Mathias Jensen
Jensen with Celta Vigo in 2018
Personal information
Full name Mathias Jensen[1]
Date of birth (1996-01-01) 1 January 1996 (age 28)
Place of birth Jerslev, Zealand, Denmark[2]
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[3]
Position(s) Central midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Brentford
Number 8
Youth career
2001–2007 Hvidebæk IF
2007–2011 Kalundborg GB
2011–2015 Nordsjælland
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015–2018 Nordsjælland 63 (15)
2018–2019 Celta Vigo 6 (0)
2019– Brentford 168 (11)
International career‡
2014 Denmark U18 1 (0)
2014–2015 Denmark U19 8 (0)
2015–2017 Denmark U20 6 (1)
2017–2019 Denmark U21 15 (2)
2020– Denmark 28 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:45, 31 January 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 22:38, 20 November 2023 (UTC)

Mathias Jensen (born 1 January 1996) is a Danish professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for Premier League club Brentford and the Denmark national team.

Jensen is a product of the Nordsjælland academy and began his senior career with the club in 2016. Following two seasons as a regular member of the team, he transferred to Celta Vigo in 2018. After an injury-hit 2018–19 season, he transferred to Brentford and was a part of the squad which was promoted to the Premier League in 2021. A former Denmark youth international, Jensen made his full international debut in 2020.

Club career

Nordsjælland

A midfielder, Jensen progressed through the academy at Nordsjælland and signed a three-year professional contract in January 2015.[4][5] He was promoted into the first team squad for the 2015–16 season and made five appearances during the campaign, scoring one goal, which came in a 2–2 draw with Randers on 1 May 2016.[1] Jensen was a regular in the 2016–17 season, making 22 appearances,[6] before 2017–18 proved to be his breakthrough season.[1] He made 36 appearances, scored 12 goals, was awarded the captaincy and his achievements were recognised by the DBU and his club,[7] with the DBU 2017 Talent of the Year and FC Nordsjælland Player of the Year awards respectively.[8][9] After three early 2018–19-season appearances, Jensen departed Nordsjælland in August 2018.[10] During just over three seasons as a professional at Farum Park, Jensen made 66 appearances and scored 15 goals.[1]

Celta Vigo

On 8 August 2018, Jensen moved to Spain joining La Liga club Celta Vigo on a five-year contract.[10] During an injury-affected 2018–19 season, he made just six appearances and left the club in July 2019.[11][12]

Brentford

2019–2021

On 10 July 2019, Jensen moved to England signing with Championship club Brentford on a four-year contract, with the option of an additional year, for an undisclosed fee,[12] reported to be £3.5 million.[13] He made 43 appearances and scored one goal during the 2019–20 season,[14] which ended with defeat in the 2020 Championship play-off final.[15] Jensen made a career high 53 appearances during the 2020–21 season and celebrated promotion to the Premier League with victory in the 2021 Championship play-off final.[16][17]

2021–22

As a result of suffering a "badly gashed" foot while away on international duty, Jensen missed Brentford's entire 2021–22 pre-season and the first three matches of the regular season.[18][19] Restricted to a mix of starting and substitute roles,[20][21] particularly after the January 2022 signing of Christian Eriksen,[22] Jensen made 35 appearances during a "stop-start" season.[19][23] Despite being affected by COVID-19 and another minor injury, Jensen won praise from head coach Thomas Frank for training "like an animal" while sidelined.[22]

