Morten Nordstrand
Encyclopedia
Morten Nordstrand Nielsen (born 8 June 1983) is a Danish
professional football player, who plays as a striker
for the Danish Superliga
side F.C. Copenhagen
. He has played eight times for the Denmark national football team
.
, Nordstrand played for the local club from he was 5 to 17 years old. He was known for scoring a lot of goals, and his father thought he should move to Frederikshavn
and stay at Nordjyllands Sportscollege and play for the local club Frederikshavn fI
. After the college stay he moved back to Hundested. His coach from the sportcollege, contacted Lyngby BK about Nordstrand and his talent, and afterwards he started as senior player in Lyngby. When the club went bankrupt in the winter 2001, Nordstrand moved up from the youth team as one of several amateur players comprising Lyngby BK's first team squad. He made his senior debut in December 2001, 17 years old. He played three league games, as Lyngby finished last in the 2001–02 Superliga
season, and underwent forced relegation to the fourth level of Danish football
, the Denmark Series
.
Nordstrand stayed at the club, and proved himself a goalscorer in the lower leagues of Danish football. Lyngby won promotion
to the Danish 2nd Division
at the end of the 2003–04 season. Nordstrand formed a dangerous striker partnership with Christian Holst
, the pair scoring 43 goals in the 2004–05 season. Nordstrand was the club topscorer with 22 goals, as Lyngby finished third in the 2nd Division that year, and won promotion to the Danish 1st Division
.
When Superliga club FC Nordsjælland
(FCN) sold top-scoring striker, and later Danish international, Mads Junker
in January 2006, it was initially speculated that Nordstrand would fill his place in the FCN squad. Nordstrand finished the season with Lyngby, and topped the 1st Division goalscorer list with 29 goals, when Lyngby barely missed promotion during the 2005–06 season
. Nordstrand decided he wanted top-flight football, and was chased by a number of Superliga clubs, as well as Dutch
club FC Groningen. With his Lyngby contract running out in July 2006, he eventually signed a contract with FCN.
In his first season back in the top-flight Danish Superliga, he was the top goalscorer after the first half of the 2006–07 Superliga
, with 10 goals in 18 games. Nordstrand was called up for the league national team, which played a number of unofficial national team games in the United States
, El Salvador
and Honduras
in January 2007, by national team manager Morten Olsen
. He played in all three games and scored one goal on the tour. On the date of arrival in Copenhagen
from the tour, he was selected to the Danish national team
for a friendly match against Australia in February 2007. He made his national team debut, when he came on as a substitute
in the 86th minute of the match. He has played all matches of this season (33) scoring 18 or 19 goals. Some media says that he has scored 18 goals others say 19, a goal against FCM
was scored by either Nordstrand or Lundberg
. Which is still discussed.
On 6 July 2007 he moved to F.C. Copenhagen, signing a five year long contract with the Danish champions
. The transfer fee was reported to be around 15 million Danish krone
r (2 million Euro
), at that time the largest transfer fee ever paid for a player between two Danish clubs.
In FCK Nordstrand quickly became an important player. In Danish Superliga season 2007–08 he scored 9 goals and alongside with Marcus Allbäck
was the team's main attacking force. In the beginning of 2008–09 season he usually started the matches, but recenatly he often finds himself on the bench with Ailton Almeida and Cesar Santin
playing in attack. Despite that, he scored 20 goals in competitive matches for FCK in 2008–09 season and was the team's top scorer.
He is also known as Denmarks version of Ole Gunnar Solskjær because of an old nickname "Babyface Assassin".
On August 2009 Nordstrand signed for Dutch Eredivisie
FC Groningen, as a replacement for fan favourite and fellow Scandinavian Marcus Berg
. In his debut game with his new club, he provided the only goal in a derby against SC Heerenveen, ended in a 1–0 win for FC Groningen, the first in the Eredivisie season for the Green-Whites. On 23 March 2010 FC Groningen announced that Nordstrand returns to the new season from Ehrendivisionär to the Danish double winners F.C. Copenhagen
. Groningen will not consider the purchase option of the 26-year-old striker.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
professional football player, who plays as a striker
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
for the Danish Superliga
Danish Superliga
The Danish Superliga is the current Danish football championship tournament, and administered by the Danish Football Association. It is the highest association football league in Denmark and is currently contested by 12 teams each year, with 2 teams to be relegated, which proves to be one of the...
side F.C. Copenhagen
F.C. Copenhagen
F.C. Copenhagen is a professional Danish football club in Copenhagen, Denmark. It is part of the Parken Sport & Entertainment....
