Biography
Who is Branislav Ivanović?
Early life and career beginnings
Branislav Ivanović was born in Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia, on February 22, 1984. He grew up in a family with a sporting background, as his father Rade played as a defender for the local team FK Srem. During his youth, Branislav played for various teams in his hometown. Interestingly, he played as a striker until he reached the age of 15, at which point he switched to the defensive position he would play for the rest of his career.
He made his professional football debut with FK Srem in 2002. His performances for the club soon attracted attention from larger teams in the Serbian league. In January 2004, he moved to the top division club OFK Beograd. While he initially struggled with his defensive reactions, his physical abilities allowed him to secure a position as a right-back. He eventually helped the team reach the semi-finals of the 2004 UEFA Intertoto Cup.
Playing in Russia
In January 2006, Branislav signed with the Russian Premier League club Lokomotiv Moscow. Under the guidance of coach Slavoljub Muslin, he made an immediate impact by securing a spot in the starting lineup. During his 2006 season, he appeared in 28 league matches and scored two goals. Despite the team's coaching changes that season, he remained a consistent performer.
He spent one more season at Lokomotiv Moscow in 2007. During this time, he made 26 league appearances and added three more goals to his record. The team won the Russian Cup that year by defeating FC Moscow 1–0 at the Luzhniki Stadium. This victory marked his first major honour as a professional player.
Success at Chelsea F.C.
In January 2008, Chelsea signed Branislav Ivanović for a fee of £12 million. Although he did not play in the first team during his initial months due to fitness concerns, he eventually became a cornerstone of the squad. Over his time in London, he made 377 appearances and scored 34 goals. He won nine major honours with the club, including three Premier League titles, three FA Cups, one League Cup, the UEFA Champions League, and the UEFA Europa League.
His contributions at Chelsea established him as one of the few foreign players to exceed 300 matches for the team. He was twice named to the PFA Team of the Year for his defensive displays. After his long tenure at Chelsea, he returned to Russia in 2017 to join Zenit on a free transfer. Later, he returned to England to play for West Bromwich Albion in 2020 before retiring from professional football at the end of the 2020–21 season.
International career with Serbia
Branislav first earned a cap for the Serbia and Montenegro national team in June 2005. Over his international career, he became the most capped player in the history of the Serbia national team, earning over 100 caps and scoring 13 goals. He represented his country at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, which was the nation's first international tournament as an independent country.
In 2012, he was appointed captain of the national team. He held this leadership position until just before the 2018 FIFA World Cup. He also represented Serbia in that 2018 tournament, where he reached the milestone of 105 matches played for his national team.
Birthday and age
Branislav Ivanović was born on February 22, 1984, which makes Branislav 42 years old today. That birthday falls under the Pisces sign. Branislav shares the date with 33 other famous people.
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