2022–23

Entering the final year of his contract, Jensen hired his own personal trainer to work with him daily during the off-season in Denmark and he returned for the 2022–23 pre-season "in incredible shape".[22][24] He was challenged by head coach Thomas Frank to be the replacement for the departed Christian Eriksen.[22] Jensen began the regular season in a starting role and as a regular set piece taker.[1][24] Coaching from specialist throw-in coach Thomas Gronnemark helped length his throws.[24] Jensen's performance and first Premier League goal in a 4–0 win over Manchester United on 13 August 2022 was recognised with the man of the match award.[25][26] On 18 January 2022, Jensen signed a new 3+1⁄2-year contract, with the option of a further year.[23] Head coach Thomas Frank commended Jensen's "pressing abilities", "his defensive mindset" and stated that "he has been one of our best players so far this season".[23] In the process of winning his 23rd cap for Denmark in a Euro 2024 qualifier versus Finland on 23 March 2023, Jensen became Brentford's most-capped international player.[27] Until missing the final match of the season,[28] Jensen was an ever-present starter in league matches and he improved his goal tally to five.[1]

2023–24

An ever-present starter in league matches until being sidelined for a month with an adductor issue in late November 2023,[1][29] Jensen was then Brentford's second-highest scorer so far during the 2023–24 season, with four goals.[30]

International career

Jensen made 30 appearances and scored 3 goals for Denmark between U18 and U21 level.[31] He was a part of Denmark's squads at the 2017 and 2019 European U21 Championships.[31] Jensen was named in the senior team's preliminary 35-man squad for the 2018 World Cup,[32] but he was not included in the final squad.[12] In October 2020, Jensen won a late call-up to the full Denmark squad for a series of three matches, as a replacement for injured Brentford teammate Christian Nørgaard.[33] He made his full international debut with a start in a 4–0 friendly win over the Faroe Islands on 7 October and scored his first full international goal on his fifth cap, in a 8–0 2022 World Cup qualifying win over Moldova on 28 March 2021.[31]

Jensen was named in the Denmark squad for Euro 2020 and he appeared as a substitute in each of the six matches during the Danes' run to the semi-final.[34][35] Jensen was named in Denmark's 2022 World Cup squad and made two appearances prior to the team's group stage exit.[31][36]

Style of play

Jensen has been described as a "player who can dictate the game", "has a great passing ability" and "a great football brain".[12] Midway through the 2022–23 season, he remarked that while he has "always been a technical player who doesn't really enjoy the big tackles", he had developed his "aggression" and "adapted to the tempo of the Premier League".[23]

Personal life

Jensen is a Manchester United and Barcelona supporter.[37]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 31 January 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] League cup[b] Europe Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Nordsjælland 2015–16[1] Danish Superliga 5 1 0 0 ― ― ― 5 1
2016–17[6] Danish Superliga 22 2 1 0 ― ― ― 23 2
2017–18[1] Danish Superliga 35 12 1 0 ― ― ― 36 12
2018–19[1] Danish Superliga 1 0 1 0 ― 1[c] 0 ― 2 0
Total 63 15 3 0 ― 1 0 ― 67 15
Celta Vigo 2018–19[11] La Liga 6 0 0 0 ― ― ― 6 0
Brentford 2019–20[14] Championship 39 1 0 0 1 0 ― 3[d] 0 43 1
2020–21[16] Championship 45 2 1 0 4 0 ― 3[d] 0 53 2
2021–22[19] Premier League 31 0 1 0 3 0 ― ― 35 0
2022–23[25] Premier League 37 5 1 0 1 0 ― ― 39 5
2023–24[38] Premier League 16 3 2 0 2 1 ― ― 20 4
Total 168 11 5 0 11 1 ― 6 0 190 12
Career total 237 26 8 0 11 1 1 0 6 0 263 27
  1. ^ Includes Danish Cup, Copa del Rey, FA Cup
  2. ^ Includes EFL Cup
  3. ^ Appearance in UEFA Europa League
  4. ^ a b Appearances in Championship play-offs

International

As of match played 20 November 2023[31]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Denmark 2020 4 0
2021 11 1
2022 7 0
2023 6 0
Total 28 1
Scores and results list Denmark's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Jensen goal.
List of international goals scored by Mathias Jensen
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition Ref.
1 28 March 2021 MCH Arena, Herning, Denmark  Moldova 5–0 8–0 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification [31]