. He has played eight times 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...
.
Biography
Born in HundestedHundested
Hundested is a town with a population of 8,861 and a former municipality in Region Hovedstaden in the northern part of the island of Zealand in eastern Denmark....
, Nordstrand played for the local club from he was 5 to 17 years old. He was known for scoring a lot of goals, and his father thought he should move to Frederikshavn
Frederikshavn
This article is about a Danish town. For the German town, see Friedrichshafen, and for the Finnish town, see Fredrikshamn .Frederikshavn is a Danish town in Frederikshavn municipality, Region Nordjylland on the northeast coast of the Jutland peninsula in northern Denmark. Its name translates to...
and stay at Nordjyllands Sportscollege and play for the local club Frederikshavn fI
Frederikshavn fI
Frederikshavn forenede Idrætsklubber is a Danish sports club based in Frederikshavn. The club has branches in football, handball, swimming, gymnastics and wrestling....
. After the college stay he moved back to Hundested. His coach from the sportcollege, contacted Lyngby BK about Nordstrand and his talent, and afterwards he started as senior player in Lyngby. When the club went bankrupt in the winter 2001, Nordstrand moved up from the youth team as one of several amateur players comprising Lyngby BK's first team squad. He made his senior debut in December 2001, 17 years old. He played three league games, as Lyngby finished last in the 2001–02 Superliga
Danish Superliga 2001-02
The 2001–02 Danish Superliga season was the 12th season of the Danish Superliga league championship, governed by the Danish Football Association...
season, and underwent forced relegation to the fourth level of Danish football
Football in Denmark
Association football is the national sport of Denmark, with 342,955 players and 1,647 clubs registered under the Danish FA.- League system :The top 4 levels in Denmark are governed by the Danish Football Association...
, the Denmark Series
Denmark Series
The Denmark Series is the 4th tier of football in Denmark. Teams are divided into three pools of fourteen teams each. The top two teams in each pool are promoted to the Danish 2nd Division West or Danish 2nd Division East, as is appropriate for each club geographically...
.
Nordstrand stayed at the club, and proved himself a goalscorer in the lower leagues of Danish football. Lyngby won promotion
Promotion and relegation
In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
to the Danish 2nd Division
Danish 2nd Division
The 2nd Division is the third tier Danish football league, just after the 1st Division.It was founded in 1945, after World War II, as the second-best Danish football division. When the Danish Superliga was founded in 1991, the 2nd Division became the third level league...
at the end of the 2003–04 season. Nordstrand formed a dangerous striker partnership with Christian Holst
Christian Holst
Christian Lamhauge Holst is a Danish/Faroese football player, currently playing for Silkeborg IF.- Club career :A striker, Holst started his career at Danish lower division teams Thurø and Svendborg before moving to Lyngby Boldklub in 2003...
, the pair scoring 43 goals in the 2004–05 season. Nordstrand was the club topscorer with 22 goals, as Lyngby finished third in the 2nd Division that year, and won promotion to the Danish 1st Division
Danish 1st Division
The 1st Division has been the name of the second highest football league in Denmark since 1991. From 1945 to 1991 the 1st Division was the name of the highest level of football in Denmark...
.
When Superliga club FC Nordsjælland
FC Nordsjælland
Football Club Nordsjælland is a professional Danish football team from the North Zealand town of Farum, Denmark. Founded as Farum Boldklub from the merger of the town's two football clubs Farum IK and Stavnsholt BK in 1991, the club changed its name to F.C...
(FCN) sold top-scoring striker, and later Danish international, Mads Junker
Mads Junker
Mads Junker is a Danish football striker playing for Roda JC, a team playing in the Dutch Eredivisie. He has played six matches for the Danish national team...
in January 2006, it was initially speculated that Nordstrand would fill his place in the FCN squad. Nordstrand finished the season with Lyngby, and topped the 1st Division goalscorer list with 29 goals, when Lyngby barely missed promotion during the 2005–06 season
Danish 1st Division 2005-06
This page displays the progress of the Danish 1st Divisions 2005-2006-season.The division-champion, Vejle BK, and runner-up, Randers FC, promoted to the Danish Superliga 2006-07...
