Alen Stevanović
Encyclopedia
Alen Stevanović is a Swiss
-born Serbia
n footballer who plays for Torino
(co-owned with Internazionale
).
, Alen was only 3 months old when his mother brought him to Bečmen
, Belgrade
, SR Serbia to live with his grandmother and uncle. Having never met his biological father, Stevanović was mostly raised by his extended family in Serbia as his mother kept living in Switzerland.
. He also played 8 seasons for Radnički Novi Beograd
.
In early 2009, a trial was arranged for him at Italian champions Internazionale
, and after arriving in Milan on 9 January, Stevanović was signed by the club in February.
In November 2009, Stevanović, along with youngster Giulio Donati
, was named to the match-day squad against Livorno
in Coppa Italia
, but remained an unused sub.
He then traveled with the first team to Abu Dhabi
, UAE
and Saudi Arabia
for winter training camp. He played the friendly match against Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal
as starter.
Due to the injuries incurred by Esteban Cambiasso
, Sulley Muntari
and Rene Krhin
, Stevanović was named in the squad for the first league match after the winter break, against Chievo
, but again didn't get any playing time.
A couple of days later, after Patrick Vieira
left for Manchester City
on 8 January 2010, Stevanović made his Serie A debut the very next day on 9 January at home versus Siena
by coming on as a sub for Thiago Motta
in the 67th minute. Head coach José Mourinho
made the substitution in direct response to Siena taking the 3–2 lead on a goal scored two minutes earlier. By the end, Inter managed to overturn the score 4–3 with an injury time winner.
On 22 July 2010, Stevanović left for Serie B side Torino
in co-ownership deal
for undisclosed fee. As part of the deal, Inter signed youngster Simone Benedetti in another co-ownership deal.
On 24 March 2011, it was officially announced that Stevanović would join MLS
club Toronto FC
on loan. Stevanović made his debut for the club on March 26, 2011 in a 2-0 home victory against Portland Timbers
. Following a 1-0 home defeat to Seattle Sounders FC
on June 18 in which Stevanović earned his first start in nearly a month, the Serbian attacking midfielder was recalled by Torino.
s head coach Aleksandar Stanojević
. In late January 2010, Serbian under-21
head coach Ratomir Dujković
expressed interest in having Stevanović on the team. On February 2, 2010, Stevanović received a call-up to Serbia under-21 for a friendly match against Macedonia on March 3. He played 60 minutes for Serbia.
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
-born Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n footballer who plays for Torino
Torino F.C.
Torino Football Club, commonly referred to as simply Torino, is a professional Italian football club based in Turin, Piedmont, that was founded in 1906. The club has spent most of its history in the top tier in Italian football....
(co-owned with Internazionale
F.C. Internazionale Milano
Football Club Internazionale Milano, often referred to as Internazionale or simply Inter, is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Italy. Outside Italy, the club is often called Inter Milan. They are the reigning FIFA Club World champions and Coppa Italia holders.Inter have always...
).
Early life
Born to a Serbian single mother in ZürichZürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
, Alen was only 3 months old when his mother brought him to Bečmen
Becmen
Bečmen is an suburban settlement of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is located in Belgrade's municipality of Surčin.- Location :...
, Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
, SR Serbia to live with his grandmother and uncle. Having never met his biological father, Stevanović was mostly raised by his extended family in Serbia as his mother kept living in Switzerland.
Club career
Stevanović started his professional career in Serbia at FK Radnički ObrenovacFK Radnicki Obrenovac
FK Radnički Obrenovac is a football club from Obrenovac, Serbia.-History:The greatest club archivements were the 12th place in the First League of Serbia and Montenegro archived in the 2003-04, and the reaching of the quarter-finals of the Cup in 2000-01.-Recent seasons:- Squad :As of November...
. He also played 8 seasons for Radnički Novi Beograd
FK Radnicki Jugopetrol
FK Radnički Beograd is a football club from Novi Beograd, Serbia.The club was until recently know by its sponsor name of FK Radnički Jugopetrol, and is also often named as FK Radnički Novi Beograd, although the club is officially named simply as Beograd because it was initially formed in Belgrade...
.
In early 2009, a trial was arranged for him at Italian champions Internazionale
F.C. Internazionale Milano
Football Club Internazionale Milano, often referred to as Internazionale or simply Inter, is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Italy. Outside Italy, the club is often called Inter Milan. They are the reigning FIFA Club World champions and Coppa Italia holders.Inter have always...
, and after arriving in Milan on 9 January, Stevanović was signed by the club in February.
In November 2009, Stevanović, along with youngster Giulio Donati
Giulio Donati
Giulio Donati is an Italian footballer who plays as a defender for Serie B club Padova, on loan from Internazionale.-Club career:Born in Pietrasanta, the Province of Lucca, Donati started his career at hometown club Lucchese...
, was named to the match-day squad against Livorno
A.S. Livorno Calcio
Associazione Sportiva Livorno Calcio is an Italian football club based in Livorno, Tuscany. The club was formed in 1915 and currently plays in Italian Serie B. The team's colors are dark red or maroon...
in Coppa Italia
2009–10 Coppa Italia
The 2009–10 Coppa Italia was the sixty-second season of the tournament. The competition started on 2 August 2009 and ended on 5 May 2010.-Serie A :-Serie B :-Prima Divisione :-Seconda Divisione :...
