Zdravko Kuzmanović

2.1. Childhood and background

Kuzmanović was born in Thun, Switzerland, on 22 September 1987. His family were Bosnian Serb expatriates; his father hailed from the village of Skugrić near Modriča, while his grandfather played for the lower league local club FK Zvijezda in Gradačac, Bosnia and Herzegovina, where Kuzmanović's own football career began. His father, Ljubo, also played professionally in Berlin before ending his career at FC Thun in Switzerland, where the family continued to reside. This family tradition of football set the stage for Zdravko's own aspirations in the sport.

2.2. Youth club career

Kuzmanović's football education began at the age of seven, where he learned the fundamentals of the sport at the local Swiss club FC Dürrenast, spending seven years there until he was 14. At 14, he was scouted by BSC Young Boys, where he continued his development for three years, refining his skills and attracting the attention of professional clubs in Switzerland. In 2003, at the age of 17, he was recruited by the youth team of FC Basel, a prominent Swiss club that had by then secured 11 league championships.

3.1. Basel (first stint)

Kuzmanović began his professional career at FC Basel, joining their first team in the 2005-06 season after progressing through their youth academy. During this period, he also played for Basel II in the 1. Liga Classic. He scored his first goals for the senior Basel team in the second round of the Swiss Cup, contributing to a 6-1 victory over BSC Old Boys. His strong performances in his debut season led to his recognition by UEFA as one of Europe's most interesting young players, and he was honored with the Swiss Golden Player Award for the 2006 season.

The 2006-07 season saw Kuzmanović further establish himself in the first team. He netted his first league goal of that season on 13 August 2006, in a 4-1 win against FC Thun. By the first half of the season, he had made 28 appearances and scored five goals across all competitions, showcasing his growing influence within the squad.

3.2. Fiorentina

In early 2007, at the age of 19, Kuzmanović signed a four-and-a-half-year contract with ACF Fiorentina on 30 January 2007 for a fee of 3.00 M EUR. This move came about following an injury to Fiorentina midfielder Marco Donadel, who was sidelined for approximately two months. The transfer was not without controversy, as Palermo had been close to signing Kuzmanović, leading their president Maurizio Zamparini and sporting director Rino Foschi to accuse Fiorentina of "misconduct" and refer to their director of football, Pantaleo Corvino, as a "jackal." Corvino famously retorted, "better jackal than chicken," defending his actions as correct. Years later, Kuzmanović explained his decision to reject Palermo, stating he disliked Zamparini's rushed approach during negotiations.

After primarily being a substitute, Kuzmanović made his Serie A debut for Fiorentina on 4 March 2007, coming on as a substitute in a 5-1 victory against Torino. He made three additional appearances in his first half-season with the club.

In his first full season, the 2007-08 season, Kuzmanović secured a regular spot in the first team. He scored his first goal for the club against Catania on 17 February 2008. In the 2007-08 UEFA Cup knockout stage, he scored his first European goal in a 2-0 first-leg win against Everton in the quarter-finals. Fiorentina ultimately advanced after winning a penalty shootout 4-2 in the second leg, which Everton had forced into extra time by leveling the aggregate score. Kuzmanović concluded the 2007-08 season with 48 appearances and two goals across all competitions.

On 14 October 2008, ahead of the following season, Kuzmanović extended his contract with Fiorentina until 2013. He ended the 2008-09 season having made 41 appearances and scored two goals in all competitions. During his time at the club, Kuzmanović became an integral first-team player, accumulating over 70 Serie A appearances and contributing significantly to their successful European campaigns.

3.3. VfB Stuttgart

On 31 August 2009, transfer deadline day, Kuzmanović signed a four-year contract with VfB Stuttgart for a reported fee of 7.00 M EUR. He made his Stuttgart debut on 12 September 2009, playing 22 minutes in a 3-1 loss against Hamburger SV. Kuzmanović also made his UEFA Champions League debut for Stuttgart in a 1-3 home defeat to Sevilla on 20 October 2009, later scoring his first Champions League goal in the 1-1 return leg draw. On 21 November 2009, he scored his first goal for Stuttgart in a 1-1 draw against Hertha BSC, but was subsequently sent off in the same game. Despite an injury, Kuzmanović established himself in the starting eleven, taking the place of Thomas Hitzlsperger, and finished the season with 34 appearances and five goals across all competitions.