. Nordstrand decided he wanted top-flight football, and was chased by a number of Superliga clubs, as well as Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
club FC Groningen. With his Lyngby contract running out in July 2006, he eventually signed a contract with FCN.
In his first season back in the top-flight Danish Superliga, he was the top goalscorer after the first half of the 2006–07 Superliga
Danish Superliga 2006-07
The 2006–07 Danish Superliga season was the 17th season of the Danish Superliga league championship, which determined the winners of the Danish football championship. It was governed by the Danish Football Association. It took place from the first match on July 19, 2006 to the final match on May...
, with 10 goals in 18 games. Nordstrand was called up for the league national team, which played a number of unofficial national team games in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
and Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
in January 2007, by national team manager Morten Olsen
Morten Olsen
Morten Per Olsen is a Danish football manager and former football player. He has been the head coach of the Danish national team since 2000, guiding Denmark to the 2002 FIFA World Cup, 2004 European Championship and 2010 FIFA World Cup...
. He played in all three games and scored one goal on the tour. On the date of arrival in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
from the tour, he was selected to 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...
for a friendly match against Australia in February 2007. He made his national team debut, when he came on as a substitute
Substitute (football)
In association football, a substitute is a player who is brought on to the pitch during a match in exchange for an existing player. Substitutions are generally made to replace a player who has become tired or injured, or who is not performing well; there may also be tactical reasons such as...
in the 86th minute of the match. He has played all matches of this season (33) scoring 18 or 19 goals. Some media says that he has scored 18 goals others say 19, a goal against FCM
FC Midtjylland
FC Midtjylland is a professional Danish football team from Herning and Ikast. The team is a result of a merger between Ikast FS and Herning Fremad...
was scored by either Nordstrand or Lundberg
Johnny Lundberg
Johnny Lundberg is a Swedish professional football defender, who currently plays for Halmstads BK.-Career:Starting his career in Landskrona BoIS at the age of 6, he then made his debut for the club in 2001 in Superettan, coming on as a substitute against GIF Sundsvall...
. Which is still discussed.
On 6 July 2007 he moved to F.C. Copenhagen, signing a five year long contract with the Danish champions
Danish football champions
The Danish football champions are the winners of the highest league of football in Denmark. The title has been contested since 1913, in a varying form of competitions. Since 1991, the winners have been found through the Danish Superliga championship...
. The transfer fee was reported to be around 15 million Danish krone
Danish krone
The krone is the official currency of the Kingdom of Denmark consisting of Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland. It is subdivided into 100 øre...
r (2 million Euro
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
), at that time the largest transfer fee ever paid for a player between two Danish clubs.
In FCK Nordstrand quickly became an important player. In Danish Superliga season 2007–08 he scored 9 goals and alongside with Marcus Allbäck
Marcus Allbäck
Marcus Christian Allbäck , is a Swedish legend and coach, who currently is assistant coach for the Sweden national football team and plays as striker for the Division 1 Södra club Örgryte IS. He is a well-travelled striker known for his sharp finishing ability...
was the team's main attacking force. In the beginning of 2008–09 season he usually started the matches, but recenatly he often finds himself on the bench with Ailton Almeida and Cesar Santin
César Santín
César Santin is a Brazilian footballer who plays as a forward for Danish Superliga club F.C. Copenhagen. He formerly played 5 years in Sweden for Kalmar FF....
playing in attack. Despite that, he scored 20 goals in competitive matches for FCK in 2008–09 season and was the team's top scorer.
He is also known as Denmarks version of Ole Gunnar Solskjær because of an old nickname "Babyface Assassin".
On August 2009 Nordstrand signed for Dutch Eredivisie
Eredivisie
The Eredivisie is the highest football league in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956 two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. It is currently ranked the ninth best league in Europe by UEFA....
FC Groningen, as a replacement for fan favourite and fellow Scandinavian Marcus Berg
Marcus Berg
Marcus Berg is a Swedish football striker who currently plays for German Bundesliga club Hamburger SV. He is nicknamed Svarte-Marcus due to scoring a lot of goals in the junior teams, in reference to Filip "Svarte-Filip" Johansson....
