1. Overview
Jannik Vestergaard, born on August 3, 1992, is a Danish professional footballer who primarily plays as a centre-back for Premier League club Leicester City and the Denmark national team. He is known for his physicality, standing at 78 in (199 cm) and weighing 216 lb (98 kg), and defensive prowess. His career has seen him play for various clubs in the Danish and German leagues, as well as in the English Premier League. Vestergaard has represented Denmark across multiple youth levels and made his senior national team debut in 2013, participating in major tournaments such as the 2018 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2020. He is known for contributing significantly to his teams, including a key role in SV Werder Bremen's defensive stability and a resurgence at Leicester City. His original Danish name is Jannik VestergaardDanish.
2. Early Life and Personal Background
Jannik Vestergaard was born on August 3, 1992, in Hvidovre, a suburb of Copenhagen, Denmark, where he also grew up. His family background includes a Danish father and a German mother. This lineage made him eligible to represent both Denmark and Germany in international football, though he ultimately chose to play for Denmark, citing it as his long-held "dream."
Football runs in Vestergaard's family. His German grandfather, Hannes Schröers, was a footballer for Fortuna Düsseldorf, and his uncle, Jan Schröers, played for Bayer 05 Uerdingen. His cousin, Mika Schröers, also played for Borussia Mönchengladbach's youth teams in 2016, further illustrating the family's connection to the sport. In his personal life, Vestergaard is in a relationship with his girlfriend, Pernille, and they share a dog named Brady.
3. Club Career
Jannik Vestergaard's professional football journey has taken him through various clubs across Denmark, Germany, and England, demonstrating his adaptability and consistent performance as a centre-back.
3.1. Youth Career
Vestergaard began his football development at a young age, playing for several youth clubs in Denmark. His youth career included spells at Vestia, Boldklubben Frem, Kjøbenhavns Boldklub, and Brøndby. These formative years in Danish youth football provided the foundation for his future professional career.
3.2. TSG 1899 Hoffenheim
In 2010, Vestergaard left Denmark to join the German club TSG 1899 Hoffenheim. Initially, he played for Hoffenheim's second team (Hoffenheim II), making 22 appearances and scoring 4 goals. He made his professional first-team debut, which was also his Bundesliga debut, on April 16, 2011, coming on as a substitute for Ryan Babel in a league fixture against Eintracht Frankfurt.
During the 2011-12 season, Vestergaard became an established starter for Hoffenheim. He scored his first Bundesliga goal on February 11, 2012, in a 1-1 draw against SV Werder Bremen. After four seasons with TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, he departed the club in January 2015.
3.3. SV Werder Bremen
Vestergaard transferred to SV Werder Bremen in January 2015 from Hoffenheim. He made an immediate impact, debuting for Bremen on February 1, 2015, in a 2-0 victory over Hertha BSC. He quickly established himself as a key player for the team, playing a crucial role in addressing Werder Bremen's long-standing defensive vulnerabilities and contributing to the team's improved performance during that period.
He continued to be a central figure for Werder Bremen throughout the 2015-16 season. After approximately one and a half seasons with the club, Vestergaard moved to Borussia Mönchengladbach for a transfer fee reported to be around 14.00 M EUR.
3.4. Borussia Mönchengladbach
On June 11, 2016, Vestergaard completed his transfer to Borussia Mönchengladbach. The reported transfer fee was 12.00 M EUR along with potential bonuses. During his first season with Borussia Mönchengladbach, Vestergaard made his debut in the prestigious UEFA Champions League, appearing six times, and also played four times in the UEFA Europa League, marking a significant step in his club career. He remained with the club for two seasons before moving to England.
3.5. Southampton
Vestergaard's move to English football occurred on July 13, 2018, when he signed a four-year contract with Southampton. His Premier League debut for the club took place on August 12, 2018, in a goalless draw against Burnley. He scored his first goal for Southampton on August 31, 2019, netting the equalizer in a 1-1 draw against Manchester United. He played three seasons for Southampton, making 72 league appearances.
3.6. Leicester City
On August 12, 2021, Southampton accepted a transfer offer from Leicester City for Vestergaard. He officially signed a three-year contract with Leicester City the following day, August 13, 2021, for an undisclosed fee, although Sky Sports reported an estimated transfer fee of 15.00 M GBP. He made his debut for Leicester City just one day later, on August 14, 2021, as a 62nd-minute substitute in a 1-0 home victory against Wolverhampton Wanderers on the opening weekend of the Premier League season.
3.6.1. Initial Years and Challenges
After making 19 appearances in his first season with Leicester City, including three appearances in the UEFA Europa League and three in the UEFA Europa Conference League, Vestergaard faced significant challenges during the 2022-23 season. He did not make any appearances for the club in that season, which culminated in Leicester City's relegation from the Premier League.
His absence from the team was partly due to being demoted to the reserves in March 2023. This occurred after he gave an interview in which he was critical of the then-manager, Brendan Rodgers. Rodgers was subsequently sacked by the club a month later following a poor run of results that left Leicester in the relegation zone.
