Per Røntved
Encyclopedia
Per Christian Røntved is a Danish
former footballer
, who played professionally for German
club SV Werder Bremen
from 1972 to 1979. He also played for Danish clubs Brønshøj BK
, Randers Freja, and Hvidovre IF
. He was named 1972 Danish Player of the Year
, and was the first to earn 75 caps for the Denmark national football team
, doing so from 1970 to 1982.
in Copenhagen
, Røntved started his club career at local club Brønshøj Boldklub. He made his senior debut as a left winger at the age of 18, and played alongside his footballing idol Erik Nielsen at Brønshøj. He was eventually moved back to the defender
position to cover for injuries in the Brønshøj team. He helped the club win promotion
for the top-flight Danish 1st Division
in 1969. Having participated in the 1972 Summer Olympics
, Røntved moved abroad to play professionally for SV Werder Bremen
in the German Bundesliga.
At Werder Bremen, he played alongside fellow Danish international John Danielsen
, under German manager Sepp Piontek. Røntved played seven seasons at Werder Bremen, first as a midfielder
, but he eventually settled as a libero
. He was known for his good humour in the dressing room, and was chosen as Werder Bremen team captain for a number of games. As Werder was not a rich club, the notion that they could always "Sell Røntved" if they needed money was popularized. According to new Werder manager Otto Rehhagel
, Røntved was the next best libero in the World, second only to Franz Beckenbauer
. He was expected to replace Beckenbauer at FC Bayern Munich
in 1977, but Røntved chose to stay with Werder. He played 194 games and scored 40 goals for Werder in the Bundesliga until June 1979.
Røntved moved back to Denmark in 1979, to play for Randers Freja in the second-tier Danish 2nd Division
. He played three-and-a-half years with the club, which was relegated
to the 3rd Division in his last year with the team. He played his last active year in Denmark with 1st Division club Hvidovre IF
in 1983.
from October 1970 to May 1971. He started his international career as a left winger, but was central defender and team captain in the Danish team at the 1972 Summer Olympics
in Munich
. He played six games at the tournament, and scored a single goal against Brazil
. After the 1972 Olympics, he won the 1972 Danish Player of the Year
award.
While at Werder Bremen, he eventually became permanent Danish international team captain, and in May 1979, he became the sixth Dane to play 50 national team games. He was influential in Sepp Piontek becoming Danish national team manager in 1979, when he recommended his former Werder team-mate and manager for the job. When he moved back to Randers in the summer 1979, Sepp Piontek dropped him from the national team after his 51st national team game. Piontek re-called him to the national team in June 1980, and Røntved went on to play another 24 national team matches.
Røntved broke Henning Munk Jensen
's 1978 record of 62 national team games in August 1981. He became the first Dane to reach 75 national team matches in his last national team game in November 1982, a Danish record until broken by Morten Olsen
in 1985. He was selected team captain in 38 of his national team matches, breaking Ole Madsen
's record of 25, another record which Morten Olsen broke in 1987.
. He is married and has two kids. When he moved back to Denmark in 1979, he opened a sporting goods store in Randers
. In 1979, he also published his memoirs, which caused great controversy for its outspoken description and criticism of the life as a professional footballer.
He planned to wind down his football career by playing in the United States
, but was stopped abruptly in June 1984. During a rope jumping
challenge with his brother, Per suffered from a cerebral hemorrhage, resulting in paralysis of the left side of his body. He recovered, and was involved in the management of several smaller Danish football clubs, and served as a technical advisor for the National Football Association of Swaziland
. He also became a popular motivational speaker.
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...
former footballer
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...
, who played professionally for German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
club SV Werder Bremen
SV Werder Bremen
SV Werder Bremen is a German sports club best known for its association football team playing in Bremen, in the northwest German federal state of the same name. The club was founded on 4 February 1899 as Fußballverein Werder by a group of sixteen vocational high school students who had won a prize...
from 1972 to 1979. He also played for Danish clubs Brønshøj BK
Brønshøj BK
Brønshøj Boldklub is a Danish football club, currently playing in the Danish 1st Division.-Current squad:As of November 13, 2011-Famous players:Patrick Tronborg Kent Nielsen...
, Randers Freja, and Hvidovre IF
Hvidovre IF
Hvidovre IF is a Danish football club, founded on 15 October 1925 in Hvidovre.- Current squad :As of 2011-03-21...
. He was named 1972 Danish Player of the Year
Danish Player of the Year
The Danish Player of the Year award is an annual prize, which has been given to the best Danish football player by the Danish Football Player Association since 1963. The winner is decided in a vote amongst the professional Danish footballers....
, and was the first to earn 75 caps 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...
, doing so from 1970 to 1982.
Club career
Born at FrederiksbergFrederiksberg
Frederiksberg Kommune is a municipality on the island of Zealand in Denmark. It surrounded by the city of Copenhagen. The municipality, co-extensive with its seat, covers an area of and has a total population of 98,782 making it the smallest municipality in Denmark area-wise, the fifth most...
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...
, Røntved started his club career at local club Brønshøj Boldklub. He made his senior debut as a left winger at the age of 18, and played alongside his footballing idol Erik Nielsen at Brønshøj. He was eventually moved back to the defender
Defender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
position to cover for injuries in the Brønshøj team. He helped the club win 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...
for the top-flight 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...
in 1969. Having participated in the 1972 Summer Olympics
1972 Summer Olympics
The 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from August 26 to September 11, 1972....
, Røntved moved abroad to play professionally for SV Werder Bremen
SV Werder Bremen
SV Werder Bremen is a German sports club best known for its association football team playing in Bremen, in the northwest German federal state of the same name. The club was founded on 4 February 1899 as Fußballverein Werder by a group of sixteen vocational high school students who had won a prize...
in the German Bundesliga.
