He then moved on to Inter Milan and was on their books from 2001 to 2004. He went out on loan to Spezia and Ancona but did not make a competitive appearance for Inter during this spell at the club.
From 2004 to 2009, Pandev played for Lazio. He enjoyed arguably the best spell of his career, scoring 64 goals in 189 appearances.
Following his success, Inter re-signed Pandev on January 4, 2010 and he played a part in their famous treble-winning season of 2009/10. Pandev stayed with Inter Milan until 2012, although he went on loan to Napoli in 2011/12.
Goran Pandev, Lazio, 2008
His early days at Lazio are perhaps best remembered for his outstanding goal against Juventus. Pandev beat the stalwart defensive trio of Fabio Cannavaro, Lilian Thuram and Gianluca Zambrotta before firing past Gianluigi Buffon.
In the 2004/05 season, Pandev scored four goals in 30 appearances in all competitions. In 2005/06, he netted 12 times in 38 games. He became increasingly prolific and scored 14 times in 39 appearances during the 2006/07 campaign.
Pandev hit his peak in terms of personal goalscoring exploits during the 2007/08 campaign, scoring 19 times in 45 appearances for Lazio in all competitions.
The 2008/09 season saw Pandev score 15 times in 37 appearances in all competitions. However, his fortunes took a turn for the worse after he indicated his desire to leave Lazio for pastures new in the summer of 2009.
Lazio froze Pandev out of the team and branded him a rebel. The dispute between the two parties raged on until midway through the 2009/10 season, when Lazio were ordered to release Pandev and pay him €170,000 in compensation for emotional distress.
"Pandev's appeal to the Lega Calcio's arbitration board was welcomed and they said we were in the right," said Pandev's lawyer, Mattia Grassani, as quoted by The Guardian.
"So Goran's contract has been resolved and the club have been ordered to pay €160,000 (£143,500) in punitive damages as well as the legal costs.
Following his legal battle, Pandev signed for Jose Mourinho's Inter Milan, the defending Italian champions, on January 4, 2010, penning a four-and-a-half-year deal.
Inter Milan enjoyed an historic campaign. They beat AS Roma to win the Coppa Italia and Bayern Munich to lift the UEFA Champions League, with the Serie A title completing an historic treble.
Following the end of the campaign, Mourinho was replaced by Rafa Benitez, who was less popular and successful with Inter despite his previous achievements with Liverpool.
Pandev has played an important role in the progress of the national team, and his international achievements have made him a cult hero in North Macedonia since his breakthrough in 2001.
In 2009, Pandev was awarded the Medal for Service to the Country by the then-president Branko Crvenkovski.
On November 12, 2020, Pandev scored the winning goal in a 1-0 UEFA Euro 2020 qualifier against Georgia, which saw his country qualify for their first ever major tournament.
North Macedonia's surprise victory over Germany in the World Cup qualifiers has left the nation with hopes of qualifying for back-to-back major tournaments.
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— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 21, 2021
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"In 2021 I will be 38, I really believe it will be the last season for me but first, I have some last dreams to fulfil," Pandev said in an interview with Secolo XIX.
"I want to enjoy the European Championship and then stop playing. Then I'll stay and live here, my children have decided. This is the club who I have played at for the longest, now I feel like I am from Genoa."
Pandev's net worth is not known, but as of 2011, Goal reported that he had wage demands of €3million per year during Napoli's negotiations to sign him from Inter Milan.
"I really like Pandev and I think [Walter] Mazzarri also likes him, but a move depends on Inter," De Laurentiis told Radio Marte.
It's been a tournament that has lived up to expectations, with drama and excitement at every turn. Big nations have performed, underdogs given their all and breakout stars emerged onto the scene.
Colombia produced a set-piece routine from the heavens at the Copa America, and Jude Bellingham reminded us just how young he is.
Netherlands attacker can bag the most assists at a decent price, while Alioski is worth a shot for North Macedoniaβs top scorer.
