Karl Aage Præst
Encyclopedia
Karl Aage Præst, also spelled Carl Aage Præst, (26 February 1922 – 19 November 2011) was a Danish football
player. Playing in the left winger position, Præst won two Serie A
championships with Italian
club Juventus FC. He played 24 games and scored 17 goals for the Danish national team
from 1945 to 1949, and won a bronze medal
at the 1948 Summer Olympics
. He is an Danish Football Hall of Fame inductee.
Born in Copenhagen, Præst started his career with Østerbros Boldklub (ØB). At ØB, he played alongside Helge Broneé
. Præst was acknowledged as a world-class talent, with great balance and dribbling
, and a great end-product of either precise crossing
or a good shot on goal
.
Præst made his debut for the Denmark national football team
in June 1945. He was a part of the Danish team at the 1948 Summer Olympics
in London
, where Præst played four games and scored two goals as Denmark won a bronze medal
. After the Olympics, Præst signed a professional contract with Italian
club Juventus FC, and was thus banned from the amateur-only Danish national team.
With Juventus, Præst won the 1949-50
and 1951-52 Serie A
championships. Though considered fast in Denmark, Præst was not as fast as most Italian defenders, but succeeded through his dribbling skills. Præst played alongside Danes John Hansen and Karl Aage Hansen
at Juventus, and his dribbling and crossing ability was a key in making John Hansen top goal-scorer of the 1951-52 season. Præst played 239 games and scored 51 goals for Juventus FC in the Serie A championship from 1949 to 1956. In 1956, Præst moved on to league rivals SS Lazio. He played seven games for the club, before ending his career in 1957.
In November 2008, Præst was voted into the Danish Football Hall of Fame, for his achievements with Juventus FC and the Danish national team.
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
player. Playing in the left winger position, Præst won two Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
championships with Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
club Juventus FC. He played 24 games and scored 17 goals for the Danish national team
Denmark national football team
The Denmark national football team represents Denmark in association football and is controlled by the Danish Football Association , the governing body for the football clubs which are organized under DBU...
from 1945 to 1949, and won a bronze medal
Bronze medal
A bronze medal is a medal awarded to the third place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The practice of awarding bronze third place medals began at the 1904 Olympic Games in St...
at the 1948 Summer Olympics
1948 Summer Olympics
The 1948 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in London, England, United Kingdom. After a 12-year hiatus because of World War II, these were the first Summer Olympics since the 1936 Games in Berlin...
. He is an Danish Football Hall of Fame inductee.
Born in Copenhagen, Præst started his career with Østerbros Boldklub (ØB). At ØB, he played alongside Helge Broneé
Helge Bronée
Helge Christian Bronée was a Danish footballer. He played four games as a winger for the amateur Denmark national football team, before moving abroad to play professionally...
. Præst was acknowledged as a world-class talent, with great balance and dribbling
Dribbling
In sports, dribbling refers to the maneuvering of a ball around a defender through short skillful taps or kicks with either the legs , hands , stick or swimming strokes...
, and a great end-product of either precise crossing
Cross (football)
In football, a cross is a delivery of a ball from either side of the field across to the front of the goal by applying various kicking techniques. A cross is there to provide a goal-scoring opportunity...
or a good shot on goal
Shot on goal
In ice hockey, a shot on goal is a shot that will enter the goal if it is not stopped by the goaltender. A shot on goal must result in either a goal or a save....
.
Præst made his debut for the Denmark national football team
Denmark national football team
The Denmark national football team represents Denmark in association football and is controlled by the Danish Football Association , the governing body for the football clubs which are organized under DBU...
in June 1945. He was a part of the Danish team at the 1948 Summer Olympics
1948 Summer Olympics
The 1948 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in London, England, United Kingdom. After a 12-year hiatus because of World War II, these were the first Summer Olympics since the 1936 Games in Berlin...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, where Præst played four games and scored two goals as Denmark won a bronze medal
Bronze medal
A bronze medal is a medal awarded to the third place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The practice of awarding bronze third place medals began at the 1904 Olympic Games in St...
. After the Olympics, Præst signed a professional contract with Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
club Juventus FC, and was thus banned from the amateur-only Danish national team.
With Juventus, Præst won the 1949-50
Serie A 1949-50
-Final classification:-Results:...
and 1951-52 Serie A
Serie A 1951-52
-Final classification:-Results:...
championships. Though considered fast in Denmark, Præst was not as fast as most Italian defenders, but succeeded through his dribbling skills. Præst played alongside Danes John Hansen and Karl Aage Hansen
Karl Aage Hansen
Karl Aage Hansen was a Danish football player, who won a bronze medal with the Denmark national football team at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London. He scored 17 goals in 22 games for the Danish national team, and was Danish team captain on 17 occasions...
at Juventus, and his dribbling and crossing ability was a key in making John Hansen top goal-scorer of the 1951-52 season. Præst played 239 games and scored 51 goals for Juventus FC in the Serie A championship from 1949 to 1956. In 1956, Præst moved on to league rivals SS Lazio. He played seven games for the club, before ending his career in 1957.
In November 2008, Præst was voted into the Danish Football Hall of Fame, for his achievements with Juventus FC and the Danish national team.
Honours
- Danish Football Hall of Fame
- Serie ASerie ASerie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
: 1950 and 1952 - 1948 Summer Olympics1948 Summer OlympicsThe 1948 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in London, England, United Kingdom. After a 12-year hiatus because of World War II, these were the first Summer Olympics since the 1936 Games in Berlin...
bronze medal