Martin Jørgensen


Lars Martin Jørgensen is a Danish former professional footballer played as a midfielder or defender. He is currently working as talent manager for AGF.
Jørgensen amassed 102 caps and scored 12 goals for the Denmark national football team. He is the only player that has represented Denmark at three FIFA World Cups. He has also played at two European Championship tournaments. After Denmark's elimination from the 2010 World Cup, Jørgensen announced his retirement from the national team. As he was close to reach his anniversary match no.100 for the national team, the coach Morten Olsen however decided to call him up for one last farewell match, in November 2010. After a brief retirement, he returned to the national team as he was called up for the Euro 2012 qualifying match against Norway on 6 September 2011.
He is the older brother of retired Danish football player Mads Jørgensen.

Playing career

Born in Ryomgaard at Djursland he began his club career at the local club IF Midtdjurs. Jørgensen moved to AGF Aarhus as a youngster. Jørgensen's footballing talent was recognized as he was chosen to represent various Danish youth national teams from 1991 onward. He made his senior debut for AGF in 1993, and was a part of the GF team that won the 1996 Danish Cup trophy. He was named 1996 Danish under-21 Player of the Year, and eventually set a record of 31 games for the Danish under-21 national team, scoring 9 goals.
His contract with AGF had a release clause permitting Jørgensen to leave the club on a free transfer in April 1997. He moved to Italy, to play alongside fellow Dane Thomas Helveg at Udinese Calcio in the Serie A championship. He helped Udinese finish third in the 1997–98 season, and made his debut for the senior Danish national team in March 1998 against Scotland, under national team coach Bo Johansson. He was chosen to represent Denmark at the 1998 FIFA World Cup, where he got his international breakthrough. He took part in all five Denmark matches at the tournament and scored the opening goal in the 2–3 quarter-final defeat to eventual runners-up Brazil.
Jørgensen was called up by Johansson to compete for Denmark at the 2000 European Championship, despite being injured. The tournament was no success for Jørgensen, who played a single game as Denmark were eliminated in the preliminary group stage. He made his second World Cup appearance, under new coach Morten Olsen, at the 2002 FIFA World Cup. He played in Denmark's three group stage matches, before suffering an injury which kept him from playing the 2nd round where Denmark were eliminated. At the 2004 European Championship, Jørgensen played in all Denmark's four matches before elimination.
After spending seven years at Udinese, Jørgensen moved to league rivals ACF Fiorentina in August 2004, when Fiorentina bought half of Jørgensen's transfer fee rights.
Jørgensen has proven to be a key asset to Fiorentinas attack and beloved by the fans. He is an attacking midfielder right behind the two strikers and during the 2007–2008 season also served as a right back for a majority of the season. He scored 2 goals in the UEFA Cup against Elfsborg and was a key part of the 3–2 victory over Juventus on 2 March 2008. His 2008–2009 season was plagued by an early onset of muscular injuries that left him out of the team until February 2009. He stated that once his time in Florence finished he would like to return to Aarhus before he retires. Despite a difficult season, he signed a contract extension to remain in Florence until June 2010. In the 2008–2009 season, Jørgensen scored a crucial 90th-minute equalizer against Lecce which gifted Fiorentina the fourth and final Champions League slot.
On 9 December 2009 Jørgensen scored the first goal in Fiorentina's 2–1 victory over Liverpool at Anfield, his first career goal in the Champions League, after receiving a nice pass from Alberto Gilardino on a counterattack. Fiorentina claimed top spot in the group with this win, having already eliminated Liverpool a fortnight prior.
On the second last day of the transfer window, 31 January 2010, Jørgensen returned to his childhood club, Danish AGF Aarhus for undisclosed fee. He originally had 6 months contract left with La viola.
On 11 November 2014, Martin Jørgensen announced his decision to retire from active football by the end of 2014.

Coaching career

In the winter 2014, Jørgensen was hired as playing assistant manager at AGF. He had this job until the summer. He continued as player without any coaching role from the summer 2014 until new year, where he stopped his career. He then got the job as U14 coach in January 2015.
One month after he was hired as U14 coach in AGF, he was also hired as the assistant manager of the Danish national team. But in the summer 2015, his role got changed from U14 coach to talent coach, while he continued as assistant manager on the national team. He left the post as assistant manager in January 2016.

Career statistics

Source:

Club

;Notes

International

International goals

#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
13 July 1998Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes, France1–02–31998 FIFA World Cup
28 September 1999Stadio San Paolo, Napoli, Italy1–23–2UEFA Euro 2000 qualification
313 November 1999Ramat Gan Stadium, Ramat Gan, Israel4–05–0UEFA Euro 2000 qualification
410 November 2001Parken Stadium, Copenhagen, Denmark1–11–1Friendly
511 October 2003Koševo Stadium, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina1–01–1UEFA Euro 2004 qualification
616 November 2003Old Trafford, Manchester, England1–13–2Friendly
716 November 2003Old Trafford, Manchester, England2–23–2Friendly
818 February 2004Adana 5 Ocak Stadium, Adana, Turkey1–01–0Friendly
94 September 2004Parken Stadium, Copenhagen, Denmark1–01–12006 FIFA World Cup qualification
109 October 2004Qemal Stafa Stadium, Tirana, Albania1–02–02006 FIFA World Cup qualification
118 June 2005Parken Stadium, Copenhagen, Denmark3–03–12006 FIFA World Cup qualification
121 September 2006Brøndby Stadium, Brøndbyvester, Denmark3–24–2Friendly

Honours

Club

;AGF