Kim Christensen (goalkeeper)
Encyclopedia
Kim Christensen is a Danish
professional footballer who currently plays as a goalkeeper for F.C. Copenhagen
. He got his breakthrough with Danish club FC Nordsjælland
in 2004, before moving to Swedish club IFK Göteborg
, with whom he won the 2008 Swedish Cup. He joined F.C. Copenhagen in June 2010. He has played one game for the Danish national team
.
team Hvidovre IF
in 2002, and played one season with the club as it was relegated from the Danish 1st Division 2002-03
season. He moved to newly promoted 1st Division team Nykøbing Falster Alliancen
, and helped the team finish eighth in the Danish 1st Division 2003-04
season.
in 2004, competing with Japanese international
Yoshi Kawaguchi for the starting position. While Kawaguchi was away to play for the Japanese national team during the pre-season, Christensen established himself as the starting goalkeeper. He played all 33 league games as Nordsjælland finished in 10th place of the Danish Superliga 2004-05
season, and also saw off the competition from backup keeper Jan Budtz
.
He also played all games of the following Danish Superliga 2005-06
season, as the team finished 9th. When Tommy Olsen
rescinded his place as team captain in May 2006, Christensen was chosen the next captain of Nordsjælland. In an April 2007 game against F.C. Copenhagen
, Christensen made an uncharacteristic mistake as Nordsjælland lost 0-1, when he mistimed a kick of the ball, leaving it rolling into the empty net. He still played all Nordsjælland games of the Danish Superliga 2006-07
season, helping the club finish fifth. In November 2007, Christensen expressed the wish to move abroad, in order to be in contention for a place in the Danish national team. He looked to leave the club during the winter transfer window
, after a total 117 league games in a row for FC Nordsjælland.
on 13 March 2008, as a replacement for club legend Bengt Andersson, who had retired after the previous season. He made his debut on 22 March in the Swedish Super Cup
final against Kalmar FF
. IFK Göteborg won 3–1 to secure the 2008 Swedish Super Cup trophy. Christensen kept the number 1 spot for the entire 2008 season, playing every single minute in the league and was widely praised for his performances. Towards the end of the season, Christensen kept his opponents from scoring in six straight games, among others in the away game against the eventual champions Kalmar FF
.
On 21 September 2008, Christensen won his second title with the club when Kalmar FF
were defeated in the 2008 Swedish Cup final on penalty shootout, after drawing the game 0-0. Christensen himself was hailed as a hero, making several impressive saves during the game and also scoring in the penalty shootout.
In a match on 23 September 2009 against Örebro
it was discovered that, prior to the match start, Christensen lifted and moved both goal posts inwards, thus making his goal smaller. 20 minutes into the game, the referee was notified of the infraction and corrected the positions of the goal posts. When interviewed after the game, Christensen said he had done so before on many occasions and perhaps that was the reason he was able to keep goals out.
.
His first start for the Danish champions came the 1st May 2011, where he held a clean sheet against SønderjyskE
in a 3-0 win.
for unofficial games at the 2009 King's Cup
in January 2009. He made his debut in the final of the tournament, as the League XI team beat Thailand
on penalty shoot-out on January 23. He was also a part of the squad during the 2010 King's Cup
of January 2010, playing two games as the League XI retained their titel.
After joining IFK, Christensen was called up for the Danish national team
in September 2008, to replace the injured Thomas Sørensen
and Jesper Christiansen
, but did not play. He was once more a part of the squad in August 2009, replacing Jesper Christiansen, but established himself as third choice keeper in September 2009. He was included in the Danish preliminary squad for the 2010 World Cup
in South Africa. He made his national team debut on May 27, 2010, but was cut from the final 23-man squad in favour of Jesper Christiansen.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
professional footballer who currently plays as a goalkeeper for F.C. Copenhagen
F.C. Copenhagen
F.C. Copenhagen is a professional Danish football club in Copenhagen, Denmark. It is part of the Parken Sport & Entertainment....
. He got his breakthrough with Danish club FC Nordsjælland
FC Nordsjælland
Football Club Nordsjælland is a professional Danish football team from the North Zealand town of Farum, Denmark. Founded as Farum Boldklub from the merger of the town's two football clubs Farum IK and Stavnsholt BK in 1991, the club changed its name to F.C...
in 2004, before moving to Swedish club IFK Göteborg
IFK Göteborg
IFK Göteborg is a Swedish professional football club based in Gothenburg. Founded in 1904, the club has won 18 national championship titles, five national cup titles, and two UEFA Cups....
, with whom he won the 2008 Swedish Cup. He joined F.C. Copenhagen in June 2010. He has played one game for the Danish national team
Denmark national football team
The Denmark national football team represents Denmark in association football and is controlled by the Danish Football Association , the governing body for the football clubs which are organized under DBU...
.
