Nemanja Matic is a Serbian professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for English club Manchester United and the Serbian national team.
A left-footed defensive midfielder, Matic's poise and power, in addition to his in-game intelligence and tactical awareness, have enabled his attacking teammates to flourish. He is often used at a holding position and screens the defence while providing cover for attacking movements.
Matic began his senior career at Kolubara, before joining Slovak side Kosice in 2007. He moved to English club Chelsea for £1.5 million in 2009. Used sparingly during his first spell at Stamford Bridge, he spent the 2010–11 season on loan at Dutch club Vitesse, and in January 2011, he moved to Benfica in a swap deal involving David Luiz. He won the Primeira Liga Player of the Year award for his performances in the 2012–13 season. Matic returned to Chelsea in January 2014, for £21 million. He was named in the PFA Team of the Year for the 2014–15 season. In July 2017, he was reunited with former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho after signing for Manchester United.
Matic represented Serbia at under-21 level. He made his senior international debut in 2008 and has since earned over 30 caps. He scored his first international goal on 29 March 2015, in a UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying match away to Portugal at the Estadio da Luz, equalising via an overhead kick, albeit in a 2–1 defeat. |
