Thomas Delaney

2.1. Birth and ancestry

Thomas Joseph Delaney was born on 3 September 1991, in Frederiksberg, Denmark. His family background is notably diverse, reflecting Danish, American, and Irish roots. While Delaney himself and his father were born in Denmark, his paternal grandfather was born in the United States, granting Delaney's father American citizenship, which Thomas also holds. Further back, his paternal great-grandfather emigrated from Ireland to the United States in the 19th century, specifically to the New York area, during the Great Famine.

2.2. Childhood and youth career

Delaney began his football journey at a young age, starting his youth career at Kjøbenhavns Boldklub, which functions as the reserve team for the Danish club Copenhagen. He played youth football there from 1993 until 2008, developing his skills and progressing through the ranks of the club's youth system. During the 2008-09 season, while still primarily playing with Kjøbenhavns Boldklub's youth team, Delaney was frequently called upon to train with F.C. Copenhagen's first team, providing him with early exposure to professional football.

3.1. F.C. Copenhagen

Delaney started his professional journey at his boyhood club, F.C. Copenhagen. He made his unofficial debut in a friendly match in August 2008. His official debut for the first team came in April 2009, during the first leg of the Danish Cup semi-finals against Nordvest FC, where he was substituted into the match for Hjalte Nørregaard in the second half. In the return leg two weeks later, Delaney was part of the starting eleven, playing for the first 60 minutes before being replaced by Şaban Özdoğan.

In the summer of 2009, Delaney, along with Özdoğan, was officially promoted to the first-team squad. He made his continental debut and scored his first goal for the club on 22 July 2009, playing the full second leg of Copenhagen's Champions League second qualifying round match against FK Mogren, contributing to a comfortable victory. His Danish Superliga debut followed on 9 August 2009, when he came on as a substitute for Atiba Hutchinson late in the match against SønderjyskE.

On 29 December 2011, Delaney signed a contract extension, committing him to Copenhagen until the end of 2014. At this point, despite being only 20 years old, he had already become the longest-serving player at the club. His commitment to the club continued as he extended his contract again on 6 July 2013, until 2015, and was simultaneously given the number 8 jersey.

During the 2013-14 season, Delaney solidified his position as a regular starter, excelling in his preferred midfield role. This period included significant appearances in the UEFA Champions League against prominent clubs such as Juventus, Real Madrid, and Galatasaray. On 23 January 2014, he signed yet another contract extension, tying him to the club until 2017, and was officially appointed as the team's vice-captain. Just six months later, his leadership was further recognized when he was promoted to club captain.

Delaney played a pivotal role in Copenhagen's domestic successes. On 14 May 2015, he was named Man of the Match in the Danish Cup final, where F.C. Copenhagen defeated fellow Superliga side FC Vestsjælland 3-2 after extra time.

His strong performances extended to European competitions. On 27 September 2016, in a UEFA Champions League match against Belgian side Club Brugge KV, Delaney scored a spectacular goal from a half-volley with his left foot from approximately 30 yd out, contributing to a dominant 4-0 victory. This goal was later voted third in the UEFA Champions League's goal of the season.

During his initial tenure, Delaney made 249 appearances across all competitions, scoring 24 goals. He was instrumental in Copenhagen winning five Danish Superliga titles (2009-10, 2010-11, 2012-13, 2015-16, 2016-17) and four Danish Cup titles (2011-12, 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17).

On 20 July 2024, after a seven-and-a-half-year absence, Delaney made a much-anticipated return to F.C. Copenhagen, signing a two-year deal with the club.

3.2. Werder Bremen

On 17 August 2016, German club Werder Bremen announced that Delaney would be joining them in January 2017. He made an immediate impact, scoring his first goal for the club on 18 February 2017, with a direct free kick in a 2-0 away victory against Mainz 05. However, he had to be stretchered off the pitch during the same match due to a suspected concussion. This victory marked Werder Bremen's first win of the new year, following a series of four consecutive defeats.

Delaney further showcased his scoring ability on 1 April 2017, when he scored the first hat-trick of his career in Werder Bremen's dominant 5-2 away win against SC Freiburg.

3.3. Borussia Dortmund

On 7 June 2018, Thomas Delaney signed a four-year contract with Borussia Dortmund. The transfer fee paid to Werder Bremen was widely reported to be approximately 20.00 M EUR.

