Preben Elkjær facts for kids
Elkjær in 2011 in Viborg
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Preben Elkjær Larsen | ||
| Date of birth | 11 September 1957 | ||
| Place of birth | Copenhagen, Denmark | ||
| Height | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1963–1973 | Frederiksberg BK | ||
| 1973–1974 | KB | ||
| 1974–1975 | Frederiksberg BK | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1976 | Vanløse | 15 | (7) |
| 1977–1978 | 1. FC Köln | 9 | (1) |
| 1978–1984 | Lokeren | 190 | (98) |
| 1984–1988 | Hellas Verona | 91 | (32) |
| 1988–1990 | Vejle | 39 | (12) |
| Total | 333 | (143) | |
| International career | |||
| 1975–1976 | Denmark U19 | 11 | (6) |
| 1976–1979 | Denmark U21 | 9 | (9) |
| 1977–1988 | Denmark | 69 | (38) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1995–1996 | Silkeborg | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Preben Elkjær Larsen (born 11 September 1957) is a famous Danish former footballer. He played as a striker, which means he was a forward player whose main job was to score goals.
He is best known for playing with Hellas Verona in Italy. He helped them win their only major title, the Serie A championship, in 1985. Elkjær also scored 38 goals for the Denmark national team over 11 years. He was a key player for Denmark during the Euro 1984 and the 1986 World Cup. This period is often called the "golden generation" of Danish football. At the 1986 World Cup, Elkjær won the Bronze Ball award, which means he was the third-best player in the tournament.
Many people think Elkjær was one of the best forwards of the 1980s. He was also very popular in Denmark.
Contents
Preben Elkjær's Club Career
Playing in Germany and Belgium
Preben Elkjær started his football journey in 1976 with Vanløse IF in Denmark. He played there for one season, scoring seven goals in 15 games. After that, he moved to Germany to join 1. FC Köln, which was a top club in Europe at the time. He helped the team win the German Cup in 1978. However, he didn't get along well with the coach and the strict team environment, so he left.
In February 1978, Elkjær moved to K.S.C. Lokeren Oost-Vlaanderen in Belgium. He stayed there for six years, which was the longest time he spent with any club. During his time in Belgium, he became known by two fun nicknames: Chefen fra Lokeren (which means "The Boss from Lokeren") and Den Gale Mand fra Lokeren (meaning "The Crazy Man from Lokeren"). He scored more than 100 goals in official matches for Lokeren.
Winning the Title with Verona
When he was 27 years old, Elkjær joined Hellas Verona F.C. in Italy in the summer of 1984. In his very first season, he played a huge part in helping the team win the Serie A title. This was the first time in Hellas Verona's history that they won the scudetto (the Italian league championship).
One famous moment was during a game against Juventus. Elkjær was running with the ball down the left side of the field when he lost his right boot! But he didn't stop. He kept running with the ball and even managed to shoot it into the goal with his bootless right foot. Verona won that game 2–0.
Elkjær was recognized as one of the best players in Europe. He finished third in the European Footballer of the Year awards in 1984 and second in 1985. He scored a total of 48 goals for Verona during his four years there.
Returning to Denmark and Retiring
In 1988, Elkjær came back to play football in Denmark for Vejle BK. He was a huge star in the country, and many fans came to watch his games. However, he was 31 years old and started to get a lot of injuries. It was hard for him to play as well as people expected. He decided to retire from playing football two years later, after playing only 26 matches for Vejle.
Elkjær's International Career
Youth and Senior Team Debuts
Preben Elkjær started playing for the Danish national youth teams. He made his debut for the Danish under-19 team in October 1975. He played 11 games and scored six goals for them. He also played for the under-21s starting in June 1976, scoring nine goals in nine games.
On 22 June 1977, when he was 19, Elkjær played his first game for the senior national team. He scored both goals in a 2–1 win against Finland.
Major Tournaments
Elkjær played a big role in UEFA Euro 1984. He scored two goals in four games, which helped him move to play in Italy. Denmark played exciting attacking football in that tournament. They reached the semi-finals but lost to Spain in a penalty shootout. Elkjær missed Denmark's last penalty kick, sending the ball over the goal.
He also represented Denmark at the 1986 FIFA World Cup. This was the first time Denmark had ever qualified for the World Cup. Denmark did very well, winning their group, but were again knocked out by Spain. Elkjær scored four goals in the tournament, including three goals in one game against Uruguay. He was seen as a very strong and exciting striker and won the Bronze Ball award as the third-best player.
Euro 1988 was Elkjær's last tournament for Denmark. He played his final game for his country on 14 June 1988. In total, he played 69 international games and scored 38 goals for Denmark.
