Branislav Ivanović

Early career

Ivanović made his first football steps with FK Srem in 2002, following in his father's footsteps. Here, he made his professional debut and his performances began to attract attention from Serbia's First League clubs.

OFK Beograd

In December 2003, Ivanović joined OFK Beograd, in what was then the First League of Serbia and Montenegro. Brought in by the club's general manager Zvezdan Terzić, the nineteen-year-old defender struggled initially, reportedly even drawing ire from his OFK team-mates due to static posture and clumsy defensive reactions. Ivanović's physical abilities soon set him apart as he claimed the right back position in the team, squeezing Igor Radović out of the squad in the process. During his time with Belgrade, his team performed above expectations, even reaching the semi-finals of the 2004 UEFA Intertoto Cup. After two years of playing in Serbia's top division, Ivanović began courting interest from clubs across Europe.

Lokomotiv Moscow

In January 2006, Ivanović was signed by Russian Premier League club Lokomotiv Moscow.

2006 season

Coached by compatriot Slavoljub Muslin, the 22-year-old Ivanović made an immediate impact, cementing a place in the starting XI. He appeared in 28 league matches, scoring two goals. Ivanović contributed some outstanding performances to Lokomotiv's title challenge that ultimately fell short at the end of the season as head coach Muslin got fired and replaced by Oleg…

Under-21

Ivanović's under-21 debut took place against Macedonia in Ohrid on 15 December 2003 in a match that Serbia and Montenegro ended up winning 4–1. He scored his first goal only two days later against the same opponent in a 7–0 rout. He took part in the 2006 U-21 Championships in Portugal, where he made four appearances and scored one goal for Serbia and Montenegro. Ivanović was given the captain's armband during this time and continued to captain independent Serbia to the 2007 U-21 Championships final where they lost to the host, the Netherlands. In total, he featured in 38 matches for the under-21 team, scoring four goals.

Senior team

Ivanović received his first cap on 8 June 2005 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, when Serbia and Montenegro played a friendly against Italy, coming on as a 77th-minute substitute for his club teammate Marko Baša in an eventual 1–1 draw. He was not included at the 2006 FIFA World Cup and did not play an international again until after the country's dissolution that year. Ivanović scored his first international goal on 12 September 2007 in a UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying match against Portugal in Lisbon; following a Dejan Stanković in-swinging freekick, he scored with two minutes remaining to seal a 1–1 draw. Despite not having a regular spot at his club side Chelsea at the time, Ivanović continued being the automatic starting choice for Serbia at the start of qualification for the 2010 World Cup under new head coach Radomir…

Early into his development as a footballer, Ivanović turned heads primarily for his physicality. Looking back on the beginning of the player's accomplished career, OFK Beograd's general manager Zvezdan Terzić, who signed Ivanović at age nineteen from the lower-league FK Srem, stated: "I noticed him in Sremska Mitrovica, witnessing physical dispositions no other white footballer had. The way he jumped, the way he guarded the ball, his sheer physical power, his step, and initial speed, I had only seen black players with such abilities before. He was a traditional healthy peasant child. He didn't have much footballing ability and awareness yet, but we gave him time and he eventually became a great player".

Is he one of the club's [Chelsea] best signings? I think so. He came immediately after I left [after my first spell in charge] and after that he made a fantastic contribution for this club. He is a competitive animal with a big heart. A tall, brave, and physical player, Ivanović is well known for his aerial ability, which when combined with his sheer strength, has seen him score numerous crucial goals during his career. Between 2008 and August 2014, Ivanović was directly involved in 60 goals during his time with Chelsea (31 goals and 29 assists). Uncharacteristically for a defender, he possesses an adept finishing ability, with former Chelsea manager José Mourinho often using the Serbian as a striker when the team are in desperate need of a goal. His unforgiving style of…

Ivanović was born into a family with a sporting history, his father Rade played for local team FK Srem as a defender. Ivanović played youth football for various teams in his home town Sremska Mitrovica. Until the age of 15, he played as a striker, before switching to his current position in defence.