. In his debut game with his new club, he provided the only goal in a derby against SC Heerenveen, ended in a 1–0 win for FC Groningen, the first in the Eredivisie season for the Green-Whites. On 23 March 2010 FC Groningen announced that Nordstrand returns to the new season from Ehrendivisionär to the Danish double winners F.C. Copenhagen
F.C. Copenhagen
F.C. Copenhagen is a professional Danish football club in Copenhagen, Denmark. It is part of the Parken Sport & Entertainment....
. Groningen will not consider the purchase option of the 26-year-old striker.
International goals
- Scores and results list Denmark's goal tally first.
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition 1 2007-09-12 Aarhus AarhusAarhus or Århus is the second-largest city in Denmark. The principal port of Denmark, Aarhus is on the east side of the peninsula of Jutland in the geographical center of Denmark...
, DenmarkDenmarkDenmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
1–0 4–0 Euro 2008 qual. 2008 UEFA European Football Championship qualifying Group F-Standings:Key:*Teams highlighted in green qualified for the finalsNotes on the qualified teams:*Spain secured qualification to the tournament proper on 17 November 2007 following a 3–0 win against Sweden, becoming the tenth team in the whole of the qualification stage to do so*Sweden secured...2 2007-09-12 Aarhus AarhusAarhus or Århus is the second-largest city in Denmark. The principal port of Denmark, Aarhus is on the east side of the peninsula of Jutland in the geographical center of Denmark...
, DenmarkDenmarkDenmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
4–0 4–0 Euro 2008 qual. 2008 UEFA European Football Championship qualifying Group F-Standings:Key:*Teams highlighted in green qualified for the finalsNotes on the qualified teams:*Spain secured qualification to the tournament proper on 17 November 2007 following a 3–0 win against Sweden, becoming the tenth team in the whole of the qualification stage to do so*Sweden secured...3 2009-03-28 Attard AttardĦ'Attard is a village located at the centre-most point of the island of Malta. Together with Balzan and Lija it forms part of "the Three Villages" and has been inhabited since the Classical Period. Ħ'Attard's traditional Latin motto is Florigera rosis halo due to its many flower gardens and citrus...
, MaltaMaltaMalta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
3–0 3–0 World Cup 2010 qual. 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification - UEFA Group 1The 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification UEFA Group 1 was a UEFA qualifying group for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The group comprised 2006 fourth-place finishers Portugal, along with Sweden, Denmark, Hungary, Albania and Malta....
Honours
- Danish SuperligaDanish SuperligaThe Danish Superliga is the current Danish football championship tournament, and administered by the Danish Football Association. It is the highest association football league in Denmark and is currently contested by 12 teams each year, with 2 teams to be relegated, which proves to be one of the...
: 2008–09Danish Superliga 2008-09The 2008–09 Danish Superliga was the 19th season of Danish Superliga league championship, which determines the winners of the Danish football championship, governed by the Danish Football Association. The season started on 19 July 2008 and ended on 31 May 2009. The defending champions were Aalborg... - Danish CupDanish CupThe Danish Cup is the official "knockout" cup competition in Danish football, run by the Danish Football Association. The cup has been contested annually since 1955...
: 2008–09Danish Cup 2008-09The Danish Cup 2008–09 was the 53rd season of only Danish football cup competition. It was the first time since 2004 that the cup had a sponsor name: the daily Newspaper Ekstra Bladet has signed a 3-year contract with the Danish Football Association , making the official name Ekstra Bladet Cup... - Danish SuperligaDanish SuperligaThe Danish Superliga is the current Danish football championship tournament, and administered by the Danish Football Association. It is the highest association football league in Denmark and is currently contested by 12 teams each year, with 2 teams to be relegated, which proves to be one of the...
topscorer : 2008–09Danish Superliga 2008-09The 2008–09 Danish Superliga was the 19th season of Danish Superliga league championship, which determines the winners of the Danish football championship, governed by the Danish Football Association. The season started on 19 July 2008 and ended on 31 May 2009. The defending champions were Aalborg...
External links
F.C. Copenhagen profile- Danish national team profile
- Career statistics at Danmarks RadioDanmarks RadioDR – officially rendered into English as the Danish Broadcasting Corporation – is Denmark's national broadcasting corporation. Founded in 1925 as a public-service organization, it is today Denmark's oldest and largest electronic media enterprise...
Voetbal International profile