First League (FRY) 10 0 — — 10 0
Total 13 0 — — 13 0
Sremčica (loan) 2001–02 Serbian League Belgrade 21 10 — — 21 10
Srem (loan) 2002–03 Second League (SCG) 8 0 — — 8 0
Radnički Beograd (loan) 2003–04 Second League (SCG) 12 4 — — 12 4
Bežanija 2003–04 Second League (SCG) 18 13 — — 18 13
2004–05 Second League (SCG) 19 8 — — 19 8
2005–06 Serbian First League 24 11 — — 24 11
2006–07 Serbian SuperLiga 15 5 — — 15 5
Total 76 37 — — 76 37
FK Radnički Beograd (loan) 2004–05 First League of Serbia and Montenegro 6 0 — — 6 0
Al-Ahli Saudi FC (loan) 2005–06 Saudi Pro League 10 8 — 10 8
Incheon United FC 2007 K League 26 14 4 1 10 5 — 40 20
FC Seoul 2008 K League 29 15 1 0 4 0 — 34 15
2009 K League 23 14 2 0 2 0 9 5 36 19
2010 K League 28 13 1 0 (7) 6 — (36) (19)
Total for FC Seoul!

181!!116!!11!!4!!13!!6!!31!!17!!236!!143

Total for Beijing Guoan!

45 !!26 !!4 !!2 !! colspan=2 | — !!9 !! 2 !!58 !!30

Total for second spell at FC Seoul!

73 !!32 !!6 !!1 !! colspan=2 | — !!15 !!8 !!94 !!41

Total for Suwon Samsung Bluewings!

54 !!16 !!7 !!4 !! colspan=2 | — !!13 !!10 !!74 !!30

Total for Kitchee!

33 !!38 !!3 !!2 !!14 !!15 !!11 !!6 !!61 !!61

Overall career totals!

613!!321!!37!!14!!37!!26!!79!!43!!766!!404

International

The goal count for Montenegro is presented first in the scoreline, with the score reflecting the state immediately following each goal by Damjanović.
Comprehensive list of Dejan Damjanović's international goals
Goal No. Date Location Opponent Score after goal Final score Tournament
1 6 June 2009 Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium, Larnaca Template:Fb 1–2 2–2 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
2 2–2
3 16 October 2012 Olympic Stadium, Kyiv Template:Fb 1–0 1–0 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
4 26 March 2013 Podgorica City Stadium, Podgorica Template:Fb 1–1 1–1 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
5 6 September 2013 National Stadium, Warsaw, Warsaw Template:Fb 1–0 1–1 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
6 11 October 2013 Wembley Stadium, London Template:Fb 1–2 1–4 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
7 5 March 2014 Podgorica City Stadium, Podgorica Template:Fb 1–0 1–0 Friendly
8 14 June 2015 Friends Arena, Solna Template:Fb 1–3 1–3 UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying

Honours

Radnički Beograd

Bežanija

Al-Ahli

FC Seoul

Suwon Samsung Bluewings

  • Champion of the Korean FA Cup: 2019

Kitchee

Individual Achievements

  • K League All-Star selections: 2007, 2009, 2013
  • Awarded K League Players' Player of the Year: 2010
  • Top scorer of the Korean League Cup: 2010
  • Named in K League 1 Best XI for four seasons: 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013
  • K League 1 leading goalscorer for three consecutive years: 2011, 2012, and 2013
  • Recipient of K League MVP Award: 2012
  • Honored as K League FANtastic Player: 2012
  • Included in AFC Champions League Dream Team: 2013
  • Selected for AFC Champions League All-Star Squad in both 2016 and 2018
  • Featured in AFC Champions League Opta Best XI: 2018
  • Top scorer in Hong Kong Premier League for seasons 2020–21 and 2022–23
  • Named Hong Kong FA Footballer of the Year for season 2020–21
  • Listed among Hong Kong FA Top Footballers for season 2020–21
  • Inducted into K League Hall of Fame in year 2025

Records

  • Holds record as all-time highest goalscorer in AFC Champions League history with a total of 42 goals

References

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  5. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  6. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  7. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  8. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  9. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  10. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  11. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  12. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  13. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  14. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).

External links

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