Early Career: O Clássico

Early career[edit]
Born in Šabac, SR Serbia, SFR Yugoslavia, Matić began playing football at age five with Vrelo,
coached by his own father.[9] He began his senior career at Kolubara, before signing for Slovak
club Košice in 2007.[10] While living in the country, he also received Slovak citizenship.[11]
Chelsea[edit]
On 18 August 2009, Matić signed for Chelsea from Košice for a fee of around £1.5 million on a four-
year contract, having been on trial at Middlesbrough.[12][13] He was given the number 24 shirt by
Chelsea but was not able to make his debut immediately due to the injury he picked up at the 2009
UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship. He was on the bench for Chelsea's League
Cup match against Queens Park Rangers on 23 September 2009, but did not take any part in the 1–
0 victory. Matić made his Premier League debut for Chelsea on 21 November, coming on as a
substitute for Florent Malouda in the 69th minute in a 4–0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers.[14]
On 23 August 2010, Matić transferred to Eredivisie club Vitesse on a one-year loan, together with
teammates Slobodan Rajković and Matej Delač.[15]
Benfica[edit]
Matić playing for Benfica in 2012
On 31 January 2011, Matić agreed to join Portuguese club Benfica in the summer of 2011, as part of
a deal for Chelsea to sign Brazilian centre-back David Luiz.[16] Under Benfica manager Jorge Jesus,
Matić was converted from a playmaker into a defensive midfielder.[17]
On 14 April 2012, Matić started for Benfica in the 2012 Taça da Liga Final against Gil Vicente, where
he won his first trophy with the Lisbon-based club.[17]
On 13 January 2013, Matić scored Benfica's first goal in a 2–2 draw with O
Clássico rivals Porto.[18] The next day, he was awarded with a contract extension lasting until 2018,
with the buyout clause set at €45 million.[19]
In Benfica's second-leg Round of 32 Europa League clash with Bayer Leverkusen, Matić headed in
a late goal after a cross from Lima to seal a 3–1 aggregate victory.[20] Matić was an integral member
throughout the 2012–13 Primeira Liga campaign as Benfica looked to claim the club's first league
championship since 2010. Going into the penultimate game of the season against Porto, both teams
were undefeated in league play,[21] but a stoppage-time winner from substitute Kelvin gave Porto a 2–
1 victory.[22][23]
On 15 May, Matić faced former employers Chelsea in the Europa League final in Amsterdam but
was on the losing side as Benfica fell to a 2–1 defeat, courtesy of a last minute Branislav
Ivanović header.[24] On 4 July 2013, he was named Primeira Liga Player of the Year after having won
the monthly award three times over the course of the season.[25][26]
In the 2013–14 season, Matić played half of the season, with 22 matches and 3 goals, he helped
Benfica to win the Primeira Liga and Taça de Portugal.[27][28] On 13 January 2014, Matić placed
second in the 2013 FIFA Puskás Award.[29]
Return to Chelsea[edit]
Matić playing for Chelseain 2014
On 15 January 2014, Matić rejoined Chelsea for a fee of £21 million (€25M),[30][31] on a five-and-a-
half-year contract.[32] He made his second debut for the club four days later, replacing Willian in a 3–1
win against Manchester United.[33]
On 3 February, Matić made his first Premier League start in Chelsea's fixture away at championship
rivals Manchester City.[34] He was named man of the match by Sky Sports as Chelsea ended City's
unbeaten run at the City of Manchester Stadium with a 1–0 win.[35]
Matić scored his first Premier League goal on 30 August 2014, in a 6–3 win at Everton.[36] A month
later, Matić scored the only goal as Chelsea won away at Sporting CP in the group stage of
the Champions League;[37] on 5 November in the same competition, his goal earned Chelsea a 1–1
draw at Maribor.[38]
Matić was given a straight red card in Chelsea's 1–1 home draw against Burnley on 21 February
2015, for pushing over Ashley Barnes following a high tackle by him, which resulted in the bending
of Matić's shin.[39] On appeal, his suspension was shortened to two matches, including the League
Cup Final.[40]
On 26 April 2015, Matić was named as one of four midfielders in the PFA Team of the Year,
alongside teammate Eden Hazard. Four more Chelsea players were included in the selection.[41]
Matić playing for Chelsea in 2015
On 12 September 2015, Matić scored his first goal of the 2015–16 Premier League season against
Everton, but it was not enough to save Chelsea from a 3–1 loss.[42] Matić was sent off for two yellow
cards in the first half of Chelsea's 2–1 loss at West Ham United on 24 October 2015.[43]
For the majority of the 2016–17 Premier League season, Matić played as a central midfielder in a 3–
4–3 formation. He scored the 4th goal in Chelsea's 4–2 FA Cup semi-final win over Tottenham
Hotspur on 22 April 2017.[44] On 8 May 2017, he scored his first ever goal at Stamford Bridge, in a 3–
0 victory over Middlesbrough.[45]
Manchester United[edit]
Matić playing for Manchester United in 2017
On 30 July 2017, a photo was leaked of Matić wearing a Manchester United training kit printed with
the number 31 vacated by Bastian Schweinsteiger the previous March, fuelling rumours that Matić
was on the verge of a reunion with former Chelsea manager José Mourinho.[46] Manchester United
confirmed the deal the next day, with Matić signing a three-year contract with an option for an extra
year.[47] Two days after signing, he made his first appearance in a friendly against Sampdoria,
finishing in a 2–1 win over the Italian side.[48] On 13 August 2017, Matić made his league debut in a
4–0 win over West Ham United at Old Trafford, in which he was named Man of the Match.[49] On 5
March 2018, Matić scored his first goal for the club with a half-volley in a 3–2 comeback win
over Crystal Palace after being 2–0 down.[50]
During the boxing day matches of the 2018–19 Premier League, Nemanja Matić scored his first goal
of the season and his second for Manchester United in a 3–1 win over Huddersfield Town.[51]
International career[edit]
Matić's debut for the Serbia under-21 team came in a match against Denmark on 11 October
2008.[52] After three matches and two goals for the Serbia under-21 squad, he was called up to
the Serbian senior squad and made his debut in a friendly against Poland on 14 December 2008, in
a 1–0 loss.[53]
Matić took part in the 2009 UEFA Euro Under-21 Championship, where he played 85 minutes in the
first group match against Italy in a 0–0 draw. Matić, however, injured himself after contact with Italian
forward Sebastian Giovinco. He broke the fifth metatarsal in his right foot and was forced to undergo
surgery.[54]
In December 2012, Matić announced he would not play for the Serbian national team while Siniša
Mihajlović was the coach. The reason he gave for this decision is that he felt he was not given the
right opportunity by the coach not playing a single minute in his last five call-ups.[55][56] On 6
September 2013, Matić returned to his national team on a 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification match
against Croatia, being sent off in the 75th minute.[57][58]
He scored his first international goal on 29 March 2015, in a UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying match away
to Portugal at the Estádio da Luz, equalising via an overhead kick, albeit in a 2–1 defeat.[59] On 11
October, in a loss against the same opponents by the same score at the Partizan Stadium, Matić
received a straight red card within a minute of teammate Aleksandar Kolarov's dismissal.[60]
Matić playing for Serbia at the 2018 FIFA World Cup
In June 2018, he was selected in the Serbian squad for the 2018 World Cup,[61] playing all three
group stage matches.[62][63][64]

Early Career: O Clássico

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Early career[edit]

Matić playing for Benfica in 2012

Matić playing for Chelseain 2014

Matić playing for Manchester United in 2017

Matić playing for Serbia at the 2018 FIFA World Cup

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