Tottenham’s Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg wins Danish Player of the Year

It’s kind of a slow news day — international week will do that — but we do have a bit of good news. Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has won a pretty prestigious footballing award in his home nation, winning the Danish Football Player of the Year award for 2021!

This is actually a pretty big deal, as it’s the first time in eight years that this award has been won by a Danish player not named Christian Eriksen or Kasper Schmeichel. Eriksen has taken home the award five times since 2013, while Schmeichel has won it three times, including the past three years. You could say it’s the Danish equivalent of Luka Modric winning the Ballon d’Or after so many years of Messi and Ronaldo.

Interestingly, I looked up this award in Wikipedia, and the last time someone other than Eriksen and Schmeichel won it was tattoo-bedecked ex-Liverpool defender Daniel Agger in 2012. You know who has never won this award? Former Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner. Fun fact!

This award is awarded by the Danish Football Association and is voted on by professional Danish players, so while it’s a popularity contest like all of these awards are, it’s cool because he’s our guy and he’s had a hell of a season. Congrats, Pierre!