During his time at Borussia Dortmund, Delaney contributed to the team's successes. On 13 May 2021, he came on as a second-half substitute in the 2021 DFB-Pokal Final, helping Dortmund secure a 4-1 victory over RB Leipzig, clinching the DFB-Pokal title. He also won the 2019 DFL-Supercup with the club.

3.4. Sevilla and loan spells

On 25 August 2021, Delaney moved to Spain, joining La Liga side Sevilla on a four-year contract. The transfer fee was reported to be around 7.00 M EUR.

His tenure at Sevilla included two loan spells. On 30 January 2023, he returned to Germany, joining TSG Hoffenheim on loan for the remainder of the 2022-23 season.

Following this, on 22 August 2023, Delaney moved to Belgian Pro League club Anderlecht on a season-long loan agreement which included an option to buy. He made his debut for Anderlecht on 27 August 2023, in a 2-1 victory against Charleroi. He scored his first goal for the Mauves on 1 December 2023, in a 3-1 away win against KVC Westerlo. However, his time at Anderlecht was marked by inconsistency, primarily due to injuries, which limited his playing time with the Belgian giants. This ultimately led to Anderlecht deciding not to activate the buy option for Delaney at the end of his loan spell. He made a total of 25 appearances for the club during this period.

After his loan period concluded, Delaney returned to his former club, F.C. Copenhagen, on 20 July 2024.

4.1. Youth national teams

Delaney's international career began with the Danish youth teams. He made his debut for the Denmark U-18 team in October 2008, making three appearances in total. He then played 11 matches for the Denmark U-19 team, scoring one goal. On 11 August 2010, he made his debut for the Denmark U-21 team in a friendly match against the Italy U-21 team. He played 11 games for the U-21 team between 2010 and 2012 and also made two appearances for the Denmark U-20 team in 2011.

4.2. Senior national team debut and early years

Delaney earned his first cap for the senior national team on 15 October 2013, making his debut in a 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification match against Malta. He played the entire 90 minutes of the 6-0 home victory. His second senior cap did not come until 25 March 2015, when he was introduced as a half-time substitute in a 3-2 friendly win against the United States in Aarhus.

He scored his first international goal on 1 September 2017, opening the scoring in a 4-0 home win over Poland in 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification. Just three days later, Delaney achieved a personal milestone by scoring a hat-trick as Denmark came from behind to win 4-1 away against Armenia.

4.3. Major tournaments and achievements

Delaney has been a consistent presence in Denmark's squads for major international tournaments. In June 2018, he was selected for Denmark's squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. He was also named in the 26-man squad for UEFA Euro 2020. During the Euro 2020 tournament, he scored the opening goal in the 2-1 quarter-final victory against the Czech Republic, a crucial contribution that helped Denmark reach the semi-finals for the first time in approximately 29 years, where he was named Man of the Match. He was also part of Denmark's squads for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and UEFA Euro 2024.

4.4. Retirement from international football

On 25 August 2024, Thomas Delaney announced his retirement from international football. He concluded his international career with 8 goals in 81 appearances for the Denmark national team.

5.1. Family and relationships

Thomas Delaney married Michelle Lindemann Jensen on 27 December 2020. Michelle is the daughter of former Brøndby coach Henrik Jensen and the sister of former national team player Mike Jensen. Thomas and Michelle first met while they were both studying at Niels Brock Copenhagen Business College. The couple welcomed their daughter, Billie, in February 2021.

5.2. Other personal details

Delaney is known to be red-green color blind. This condition means he has difficulty distinguishing between shades of red and green, a fact that has sometimes been discussed in the context of football kits and pitch conditions.

6.1. Club statistics

6.2. International statistics

7.1. Club honours

Copenhagen

• Danish Superliga: 2009-10, 2010-11, 2012-13, 2015-16, 2016-17
• Danish Cup: 2011-12, 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17

Borussia Dortmund

• DFB-Pokal: 2020-21
• DFL-Supercup: 2019

7.2. Individual honours

• Arla's Talent Award: 2009
• Danish Cup Fighter: 2015
• F.C. Copenhagen Player of the Year: 2015, 2016