Brian Laudrup facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Brian Laudrup

Laudrup in 2013
Personal information
Full name	Brian Laudrup
Date of birth	(1969-02-22) 22 February 1969 (age 56)
Place of birth	Vienna, Austria
Height	1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s)	Forward Winger Midfielder
Youth career
0000–1986	Brøndby
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1986–1989	Brøndby	49	(13)
1989–1990	Bayer Uerdingen	34	(6)
1990–1992	Bayern Munich	53	(11)
1992–1994	Fiorentina	31	(5)
1993–1994	→ Milan (loan)	9	(1)
1994–1998	Rangers	116	(33)
1998	Chelsea	7	(0)
1998–1999	Copenhagen	12	(2)
1999–2000	Ajax	31	(13)
Total		342	(84)
International career
1984	Denmark U17	6	(0)
1985–1987	Denmark U19	12	(6)
1987–1988	Denmark U21	5	(0)
1987–1998	Denmark	82	(21)
Medal record Men's football Representing  Denmark UEFA European Championship Winner 1992 Sweden FIFA Confederations Cup Winner 1995 Saudi Arabia CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions Runner-up 1993 Argentina
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Brian Laudrup (born 22 February 1969) is a famous Danish former footballer. He played as a midfielder, winger, or forward. Many people thought he was one of the most talented players of his time.

Today, Laudrup works for TV sports channels in Scandinavia. He also helps run a football academy for young people. Brian is the son of former Danish footballer Finn Laudrup. His older brother, Michael Laudrup, was also a well-known footballer.

Brian Laudrup played for many top clubs in Europe. He started his career in Denmark with Brøndby. There, he won two Danish championships. He then moved to clubs in Germany and Italy. He won the 1993–94 Serie A league title and the UEFA Champions League in 1994 with Milan.

He was a key player for Rangers in Scotland. With Rangers, he won three league championships in the 1990s. He also won the 1998 UEFA Super Cup during a short time with Chelsea. After that, he played for Copenhagen in Denmark. He finished his career with Ajax in 2000. His career ended early due to injuries.

Laudrup also played 82 matches for the Danish national team. He scored 21 goals for his country. He was a very important part of the Danish teams that won UEFA Euro 1992 and the 1995 Confederations Cup.

He won the Danish Football Player of the Year award four times. This was a record at the time. FIFA named him the fifth-best player in the world in 1992. In 2004, Pelé included him in his list of the top 125 greatest living footballers. His brother Michael was also on this list.

Early Life and Family Connections

Brian Laudrup grew up in a football-loving family. His father, Finn Laudrup, played for the Danish national team. His brother, Michael Laudrup, also became a famous Danish international player. Brian was born in Vienna, Austria. This was because his father was playing for Wiener SC at the time.

Club Career Highlights

Starting at Brøndby

Laudrup began his professional career with Brøndby in Denmark. He quickly became a strong player for the team. He helped Brøndby win the Danish First Division in 1987 and 1988. In 1989, his contract with Brøndby ended. He decided to join the German club Bayer Uerdingen.

Moving to Uerdingen

Laudrup joined Uerdingen to play in a club with less pressure. He scored 6 goals in 34 matches during the 1989–90 Bundesliga season. His great performances for both his club and country earned him the Danish Football Player of the Year award. German sports magazines praised him highly.

Playing for Bayern Munich

In May 1990, Bayern Munich bought Laudrup for a large fee. This made him the most expensive player in the Bundesliga at that time. In his first season, he scored 9 goals in 33 games. Bayern finished second in the league that year. He also helped Bayern reach the semi-finals of the 1990–91 European Cup.

Laudrup was very popular with fans in Germany. In August 1991, he got a serious knee injury. He returned to play in February 1992. Even with the injury, he won his second Danish Player of the Year award. He also finished fifth in the FIFA World Player of the Year poll.

Time at Fiorentina and Milan

Laudrup moved to Serie A in Italy, joining Fiorentina. This was a big step, as Serie A was one of the best leagues in the world. Fiorentina started the 1992–93 season very well. However, the team struggled later and was surprisingly relegated.

Loaned to Milan

For the 1993–94 season, Laudrup was loaned to Milan. He played fewer matches there because of a squad rotation system. Milan had many world-class players, and only a few foreign players could play at once. Milan won the league title and the 1993–94 UEFA Champions League that season. Laudrup played in seven European matches for the Champions League-winning team.

Success with Rangers

In June 1994, Laudrup joined Rangers in Scotland. He quickly made a big impact. He helped Rangers win their seventh league championship in a row. He won both the Scottish Football Writers' and Scottish PFA Player of the Year awards. He also won his third Danish Player of the Year award.

In the 1995–96 season, Laudrup and Paul Gascoigne were key players. They helped Rangers win their eighth league championship. Laudrup also played a huge role in the Scottish Cup final. He set up three goals and scored two himself in a 5–1 win. This game is still known as the Laudrup Final.

In his third season, 1996–97, Laudrup scored a goal in the Scottish League Cup final. Rangers were trying to win their ninth league title in a row. Laudrup scored 16 goals in 33 league games. He scored the winning goal against Dundee United to secure the league title. He won the Scottish Football Writers' award again and his fourth Danish Player of the Year award.

