Kim Christensen (footballer, born 1979)

Christensen joined Danish Superliga club FC Nordsjælland in 2004, competing with Japanese international Yoshi Kawaguchi for the starting position. While Kawaguchi was away to play for the Japanese national team during the pre-season, Christensen established himself as the starting goalkeeper.[4] He played all 33 league games as Nordsjælland finished in 10th place in the 2004–05 season, and also saw off the competition from backup keeper Jan Budtz.[5]

He also played all games of the following 2004–05 season, as the team finished ninth. When Tommy Olsen rescinded his place as team captain in May 2006, Christensen was chosen the next captain of Nordsjælland.[6] In an April 2007 game against F.C. Copenhagen, Christensen made an uncharacteristic mistake as Nordsjælland lost 1–0, when he mistimed a kick of the ball, leaving it rolling into the empty net.[7] He still played all Nordsjælland games of the 2006–07 season, helping the club finish fifth. In November 2007, Christensen expressed the wish to move abroad, in order to be in contention for a place in the Danish national team.[8] He looked to leave the club during the winter transfer window,[9] after a total 117 league games in a row for FC Nordsjælland.

Christensen transferred to IFK Göteborg on 13 March 2008, as a replacement for club legend Bengt Andersson, who had retired after the previous season.[10] He made his debut on 22 March in the Swedish Super Cup final against Kalmar FF. IFK Göteborg won 3–1 to secure the 2008 Swedish Super Cup trophy.[11] Christensen kept the number 1 spot for the entire 2008 season, playing every single minute in the league and was widely praised for his performances. Towards the end of the season, Christensen kept his opponents from scoring in six straight games, among others in the away game against the eventual champions Kalmar FF.[12]

On 21 September 2008, Christensen won his second title with the club when Kalmar FF were defeated in the 2008 Swedish Cup final on penalty shootout, after drawing the game 0–0. Christensen himself was hailed as a hero, making several impressive saves during the game and also scoring in the penalty shootout.[13]

In a match on 23 September 2009 against Örebro it was discovered that, prior to the match start, Christensen lifted and moved both goal posts inwards, thus making his goal smaller. 20 minutes into the game, the referee was notified of the infraction and corrected the positions of the goal posts. When interviewed after the game, Christensen said he had done so before on many occasions and perhaps that was the reason he was able to keep goals out.[14][15][16][17]

In June 2010, he moved back to Denmark, as he signed a three-and-a-half-year contract with defending Superliga champions F.C. Copenhagen.[18]

In Copenhagen his role initial became as reserve for the first choice Johan Wiland, with Christensen only getting playtime against minor teams and at injuries.[19] His first start for the Danish champions came on 1 May 2011, where he held a clean sheet against SønderjyskE in a 3–0 win.

During the autumn 2012, Johan Wiland was kept out in two longer periods with injuries,[20][21] whereas Christensen played 16 full matches, including four games in the UEFA Europa League group stage.[22]

From the beginning of the 2013–14 season, Christensen was overtaken by Jakob Busk as reserve keeper, which has left Christensen disappointed and prepared to leave Copenhagen at the end of his contract at New Year.[23]