For the 2010-11 season, Kuzmanović regained his first-team position and started well, scoring his first goal of the season in a dominant 7-0 victory over Borussia Mönchengladbach on 18 September 2010. His performances attracted interest from Serie A clubs, but he expressed happiness to stay at Stuttgart. In the UEFA Europa League round of 64, second leg, against Benfica, Kuzmanović received a straight red card in stoppage time, contributing to Stuttgart's elimination from the competition. He concluded the 2010-11 season with 47 appearances and 11 goals in all competitions.

Transfer speculation continued into the 2011-12 season, with reports of Chelsea having a 23.00 M EUR bid for him rejected. Kuzmanović began the season strongly, scoring his first goal in a 3-0 win against Hannover 96 on 10 September 2011, before suffering a hamstring injury that sidelined him for two matches. He returned in mid-October and scored in a 2-2 draw against Nürnberg on 22 October 2011. He finished the season with 29 appearances and six goals in all competitions.

In the 2012-13 season, Kuzmanović featured less frequently due to a torn muscle in his right thigh. By 24 September 2012, it was announced he was expected to leave the club at the end of the season following stalled contract talks. As a result, he was often played out of position, both as a substitute and a starter. By December 2012, his relationship with the club deteriorated as contract negotiations completely broke down.

3.4. Internazionale

On 31 January 2013, Kuzmanović made a permanent transfer to Italian club Internazionale for an undisclosed fee. He made his Internazionale debut on 3 February 2013, starting in a 3-1 loss to AS Siena, where he provided Internazionale's only goal. He quickly established himself in the first team, making 13 appearances for the club in his initial half-season.

However, in the 2013-14 season, under new manager Walter Mazzarri, Kuzmanović was used sparingly and spent most of the season on the substitute bench and also suffered an injury, limiting him to 15 appearances. Despite attracting interest from Roma due to limited playing time, he chose to remain at the club, stating he was happy there.

For the 2014-15 season, Roberto Mancini was appointed as the new Inter coach, and under his management, Kuzmanović began to play more frequently. He played a crucial role in both legs of the UEFA Europa League qualification round, providing two assists against Stjarnan. On 29 October 2014, he made his first league appearance of the season and assisted the only goal in a 1-0 win over Sampdoria. Although he was initially placed on a loan list in January, he was removed from it after the transfer window closed. Kuzmanović later suffered an injury that sidelined him for a month. He concluded the 2014-15 season with 25 appearances and one goal. Heading into the 2015-16 season, his future at Inter Milan became uncertain, with links to other Serie A clubs and Watford.

3.5. Return to Basel (second stint)

Kuzmanović returned to his former club, FC Basel, on 30 June 2015, signing a five-year contract. Upon his return after an eight-year absence, he expressed his desire to stay at Basel for the rest of his career. He was appointed as the club's vice-captain, alongside Marek Suchý, after Matías Emilio Delgado was named captain.

4.1. Youth national team

In 2006, Kuzmanović was called up to the Switzerland U21 squad, despite being younger than the typical age group. He played one match in the 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship qualifiers. He also appeared in a friendly match against France U21 in February 2007, shortly before accepting a call-up to the Serbian senior team. His appearance for Switzerland U21 made him ineligible to play for Serbia in the same U21 campaign, which Serbia ultimately lost to the Netherlands in the final.

4.2. Senior national team

In early 2007, the Serbian FA initiated discussions with Kuzmanović regarding the possibility of him playing for the Serbia national team. He accepted their invitation, joining the squad for matches against Kazakhstan and Portugal in March 2007. He scored his first two goals for Serbia in an away game against Belgium on 22 August 2007, though Serbia ultimately lost the match 3-2. Despite being born in Thun, Switzerland, and having played for Swiss youth national teams, Kuzmanović chose to represent Serbia at the senior level, famously stating: "I'm Serbian and I want to give all for my country, it's a matter of what you feel in your heart and I must listen to it."

Kuzmanović was named among the 23 players in the Serbia squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. In a group stage match against Ghana, he conceded a penalty by handling the ball, which Ghana converted to win the match 1-0. Despite this incident, Kuzmanović went on to appear in two more World Cup matches, though Serbia was eliminated in the group stage. He earned a total of 50 caps for Serbia, scoring six goals. His final international appearance was in a UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying match against Denmark in November 2014.

6.1. Club statistics

6.2. International statistics