- Scores and results list Denmark's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Elkjær goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 22 June 1977 | Olympic Stadium, Helsinki, Finland |  Finland |
1-0 | 2-1 | 1972–77 Nordic Football Championship | |
| 2 | 2-0 | ||||||
| 3 | 31 May 1978 | Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway |  Norway |
2-1 | 2-1 | 1978–80 Nordic Football Championship | |
| 4 | 6 June 1979 | Idrætspark, Copenhagen, Denmark |  Northern Ireland |
1-0 | 4-0 | UEFA Euro 1980 qualification | |
| 5 | 2-0 | ||||||
| 6 | 4-0 | ||||||
| 7 | 26 September 1979 | Idrætspark, Copenhagen, Denmark | Finland |
1-0 | 1-0 | 1978–80 Nordic Football Championship | |
| 8 | 14 November 1979 | Estadio Ramón de Carranza, Cádiz, Spain |  Spain |
1-0 | 3-1 | Friendly | |
| 9 | 3-1 | ||||||
| 10 | 4 June 1980 | Idrætspark, Copenhagen, Denmark | Norway |
3-1 | 3-1 | 1978–80 Nordic Football Championship | |
| 11 | 19 November 1980 | Idrætspark, Copenhagen, Denmark |  Luxembourg |
3-0 | 4-0 | 1982 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 12 | 1 May 1981 | Municipal Stadium, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg | Luxembourg |
1-1 | 2-1 | 1982 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 13 | 14 May 1981 | Malmö Stadion, Malmö, Sweden |  Sweden |
2-0 | 2-1 | 1981–85 Nordic Football Championship | |
| 14 | 9 September 1981 | Idrætspark, Copenhagen, Denmark |  Yugoslavia |
1-1 | 1-2 | 1982 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 15 | 23 September 1981 | Idrætspark, Copenhagen, Denmark | Norway |
1-0 | 2-1 | Friendly | |
| 16 | 14 October 1981 | Charilaou Ground, Thessaloniki, Greece |  Greece |
3-1 | 3-2 | 1982 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 17 | 27 May 1982 | Idrætspark, Copenhagen, Denmark |  Belgium |
1-0 | 1-0 | Friendly | |
| 18 | 1 June 1983 | Idrætspark, Copenhagen, Denmark |  Hungary |
1-0 | 3-1 | UEFA Euro 1984 qualification | |
| 19 | 12 October 1983 | Idrætspark, Copenhagen, Denmark | Luxembourg |
3-0 | 6-0 | UEFA Euro 1984 qualification | |
| 20 | 4-0 | ||||||
| 21 | 16 November 1983 | Olympic Stadium, Athens, Greece | Greece |
1-0 | 2-0 | UEFA Euro 1984 qualification | |
| 22 | 6 June 1984 | Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden | Sweden |
1-0 | 1-0 | Friendly | |
| 23 | 16 June 1984 | Stade de Gerland, Lyon, France | Yugoslavia |
4-0 | 5-0 | UEFA Euro 1984 | |
| 24 | 19 June 1984 | Stade de la Meinau, Strasbourg, France | Belgium |
3-2 | 3-2 | UEFA Euro 1984 | |
| 25 | 26 September 1984 | Idrætspark, Copenhagen, Denmark | Norway |
1-0 | 1-0 | 1986 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 26 | 14 November 1984 | Idrætspark, Copenhagen, Denmark |  Republic of Ireland |
1-0 | 3-0 | 1986 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 27 | 2-0 | ||||||
| 28 | 5 June 1985 | Idrætspark, Copenhagen, Denmark |  Soviet Union |
1-0 | 4-2 | 1986 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 29 | 2-0 | ||||||
| 30 | 16 October 1985 | Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway | Norway |
3-1 | 5-1 | 1986 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 31 | 13 November 1985 | Lansdowne Road, Dublin, Republic of Ireland | Republic of Ireland |
1-1 | 4-1 | 1986 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 32 | 4-1 | ||||||
| 33 | 16 May 1986 | Idrætspark, Copenhagen, Denmark |  Poland |
1-0 | 1-0 | Friendly | |
| 34 | 4 June 1986 | Estadio Neza 86, Nezahualcóyotl, Mexico |  Scotland |
1-0 | 1-0 | 1986 FIFA World Cup | |
| 35 | 8 June 1986 | Estadio Neza 86, Nezahualcóyotl, Mexico |  Uruguay |
1-0 | 6-1 | 1986 FIFA World Cup | |
| 36 | 4-1 | ||||||
| 37 | 5-1 | ||||||
| 38 | 14 October 1987 | Idrætspark, Copenhagen, Denmark |  Wales |
1-0 | 1-0 | UEFA Euro 1988 qualification |
Preben Elkjær's Playing Style
Preben Elkjær is considered one of Denmark's best forwards ever. He was known for his strong determination and never giving up on a ball, even if it seemed lost. This often led to him scoring goals.
His playing style was unique. He combined physical strength with great dribbling skills. He was described as "powerful and dynamic," and it was very hard to stop him when he was running towards the goal. This was one of his special moves. He was very aggressive in his play. When he received the ball with his back to the goal, he would quickly turn and try to score.
When Elkjær played for the national team, his aggressive style worked very well with the calm and smart play of the younger Michael Laudrup. They were called the "most effective" attacking duo at the 1986 World Cup.
Life After Playing Football
After he stopped playing, Elkjær became the head coach for Silkeborg IF in Denmark in 1995. He left that job in December 1996 to lead a new TV sports channel called TVS. However, the channel was not successful and closed within a year.
Today, Preben Elkjær works as a football expert for Danish TV3+. He often talks about UEFA Champions League games with Michael Laudrup. In October 2019, he had an operation in Belgium to remove a gallstone.
Preben Elkjær's Awards and Honours
As a Player
1. FC Köln
- Bundesliga: 1977–78
- DFB-Pokal: 1976–77, 1977–78
Verona F.C.
- Serie A: 1984–85
As a Manager
Silkeborg
- UEFA Intertoto Cup: 1996
Individual Awards
- Danish Player of the Year: 1984
- Ballon d'Or: runner-up 1985, third place 1984
- Onze de Bronze: 1984
- Onze d'Argent: 1985
- FIFA World Cup Bronze Ball: 1986
- FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 1986
- Danish Football Hall of Fame
- World Soccer The Greatest Players of the 20th century: The 100 Greatest Footballers of All Time
See also
In Spanish: Preben Elkjær para niños