, but remained an unused sub.
He then traveled with the first team to Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi , literally Father of Gazelle, is the capital and the second largest city of the United Arab Emirates in terms of population and the largest of the seven member emirates of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western...
, UAE
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
and Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
for winter training camp. He played the friendly match against Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal
Al-Hilal
Al-Hilal Saudi Football Club , also known simply as Al-Hilal, is a Saudi Arabian sports club based in the country's capital of Riyadh and best known for its professional football team, known as Al-Hilal Saudi Football Club...
as starter.
Due to the injuries incurred by Esteban Cambiasso
Esteban Cambiasso
Esteban Matías Cambiasso Deleau , nicknamed "Cuchu" , is an Argentine football midfielder who plays for Italian Serie A club Internazionale....
, Sulley Muntari
Sulley Muntari
Sulleyman Ali "Sulley" Muntari is a Ghanaian international footballer who currently plays as a central midfielder for Serie A club Inter Milan in Italy. He has 66 caps for The Black Stars of Ghana.-Early career:...
and Rene Krhin
Rene Krhin
Rene Krhin is a Slovenian footballer who plays for Serie A club Bologna.-Club career:Signing for Internazionale alongside fellow rising star Vid Belec from hometown club NK Maribor at age of 16 as an European Union player, he started to play for Internazionale at Allievi Nazionali team.In July...
, Stevanović was named in the squad for the first league match after the winter break, against Chievo
A.C. ChievoVerona
Associazione Calcio Chievo Verona is a professional Italian football club named after and based in Chievo, a suburb of 2,800 inhabitants in Verona, Veneto, and owned by Paluani, a cake company and the inspiration for their original name, Paluani Chievo...
, but again didn't get any playing time.
A couple of days later, after Patrick Vieira
Patrick Vieira
Patrick Vieira is a retired French footballer of Senegalese descent who is the Football Development Executive at Manchester City....
left for Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
on 8 January 2010, Stevanović made his Serie A debut the very next day on 9 January at home versus Siena
A.C. Siena
Associazione Calcio Siena is an Italian football club based in Siena.The club currently plays in Serie A, having gained promotion from Serie B at the end of the 2010-2011 season....
by coming on as a sub for Thiago Motta
Thiago Motta
Thiago Motta Santon Olivares , known as Thiago Motta, is a Brazilian-born Italian footballer who plays as a central midfielder for Serie A club Internazionale....
in the 67th minute. Head coach José Mourinho
José Mourinho
José Mário dos Santos Félix Mourinho is a Portuguese football manager and the current manager of Real Madrid. He is commonly known as "The Special One".Mourinho is regarded by some players, coaches and critics as the best ever coach in football....
made the substitution in direct response to Siena taking the 3–2 lead on a goal scored two minutes earlier. By the end, Inter managed to overturn the score 4–3 with an injury time winner.
On 22 July 2010, Stevanović left for Serie B side Torino
Torino F.C.
Torino Football Club, commonly referred to as simply Torino, is a professional Italian football club based in Turin, Piedmont, that was founded in 1906. The club has spent most of its history in the top tier in Italian football....
in co-ownership deal
Co-ownership (football)
Co-ownership is a system whereby two football clubs own the contract of a player jointly, although the player is only registered to play for one club...
for undisclosed fee. As part of the deal, Inter signed youngster Simone Benedetti in another co-ownership deal.
On 24 March 2011, it was officially announced that Stevanović would join MLS
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
club Toronto FC
Toronto FC
Toronto FC is a Canadian professional soccer club based in Toronto, Ontario which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada....
on loan. Stevanović made his debut for the club on March 26, 2011 in a 2-0 home victory against Portland Timbers
Portland Timbers
Portland Timbers may refer to any of four distinct professional soccer teams:*Portland Timbers, a Major League Soccer expansion team that began playing in 2011....
. Following a 1-0 home defeat to Seattle Sounders FC
Seattle Sounders FC
Seattle Sounders FC is an American professional soccer club based in Seattle, Washington. The club competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. Sounders FC was established in November 2007 as a MLS expansion team, making it the 15th team in...
on June 18 in which Stevanović earned his first start in nearly a month, the Serbian attacking midfielder was recalled by Torino.
International
In January 2010, Stevanović's international loyalty was somewhat unclear as he still hadn't appeared in any of the Serbian youth national teams. Reportedly, he's had a falling out with Serbian under-19Serbia national under-19 football team
The Serbia national under-19 football team is the national under-19 football team of Serbia and is controlled by the Football Association of Serbia....
s head coach Aleksandar Stanojević
Aleksandar Stanojević
Aleksandar Stanojević is a Serbian football manager and former player. He is currently head coach of Partizan Belgrade.-Playing career:...
. In late January 2010, Serbian under-21
Serbia national under-21 football team
The Serbia national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Serbia and is controlled by the Football Association of Serbia....
head coach Ratomir Dujković
Ratomir Dujkovic
Ratomir Dujković is a Serbian football manager and a former player.-Playing career:...
expressed interest in having Stevanović on the team. On February 2, 2010, Stevanović received a call-up to Serbia under-21 for a friendly match against Macedonia on March 3. He played 60 minutes for Serbia.