3.6.2. Resurgence and Contract Extension
Following the club's relegation to the EFL Championship, Vestergaard experienced a significant resurgence under new manager Enzo Maresca during the 2023-24 season. He successfully adapted to Maresca's possession-based football style and re-established himself as a starting central defender for Leicester.
On August 6, 2023, he started Leicester's opening match of the Championship season, a 2-1 home win over Coventry City. Vestergaard scored his first goal for Leicester City on October 21, 2023, in a 3-1 away victory against Swansea City. His renewed importance to the team was solidified on June 7, 2024, when he extended his contract with the club until 2027.
4. International Career
Jannik Vestergaard has been a consistent presence in the Danish national football setup, representing his country at various youth levels and becoming a key member of the senior squad, participating in major international tournaments.
4.1. Youth National Teams
Vestergaard represented the Denmark national youth teams at multiple age groups, including the under-18, under-19, under-20, and under-21 levels.
He was a pivotal player for the Denmark U-21 team at the 2015 UEFA European Under-21 Championship held in the Czech Republic. During the tournament, he scored in the opening match against the host nation at the Eden Arena in Prague, contributing to a 2-1 victory.
4.2. Senior National Team
Vestergaard received his first call-up to the Denmark senior team in August 2013. He made his senior international debut later that month, on August 14, 2013, in a match against Poland.
His first goal for the Denmark national team came in a competitive game on November 17, 2015. He scored an equalizer in a 2-2 draw against Sweden in the return leg of the UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying play-offs. Despite his late goal, Denmark ultimately lost the tie on aggregate and did not qualify for the main tournament.
4.3. Major Tournaments
Jannik Vestergaard has been a part of Denmark's squads for significant international competitions:
- He was a member of Denmark's squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup held in Russia. However, he did not make any appearances during the tournament.
- In June 2021, he was included in the national team's squad for UEFA Euro 2020, where the team advanced to the semi-finals.
- Vestergaard was also part of the Denmark squads for the UEFA Nations League 2020 and UEFA Nations League 2022 campaigns.
5. Honours and Achievements
Leicester City
- EFL Championship: 2023-24
Individual
- PFA Team of the Year: 2023-24 Championship
6. Career Statistics
6.1. Club Statistics
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Europe | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| TSG Hoffenheim | 2010-11 | Bundesliga | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | 1 | 0 | |||
| 2011-12 | Bundesliga | 23 | 2 | 3 | 0 | - | - | 26 | 2 | |||
| 2012-13 | Bundesliga | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | 2 | 0 | 19 | 0 | ||
| 2013-14 | Bundesliga | 25 | 1 | 4 | 0 | - | - | 29 | 1 | |||
| 2014-15 | Bundesliga | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 7 | 2 | |||
| Total | 71 | 4 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 82 | 5 | ||
| Werder Bremen | 2014-15 | Bundesliga | 15 | 1 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 16 | 1 | ||
| 2015-16 | Bundesliga | 33 | 2 | 5 | 1 | - | - | 38 | 3 | |||
| Total | 48 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 54 | 4 | ||
| Borussia Mönchengladbach | 2016-17 | Bundesliga | 34 | 4 | 5 | 0 | - | 10 | 0 | 49 | 4 | |
| 2017-18 | Bundesliga | 32 | 3 | 2 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | 34 | 3 | ||
| Total | 66 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 83 | 7 | ||
| Southampton | 2018-19 | Premier League | 23 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | 26 | 0 | |
| 2019-20 | Premier League | 19 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 21 | 1 | ||
| 2020-21 | Premier League | 30 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 32 | 3 | ||
| Total | 72 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 79 | 4 | ||
| Leicester City | 2021-22 | Premier League | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 20 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | 3 | 0 | ||
| 2023-24 | Championship | 42 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 44 | 2 | ||
| 2024-25 | Premier League | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | 19 | 0 | ||
| Total | 70 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 86 | 2 | ||
| Career total | 327 | 20 | 32 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 384 | 22 | ||
6.2. International Statistics
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denmark | 2013 | 1 | 0 |
| 2014 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2015 | 3 | 1 | |
| 2016 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2017 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2018 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2020 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 11 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 3 | 1 | |
| 2023 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 14 | 1 | |
| Total | 51 | 3 | |
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 17 November 2015 | Parken Stadium, Copenhagen, Denmark | Sweden | 2-2 | 2-2 | UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying |
| 2 | 26 March 2022 | Johan Cruyff Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands | Netherlands | 1-1 | 2-4 | Friendly |
| 3 | 8 June 2024 | Brøndby Stadium, Brøndbyvester, Denmark | Norway | 2-0 | 3-1 | Friendly |
7. External links
- [https://www.lcfc.com/players/20109/Jannik-Vestergaard/profile Profile at the Leicester City F.C. website]
- [https://www.dbu.dk/landshold/landsholdsdatabasen/PlayerInfo/6829 Player's profile at the Danish Football Association]
- [https://int.soccerway.com/players/jannik-vestergaard/143213/ Jannik Vestergaard at Soccerway]