Club career
Christensen started playing football with amateur team Rosenhøj, and represented the team for 101 games. He joined Danish 1st DivisionDanish 1st Division
The 1st Division has been the name of the second highest football league in Denmark since 1991. From 1945 to 1991 the 1st Division was the name of the highest level of football in Denmark...
team Hvidovre IF
Hvidovre IF
Hvidovre IF is a Danish football club, founded on 15 October 1925 in Hvidovre.- Current squad :As of 2011-03-21...
in 2002, and played one season with the club as it was relegated from the Danish 1st Division 2002-03
Danish 1st Division 2002-03
This page displays the results of the Danish 1st Divisions 2002-2003-season.The division-champion and runner-up promoted to the Danish Superliga 2003-04. The teams in the 14th, 15th and 16th relegated to the Danish 2nd Division 2003-04.-Table:...
season. He moved to newly promoted 1st Division team Nykøbing Falster Alliancen
Lolland-Falster Alliancen
Lolland-Falster Alliancen or LFA is a Danish football club from Nykøbing Falster on Falster. The club was founded as Nykøbing Falster Alliancen , a merger between clubs B 1901 and B 1921...
, and helped the team finish eighth in the Danish 1st Division 2003-04
Danish 1st Division 2003-04
This page displays the results of the Danish 1st Divisions 2003-2004-season.The division-champion and runner-up promoted to the Danish Superliga 2004-05. The teams in the 14th, 15th and 16th relegated to the Danish 2nd Division 2004-05.-Table:...
season.
FC Nordsjælland
He joined Danish Superliga club FC NordsjællandFC Nordsjælland
Football Club Nordsjælland is a professional Danish football team from the North Zealand town of Farum, Denmark. Founded as Farum Boldklub from the merger of the town's two football clubs Farum IK and Stavnsholt BK in 1991, the club changed its name to F.C...
in 2004, competing with Japanese international
Japan national football team
The Japan national football team represents Japan in association football and is operated by the Japan Football Association, the governing body for association football in Japan...
Yoshi Kawaguchi for the starting position. While Kawaguchi was away to play for the Japanese national team during the pre-season, Christensen established himself as the starting goalkeeper. He played all 33 league games as Nordsjælland finished in 10th place of the Danish Superliga 2004-05
Danish Superliga 2004-05
The 2004-05 Danish Superliga season was the 15th season of the Danish Superliga league championship, governed by the Danish Football Association. It took place from the first match on July 24, 2004 to the final match on June 19, 2005....
season, and also saw off the competition from backup keeper Jan Budtz
Jan Budtz
Jan Budtz is a Danish footballer, who plays as a goalkeeper for Stalybridge Celtic after leaving Eastwood Town...
.
He also played all games of the following Danish Superliga 2005-06
Danish Superliga 2005-06
The 2005-06 Danish Superliga season was the 16th season of the Danish Superliga league championship, governed by the Danish Football Association. It took place from the first match on July 19, 2005 to the final match on May 14, 2006....
season, as the team finished 9th. When Tommy Olsen
Tommy Olsen
Tommy Olsen is a Danish veteran football striker who is currently a free agent.-External links:...
rescinded his place as team captain in May 2006, Christensen was chosen the next captain of Nordsjælland. In an April 2007 game against F.C. Copenhagen
F.C. Copenhagen
F.C. Copenhagen is a professional Danish football club in Copenhagen, Denmark. It is part of the Parken Sport & Entertainment....
, Christensen made an uncharacteristic mistake as Nordsjælland lost 0-1, when he mistimed a kick of the ball, leaving it rolling into the empty net. He still played all Nordsjælland games of the Danish Superliga 2006-07
Danish Superliga 2006-07
The 2006–07 Danish Superliga season was the 17th season of the Danish Superliga league championship, which determined the winners of the Danish football championship. It was governed by the Danish Football Association. It took place from the first match on July 19, 2006 to the final match on May...
season, helping the club finish fifth. In November 2007, Christensen expressed the wish to move abroad, in order to be in contention for a place in the Danish national team. He looked to leave the club during the winter transfer window
Transfer window
The transfer window is the period during the year in which a football club can transfer players from other countries into their playing staff. Such a transfer is completed by registering the player into the new club through FIFA...
, after a total 117 league games in a row for FC Nordsjælland.
IFK Göteborg
Christensen transferred to IFK GöteborgIFK Göteborg
IFK Göteborg is a Swedish professional football club based in Gothenburg. Founded in 1904, the club has won 18 national championship titles, five national cup titles, and two UEFA Cups....
on 13 March 2008, as a replacement for club legend Bengt Andersson, who had retired after the previous season. He made his debut on 22 March in the Swedish Super Cup
Supercupen
Supercupen is a one-off fixture in Swedish football played between the Allsvenskan champions and the winners of Svenska Cupen. The fixture is played before the start of the Allsvenskan season. In the event of a club winning the Double the runner up of the Allsvenskan takes part...
final against Kalmar FF
Kalmar FF
Kalmar FF is a Swedish football club located in Kalmar. Formed 10 January 1910, the club has won three national cup titles and 1 league title. Kalmar FF currently play in the highest Swedish league, Allsvenskan....
