Henrik Dalsgaard


Henrik Dalsgaard is a Danish professional footballer who plays as a right back for English club Brentford. He began his professional career in his homeland with AaB, before moving to Belgium to join Zulte Waregem in 2015. He is a current Denmark international.

Club career

AaB

Dalsgaard began his career as a forward with Danish lower-league clubs BMK 90, FK Viborg, Hersom/Bjerregrav IF and Møldrup/Tostrup IF. After scoring prolifically for Møldrup/Tostrup IF, he signed a two-year contract with Danish Superliga club AaB on a free transfer in December 2008 and compensation was paid to his previous clubs. He made the first professional appearances of his career late in the 2008–09 season and scored his first professional goal in a 2–2 draw with FC Nordsjælland on 31 May 2009. Dalsgaard became a regular in the team over the following two seasons and was moved from his forward position onto the wing and then to right back by the 2011–12 season. He made 21 appearances and scored two goals during the 2013–14 season, in which AaB won the Danish Superliga and Danish Cup double. Dalsgaard remained with the club until December 2015, when he departed on a free transfer. He made 194 appearances and scored 10 goals during eight seasons at the Nordjyske Arena.

Zulte Waregem

In December 2015, Dalsgaard moved to Belgium to join Pro League club Zulte Waregem on a -year contract, with an option for a further year. In an 18-month spell affected by a hip injury, he made 38 appearances, scored 9 goals and helped the club to win the 2016–17 Belgian Cup. Dalsgaard left the club on 23 May 2017.

Brentford

On 23 May 2017, Dalsgaard moved to England to join Championship club Brentford on a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee, effective 1 July 2017. He immediately displaced previous first-choice right back Maxime Colin and made the position his own after Colin's departure at the end of the summer transfer window. Dalsgaard continued as a regular in the team, despite suffering with a concussion and a heel injury during the opening months of the season. A heel injury suffered during a 2–0 victory over Birmingham City on 1 November 2017 saw Dalsgaard miss three months of the season. He regained his place in early February 2018 and his scored his first goal for the club with the only goal for the game versus Nottingham Forest on 10 April. Dalsgaard finished the 2017–18 season with 32 appearances and one goal.
Dalsgaard was the team's regular starting right back through the first half of the 2018–19 season. In February 2019, head coach Thomas Frank reported that Dalsgaard had stepped up into a leadership role within the squad and later in the month, a lack of available centre backs at the club saw him pressed into service on the right side of a three-man central defence. He finished the season with 43 appearances and two goals.
After beginning the 2019–20 season as an ever-present at right back, Dalsgaard signed a one-year contract extension on 29 November 2019. He scored his first goal of the season in a 1–1 draw with West Bromwich Albion on 21 December 2019.

International career

Dalsgaard represented Denmark at youth level and won 12 caps for the U20 and U21 teams. He made one appearance for the Denmark League XI in 2013. Dalsgaard's form for Zulte Waregem during the 2015–16 season saw him win four caps for the senior team during the second half of the campaign. In recognition of his contribution to Denmark's qualification for the 2018 World Cup, Dalsgaard was named in the 2017 Denmark Team of the Year. At the World Cup, he started in each of the four matches of Denmark's run to the last-16. Dalsgaard scored his first international goal at any level with an injury time equaliser in a 3–3 Euro 2020 qualifying draw with Switzerland on 26 March 2019.

Personal life

Dalsgaard attended Viborg Business School and worked for Skals Elektronik.

Career statistics

Club

International

International goals

GoalDateVenueCapOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.26 March 2019St. Jakob-Park, Basel, Switzerland203–33–3UEFA Euro 2020 qualification

Honours

AaB
Zulte Waregem
Individual