Christian was born in Asnæs in Denmark on 28 February 1980. The son of a teacher and a pharmacist, Christian grew up in a middle-class Danish family and soon joined the local football club. As his talent became apparent he joined the nearby league club Holbæk at the age of 13 and made his senior debut only 17 years old.
After three seasons at Holbæk, Christian, by now a regular for the Danish U19 side, was starting to attract attention from bigger clubs. In his last half-season at Holbæk Christian scored seven goals in 11 league games, and a step up the ladder became inevitable. After bring invited for a trial at Danish giants FC Copenhagen, he impressed enough to be awarded a contract.
Player of the Year
Christian’s career really took off in the Danish capital. He played a surprisingly major role in the Danish Superliga 2000/01 triumph, featuring 15 times and scoring twice. Moreover, he was voted best player in the league by Danish newspaper B.T.
The next season he was voted his club’s Player of the Year, after notching up a career-best of nine league goals in 30 appearances. And in November 2001, he made his debut for the senior Danish national team in a 1-1 draw with Holland.
At the World Cup
Christian was part of the Denmark squad for the 2002 FIFA World Cup, playing three times. After the World Cup he joined German club Schalke 04, for a then Danish record fee of €7M. At Schalke he was asked to play the holding midfield role and over the course of the next four seasons made that position his own.
Christian enjoyed a particularly strong 2004/05 season, helping Schalke clinch runners-up spot in the Bundesliga, before going on to feature for Denmark at Euro 2004. The following year he was voted Danish Player of the Year.
New challenge
When Christian’s contract at Schalke ran out in June 2006, he decided he wanted a new challenge. Many clubs were interested, but it was Sevilla FC, the reigning UEFA Cup champions that won the race to sign him. He made an instant impact, and the influential sports daily Marca called him the best signing of the year. He helped Sevilla to a third place in La Liga but even more importantly was instrumental in Sevilla FC’s defence of the UEFA Cup.
In his second season in Spain he made 29 appearances, scoring three goals, as Sevilla finished fifth in the league, won the Spanish Cup and reached the last 16 in the UEFA Champions League.
Going to Italy
In the summer of 2008, Christian joined Italian giants Juventus in a move that was made controversial by the Italian media due to Christian’s history with two of Italian football’s favourite sons. In the Euro 2004 against Italy Francesco Totti was caught on camera spitting at Christian and received a three-match ban; meanwhile, in the 2005/06 UEFA Champions League match between Schalke 04 and AC Milan Christian and Gennaro Gattuso were seen having a heated discussion after the final whistle.
However, Christian was regarded by Juve coach Claudio Ranieri as the perfect player to add grit and tactical awareness to the team that is aiming to return to the top of the European tree, after bouncing back from the match-faxing scandal.