Laudrup left Rangers after the 1997–98 season. He later said his time at Rangers was the "four best years of my career."

Short Stint at Chelsea

Laudrup joined Chelsea in the summer of 1998. He made his debut when Chelsea won the 1998 UEFA Super Cup. He did not play many games due to injuries and Chelsea's squad rotation policy. He scored his only Chelsea goal in a UEFA Cup Winners' Cup match against Copenhagen. This goal helped Chelsea reach the quarter-finals.

Return to Denmark with Copenhagen

After Chelsea, Laudrup moved back to Denmark. He played briefly for Copenhagen in 1999. Fans of his old club, Brøndby, booed him when he played against them.

Final Club: Ajax

Due to family reasons, Laudrup then joined Ajax in the Netherlands. He had a good season in 1999–2000, scoring 15 goals. However, he faced more injuries. He was forced to retire from football at age 31. He had one of the most successful careers in Danish football history.

International Career for Denmark

Laudrup started playing for the Danish under-17 team in 1984. He then played for the under-19 and under-21 teams. He was first called up to the senior Danish national team in 1987.

Senior Team Debut

Laudrup made his senior team debut on 18 November 1987, when he was 18 years old. He scored his first national team goal in April 1988. He was supposed to play in UEFA Euro 1988, but he broke his collarbone just before the tournament.

In November 1990, Laudrup decided to leave the national team for a short time. His brother Michael also left, as they felt they lacked respect for the coach.

Becoming a European Champion in 1992

Laudrup returned to the national team in April 1992. He then traveled with the Danish team to UEFA Euro 1992 in Sweden. Denmark played with a very strong defense. Laudrup was one of the few attacking players. He did not score any goals in the tournament. However, his skill and speed were very important. Denmark went on to win the tournament, which was a huge surprise! Laudrup was voted fifth in the 1992 FIFA World Player of the Year poll.

Confederations Cup Success in 1995

Laudrup was a key player when Denmark won the Confederations Cup in 1995. He scored an amazing goal against Saudi Arabia. He dribbled past three defenders before scoring. FIFA calls this one of the best goals in the tournament's history. Denmark beat Argentina 2–0 in the final. Laudrup won the Golden Ball award as the best player of the tournament.

Euro 1996 and World Cup 1998

Laudrup helped Denmark qualify for UEFA Euro 1996. He scored three goals in the tournament. However, Denmark was eliminated early.

He was also a very important player for Denmark at the 1998 FIFA World Cup. This was the only World Cup of his career. He scored two goals and made three assists. He scored in the 4–1 win against Nigeria. His last match for Denmark was the quarter-final against Brazil. Denmark lost 3–2, but Laudrup set up one goal and scored another.

The quarter-final was Denmark's best-ever result at a World Cup. Laudrup later said the 1998 Danish team was even better than the Euro 1992-winning team. After the World Cup, he retired from the national team. He had played 82 matches and scored 21 goals over 11 years.

Player Style and Impact

Laudrup was known for being a very elegant and technical player. He had amazing speed and control of the ball. He used his dribbling skills to get past defenders easily. He would then create chances for his teammates. He was also a powerful and accurate shooter. He could score with either foot or his head.

Laudrup was also very unselfish. He often enjoyed setting up goals for others more than scoring himself. He could play in many attacking positions. He often played as a winger or an attacking midfielder. He was given a "free role" to roam around the field.

Many famous players and coaches praised Laudrup's skills. Franz Beckenbauer called him a "world class player." His older brother, Michael, even thought Brian was a better player than himself.

Life After Football

Today, Brian Laudrup works as a football expert and commentator for TV channels in Denmark. He covers matches from the Premier League and the Danish national team.

He is also involved in a youth football camp called "Laudrup & Høgh ProCamp." He coaches this camp with former national team goalkeeper Lars Høgh.

Personal Life

Brian Laudrup is married to Mette. They have a son named Nicolai and a daughter named Rasmine.

In September 2010, he shared that he had a type of cancer called lymphoma. He started treatment for it. Three months later, he was told that there were no signs of the disease.

Career Statistics

This table shows how many games Brian Laudrup played and how many goals he scored for different clubs and competitions.

Awards and Achievements

Brian Laudrup won many awards and titles during his career:

With Brøndby

• Danish 1st Division: 1987, 1988

With Bayern Munich

• DFL-Supercup: 1990

With AC Milan

• Serie A: 1993–94
• UEFA Champions League: 1993–94

With Rangers

• Scottish Premier Division: 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97
• Scottish Cup: 1995–96
• Scottish League Cup: 1996–97

With Chelsea

• UEFA Super Cup: 1998

With Denmark National Team

• UEFA European Championship: 1992
• FIFA Confederations Cup: 1995

Individual Awards

• Danish Football Player of the Year: 1989, 1992, 1995, 1997
• UEFA European Championship Team of the Tournament: 1992
• Best Player (FIFA Confederations Cup): 1995
• SFWA Footballer of the Year: 1994–95, 1996–97
• SPFA Players' Player of the Year: 1994–95
• 1998 FIFA World Cup All-star team
• FIFA 100 (list of greatest living footballers)
• Denmark Hall of Fame
• Scottish Football Hall of Fame
• Brondby Wall of Honour
• Glasgow Rangers Hall of Fame

See also

In Spanish: Brian Laudrup para niños