At Werder Bremen, he played alongside fellow Danish international John Danielsen
John Danielsen
John Danielsen was a Danish footballer.During his club career he played for Boldklubben 1909. He earned 27 caps for the Denmark national football team, won a silver medal in football at the 1960 Summer Olympics, and was in the finals squad for the 1964 European Nations' Cup.He played for 1909 from...
, under German manager Sepp Piontek. Røntved played seven seasons at Werder Bremen, first as a midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
, but he eventually settled as a libero
Defender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
. He was known for his good humour in the dressing room, and was chosen as Werder Bremen team captain for a number of games. As Werder was not a rich club, the notion that they could always "Sell Røntved" if they needed money was popularized. According to new Werder manager Otto Rehhagel
Otto Rehhagel
Otto Rehhagel is a German football coach and former football player. Along with Helmut Schön, Ottmar Hitzfeld, Udo Lattek and Hennes Weisweiler, he is considered one of the most successful German managers....
, Røntved was the next best libero in the World, second only to Franz Beckenbauer
Franz Beckenbauer
Franz Anton Beckenbauer is a German football coach, manager, and former player, nicknamed Der Kaiser because of his elegant style, his leadership, his first name "Franz" , and his dominance on the football pitch...
. He was expected to replace Beckenbauer at FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups....
in 1977, but Røntved chose to stay with Werder. He played 194 games and scored 40 goals for Werder in the Bundesliga until June 1979.
Røntved moved back to Denmark in 1979, to play for Randers Freja in the second-tier 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...
. He played three-and-a-half years with the club, which was relegated
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 3rd Division in his last year with the team. He played his last active year in Denmark with 1st Division club Hvidovre IF
Hvidovre IF
Hvidovre IF is a Danish football club, founded on 15 October 1925 in Hvidovre.- Current squad :As of 2011-03-21...
in 1983.
International career
Røntved made his debut for the Danish national team in June 1970, while playing at Brønshøj. He also played three games for the Denmark under-21 teamDenmark national under-21 football team
The Denmark national under-21 football team has played since 1976 and is controlled by the Danish Football Association. Before 1976, the age limit was 23 years.-U-21 European Championship:*1978 – Quarterfinals*1980 to 1984 – Did not qualify...
from October 1970 to May 1971. He started his international career as a left winger, but was central defender and team captain in the Danish team at the 1972 Summer Olympics
1972 Summer Olympics
The 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from August 26 to September 11, 1972....
in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
. He played six games at the tournament, and scored a single goal against Brazil
Brazil national football team
The Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...
. After the 1972 Olympics, he won the 1972 Danish Player of the Year
Danish Player of the Year
The Danish Player of the Year award is an annual prize, which has been given to the best Danish football player by the Danish Football Player Association since 1963. The winner is decided in a vote amongst the professional Danish footballers....
award.
While at Werder Bremen, he eventually became permanent Danish international team captain, and in May 1979, he became the sixth Dane to play 50 national team games. He was influential in Sepp Piontek becoming Danish national team manager in 1979, when he recommended his former Werder team-mate and manager for the job. When he moved back to Randers in the summer 1979, Sepp Piontek dropped him from the national team after his 51st national team game. Piontek re-called him to the national team in June 1980, and Røntved went on to play another 24 national team matches.
Røntved broke Henning Munk Jensen
Henning Munk Jensen
Henning Munk Jensen is a Danish former association football player in the defender position. He most prominently played professionally for Dutch team PSV Eindhoven, as well as 392 games for AaB in Denmark during the 1960s...
's 1978 record of 62 national team games in August 1981. He became the first Dane to reach 75 national team matches in his last national team game in November 1982, a Danish record until broken by 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...
in 1985. He was selected team captain in 38 of his national team matches, breaking Ole Madsen
Ole Madsen
Ole Eduard Fischer Madsen is a former international footballer from Denmark. He scored 42 goals in 50 matches for the national team. Danish football fans remember him for scoring on a heel kick against Sweden in 1965. He died at age 71 in 2006.His clubs as a player include BK Stefan, HIK and...
's record of 25, another record which Morten Olsen broke in 1987.
Personal life
Per Røntved is the older brother of former professional footballer Kim RøntvedKim Røntved
Kim Røntved , known as "the Rocket", is a Danish former professional football player and current head coach of the Missouri Comets....
. He is married and has two kids. When he moved back to Denmark in 1979, he opened a sporting goods store in Randers
Randers
Randers is a city in Randers municipality on the Jutland peninsula in central Denmark. It is Denmark's sixth-largest city, with a population of 60,656 . Randers city is the main town of the municipality and the site of its municipal council.-Overview:Randers municipality has 94,750 inhabitants...
. In 1979, he also published his memoirs, which caused great controversy for its outspoken description and criticism of the life as a professional footballer.
He planned to wind down his football career by playing in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, but was stopped abruptly in June 1984. During a rope jumping
Jump rope
Jump rope or skipping rope is the primary tool used in the game of skipping played by children and many young adults, where one or more participants jump over a rope swung so that it passes under their feet and over their heads...
challenge with his brother, Per suffered from a cerebral hemorrhage, resulting in paralysis of the left side of his body. He recovered, and was involved in the management of several smaller Danish football clubs, and served as a technical advisor for the National Football Association of Swaziland
National Football Association of Swaziland
The National Football Association of Swaziland is the governing body of football in Swaziland. It was founded in 1968, and affiliated to FIFA in 1978 and to CAF in 1976. It organizes the national football league and the national team....
. He also became a popular motivational speaker.