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Nicolas LombaertsBelgian footballer, defender.
Date of Birth: 20.03.1985
Country:  Belgium |
Content:
- Biography of Nicolas Lombaerts
- International Debut
- Club Career
- Injury Setbacks
- Return to the Field
- Later Career and Achievements
- Personal Life
Biography of Nicolas Lombaerts
Early Life and CareerNicolas Lombaerts is a Belgian professional footballer who primarily plays as a defender. He was born on March 20, 1985, in Bruges, Belgium. Lombaerts began his football career at the youth academy of FC Bruges.
International Debut
Lombaerts made his debut for the Belgian national team in 2006, during a friendly match against Saudi Arabia. He came on as a substitute in the 89th minute. His first official match for the national team was in 2007, against Serbia, where he also came on as a substitute.
Club Career
In July 2004, Lombaerts joined the Belgian club "Gent" and went on to play 76 matches in the national championship, scoring one goal. In July 2007, he transferred to Zenit Saint Petersburg in Russia for a fee of 4 million euros. In the 2007 season, Lombaerts became a champion of Russia with Zenit.
Injury Setbacks
Lombaerts faced several injury setbacks during his career. In February 2008, during a UEFA Cup match against Villarreal, he suffered a serious knee injury. Despite his injury, Lombaerts played a crucial role in assisting his teammate to score the winning goal. He underwent a seven-month recovery period but suffered another knee injury during training in April 2008.
Return to the Field
Lombaerts made his comeback on November 16, 2008, in a match against Moscow's Dynamo. However, he had to leave the game prematurely due to another knee injury. He underwent further treatment and recovery throughout the 2009 season.
Later Career and Achievements
Lombaerts resumed his performances for Zenit on July 19, 2009, coming on as a substitute in a match against Terek. In February 2011, he suffered another knee injury in a match against Swiss club Young Boys, sidelining him for approximately a month.
Throughout his career, Lombaerts achieved significant success with Zenit, winning the Russian Championship in 2007 and 2010. He also won the UEFA Cup in 2007/08 and several other domestic trophies. Lombaerts was recognized as one of the top players in the Russian Championship, ranking second in 2010 and third in 2007.
Personal Life
Aside from his football career, Lombaerts pursued studies at a law college. He is multilingual, fluent in Flemish, French, English, and German. In June 2011, Lombaerts officially tied the knot with his girlfriend, Carolina, in a wedding ceremony held in Bruges, Belgium.