. IFK Göteborg won 3–1 to secure the 2008 Swedish Super Cup trophy. Christensen kept the number 1 spot for the entire 2008 season, playing every single minute in the league and was widely praised for his performances. Towards the end of the season, Christensen kept his opponents from scoring in six straight games, among others in the away game against the eventual champions Kalmar FF
Kalmar FF
Kalmar FF is a Swedish football club located in Kalmar. Formed 10 January 1910, the club has won three national cup titles and 1 league title. Kalmar FF currently play in the highest Swedish league, Allsvenskan....
.
On 21 September 2008, Christensen won his second title with the club when Kalmar FF
Kalmar FF
Kalmar FF is a Swedish football club located in Kalmar. Formed 10 January 1910, the club has won three national cup titles and 1 league title. Kalmar FF currently play in the highest Swedish league, Allsvenskan....
were defeated in the 2008 Swedish Cup final on penalty shootout, after drawing the game 0-0. Christensen himself was hailed as a hero, making several impressive saves during the game and also scoring in the penalty shootout.
In a match on 23 September 2009 against Örebro
Örebro SK
Örebro SK, also known as ÖSK or just Örebro, is a Swedish football club based in Örebro. The club, formed on 28 October 1908, is currently playing in the highest Swedish league, Allsvenskan.-The first years:...
it was discovered that, prior to the match start, Christensen lifted and moved both goal posts inwards, thus making his goal smaller. 20 minutes into the game, the referee was notified of the infraction and corrected the positions of the goal posts. When interviewed after the game, Christensen said he had done so before on many occasions and perhaps that was the reason he was able to keep goals out.
F.C. Copenhagen
In June 2010, he moved back to Denmark, as he signed a three-and-a-half year contract with defending Superliga champions F.C. CopenhagenF.C. Copenhagen
F.C. Copenhagen is a professional Danish football club in Copenhagen, Denmark. It is part of the Parken Sport & Entertainment....
.
His first start for the Danish champions came the 1st May 2011, where he held a clean sheet against SønderjyskE
SønderjyskE
SønderjyskE is a Danish sport club. They have two football teams , two handball teams and an ice hockey team based in Vojens. All the teams play in South Jutland...
in a 3-0 win.
International career
Christensen made his first international appearance, when he joined the Denmark League XI national football teamDenmark League XI national football team
The Denmark League XI national football team is an unofficial national football team run by the Danish Football Association.The team generally consists of Danish players playing in the Danish Superliga, or other leagues if the clubs there agree to release them...
for unofficial games at the 2009 King's Cup
2009 King's Cup
The 39th King's Cup finals was held from January 21 to January 23, 2009 at the Surakul Stadium in Phuket, Thailand. The King's Cup is an annual football tournament; the first tournament was played in 1968....
in January 2009. He made his debut in the final of the tournament, as the League XI team beat Thailand
Thailand national football team
The Thailand national football team represents Thailand in international football competition and is governed by the Football Association of Thailand. The team has a history of success in Southeast Asian competition, with three ASEAN Football Championship titles and nine senior-level Southeast...
on penalty shoot-out on January 23. He was also a part of the squad during the 2010 King's Cup
2010 King's Cup
The 40th King's Cup finals was held in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand from 17 January until 23 January. The King's Cup is an international football competition held in Thailand. This edition featured four teams and reverted back to a round robin group stage....
of January 2010, playing two games as the League XI retained their titel.
After joining IFK, Christensen was called up for the Danish national team
Denmark national football team
The Denmark national football team represents Denmark in association football and is controlled by the Danish Football Association , the governing body for the football clubs which are organized under DBU...
in September 2008, to replace the injured Thomas Sørensen
Thomas Sørensen
Thomas Løvendahl Sørensen is a Danish professional football goalkeeper, who plays for Premier League club Stoke City. He has previously represented Premiership teams Sunderland and Aston Villa....
and Jesper Christiansen
Jesper Christiansen
Jesper Ringsborg Christiansen is a Danish professional footballer, who plays as a goalkeeper for IF Elfsborg in the Allsvenskan championship. He has previously played for Danish Superliga clubs Odense BK, Vejle BK, Viborg FF, and F.C. Copenhagen, winning four Superliga championships and two Danish...
, but did not play. He was once more a part of the squad in August 2009, replacing Jesper Christiansen, but established himself as third choice keeper in September 2009. He was included in the Danish preliminary squad for the 2010 World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
in South Africa. He made his national team debut on May 27, 2010, but was cut from the final 23-man squad in favour of Jesper Christiansen.
Honours
- 2008 Swedish Super Cup
- 2008 Swedish Cup
- 2010–11 Danish Superliga2010–11 Danish SuperligaThe 2010–11 Danish Superliga season was the 21st season of the Danish Superliga championship, which decides the Danish football championship. It began on 17 July 2010 with the previous season's silver medalists from Odense facing Esbjerg and ended on 29 May 2011 with six simultaneous matches. F.C...