Honours

Brentford

Individual

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Mathias Jensen at Soccerway. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
  2. ^ "Get to Know: Mathias Jensen". Brentford FC. Archived from the original on 29 October 2020. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  3. ^ "Mathias Jensen". Brentford FC. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  4. ^ "FC Nordsjælland forlænger med U19-anfører" (in Danish). bold.dk. 15 January 2015.
  5. ^ "U/19 og U/17 klar til et spændende forår". FC Nordsjælland (in Danish). 2 March 2015. Archived from the original on 4 October 2022. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  6. ^ a b "Games played by Mathias Jensen in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  7. ^ "Mathias Jensen stolt af anførerrolle i FCN". bold.dk (in Danish). 31 August 2017. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  8. ^ a b "Mathias Jensen snuppede årets talent". bold.dk (in Danish). 2 March 2018. Retrieved 2 March 2018.
  9. ^ a b "Mathias Jensen er årets spiller i FCN" (in Danish). bold.dk. 23 May 2018. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
  10. ^ a b "El Celta refuerza su centro del campo con el danés Mathias Jensen" (in Spanish). Europa Press. 8 August 2018.
  11. ^ a b "Games played by Mathias Jensen in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  12. ^ a b c d "Brentford sign Mathias Jensen from Celta Vigo". www.brentfordfc.com. Archived from the original on 1 July 2022. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  13. ^ "Frank feeling good about Brentford's fortunes". Ealing Times. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
  14. ^ a b "Games played by Mathias Jensen in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  15. ^ "Brentford 1 Fulham 2". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
  16. ^ a b "Games played by Mathias Jensen in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  17. ^ a b Vincent, Gareth (29 May 2021). "Brentford 2–0 Swansea City". BBC Sport. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
  18. ^ McCullough, Ian (11 August 2021). "Jensen and Dasilva to miss Arsenal game but Toney is fit". West London Sport. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  19. ^ a b c "Games played by Mathias Jensen in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
  20. ^ Harris, Jay. "Mathias Jensen has not been at his best – do Brentford need Saman Ghoddos to kick-start season?". The Athletic. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  21. ^ Vegas, Paul. "Mathias Jensen open to staying with Brentford". Tribal Football. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  22. ^ a b c d Harris, Jay. "Mathias Jensen made replacing Eriksen look so effortless that nobody talks about it anymore". The Athletic. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
  23. ^ a b c d "Jensen signs new contract". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
  24. ^ a b c Goodwin, Adam. "Mathias Jensen: Confidence is Key". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  25. ^ a b "Games played by Mathias Jensen in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  26. ^ @BrentfordFC (14 August 2022). "🙌 Mathias Jensen 🙌 A well-deserved Man of the Match award for Mathias! #BrentfordFC | #BREMUN | @UtilitaFootball" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  27. ^ "Jensen becomes club's most-capped player". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  28. ^ "Brentford 1–0 Man City: Thomas Frank's Bees beat champions through Ethan Pinnock's goal but miss out on Europe". Sky Sports. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  29. ^ "Mathias Jensen injury update". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  30. ^ "Brentford: Ben Mee on Ivan Toney absence". BBC Sport. 23 November 2023. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  31. ^ a b c d e f Mathias Jensen national team profile at the Danish Football Association (in Danish)
  32. ^ "Revealed: Every World Cup 2018 squad – Final 23-man lists". Goal.com.
  33. ^ "16 players building-up to international action this week". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  34. ^ "Christian Nørgaard and Mathias Jensen named in Denmark Euro 2020 squad". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  35. ^ "Christian and Mathias' Euro adventure ends in Semi-Final". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
  36. ^ "De første spillere til VM-truppen er fundet". DBU (in Danish). Retrieved 7 November 2022.
  37. ^ Gillett, Stephen. "The Mighty Interview – Mathias Jensen" (PDF). The Mighty Delta (Interview). pp. 13–16. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  38. ^ "Games played by Mathias Jensen in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 13 August 2023.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mathias Jensen.
Brentford F.C. – current squad
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