Chris Sørensen
Encyclopedia
Chris Sørensen is a Danish
professional football player, who currently plays for the Danish Superliga
club Odense Boldklub (OB), with whom he won the 2007 Danish Cup
. He has played five matches for the Denmark national football team
.
with KFUM, before joining Randers Freja under manager Frank Petersen at the age of 21 in 1998. He started as a left winger, but was eventually moved back as left back by Freja manager Ole Fritsen
. He played in a Freja team also containing Michael Gravgaard
and Svenne Poulsen
, and helped the club move from the third-tier Danish 2nd Division
to the second-tier Danish 1st Division
, before moving to 1st Division rivals Vejle Boldklub
under Frank Petersen in 2002.
season, and impressed enough that he was signed on a permanent deal before the season started. He quickly established himself in the starting line-up, playing the last 13 games of that season as OB finished fifth. For the following six seasons, Sørensen would miss only three Superliga games. He helped the club finish third in the Danish Superliga 2005-06
, and was named for the 2006 "Danish Team of the Year". He was named Ulrik Laursen
's vice-team captain, and was part of the OB team which won the 2007 Danish Cup Final
. He was again named for the 2007 "Danish Team of the Year".
In November 2007, he received his first red card of his OB career in a game against Randers FC
. He was evicted for intervening in a confrontation between OB's Norwegian Bengt Sæternes
and Randers' Ghanaian Issah Ahmed
by stating that "this is Denmark", which the referee deemed "indecent language" towards Ahmed. Sørensen stated that he did not have any racistic intention but wanted to end the confrontation which he found an annoying pause in the game, and had finished the sentence "and we clearly don't speak the same language". The explanation was accepted by the Danish Football Association
, who did not impose any additional punishment except from the one-game suspension due to the red card.
When Laursen left OB in the winter 2007, Sørensen declined to become new team captain, settling as vice-captain to Esben Hansen
. He eventually established himself as captain during Hansen's prolonged absence from the team and subsequent loan deal in the summer 2009. Sørensen helped OB finish second in the Danish Superliga 2008-09
and Danish Superliga 2009-10 seasons.
, to play a number of unofficial national team games in the Hong Kong
in January 2006, by national team manager Morten Olsen
. He was hospitalized due to dehydration after the first game, but returned to the team for the third and last game of the tour. He was again called up for the League XI tours in January 2007, 2008, and 2009, playing a combined total seven games for the team.
In October 2007, he was included by Olsen in the A national team
, and made his debut in the 3–1 win against Latvia
in the UEFA Euro 2008 qualification tournament. He played a further two qualification games in November 2007. He played his fourth national team game in a row in February 2008, before he was dropped from the team in favour of Thomas Rasmussen
. He returned to the national team in February 2009, playing his fifth game. He was called up again in August 2009, but had to pull out of the squad injured.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
professional football player, who currently plays for the Danish Superliga
Danish Superliga
The Danish Superliga is the current Danish football championship tournament, and administered by the Danish Football Association. It is the highest association football league in Denmark and is currently contested by 12 teams each year, with 2 teams to be relegated, which proves to be one of the...
club Odense Boldklub (OB), with whom he won the 2007 Danish Cup
Danish Cup
The Danish Cup is the official "knockout" cup competition in Danish football, run by the Danish Football Association. The cup has been contested annually since 1955...
. He has played five matches for the Denmark national football team
Denmark national football team
The Denmark national football team represents Denmark in association football and is controlled by the Danish Football Association , the governing body for the football clubs which are organized under DBU...
.
Club career
He began playing youth football with amateur club Randers KFUM. He spent some years in the youth teams of Randers Freja, but quickly returned to KFUM. He played in the lower leagues of Danish footballFootball in Denmark
Association football is the national sport of Denmark, with 342,955 players and 1,647 clubs registered under the Danish FA.- League system :The top 4 levels in Denmark are governed by the Danish Football Association...
with KFUM, before joining Randers Freja under manager Frank Petersen at the age of 21 in 1998. He started as a left winger, but was eventually moved back as left back by Freja manager Ole Fritsen
Ole Fritsen
-Playing career:Ole Fritsen began his footballing career in Vejle Boldklub in 1963. Fritsen was the first Vejle Boldklub player to move abroad and become a professional....
. He played in a Freja team also containing Michael Gravgaard
Michael Gravgaard
Michael Julius Gravgaard is a Danish former football player, who effectively ended his playing career at FC Nantes in May 2010. Despite the fact of having a contract with FC Nantes until July 2011, his club was not interested to honour the contract, and opted instead in May 2010, to try and file...
and Svenne Poulsen
Svenne Poulsen
Svenne Poulsen is a Danish professional football midfielder who currently plays for Danish team Hobro IK.Poulsen was first noticed when he played for Randers FC in the Danish 1st Division, and he prolonged his Randers FC contract in May 2003...
, and helped the club move from the third-tier Danish 2nd Division
Danish 2nd Division
The 2nd Division is the third tier Danish football league, just after the 1st Division.It was founded in 1945, after World War II, as the second-best Danish football division. When the Danish Superliga was founded in 1991, the 2nd Division became the third level league...
to the second-tier Danish 1st Division
Danish 1st Division
The 1st Division has been the name of the second highest football league in Denmark since 1991. From 1945 to 1991 the 1st Division was the name of the highest level of football in Denmark...
, before moving to 1st Division rivals Vejle Boldklub
Vejle Boldklub
Vejle Boldklub is a Danish football club with proud traditions from the town of Vejle. The club has won the Danish championship five times and the Danish cup title six times....
under Frank Petersen in 2002.
Odense Boldklub
He joined Odense Boldklub (OB) on loan in the winter break of the Danish Superliga 2003-04Danish Superliga 2003-04
The 2003-04 Danish Superliga season was the 14th season of the Danish Superliga league championship, governed by the Danish Football Association. It took place from the first match on July 26, 2003 to the final match on May 29, 2004....
season, and impressed enough that he was signed on a permanent deal before the season started. He quickly established himself in the starting line-up, playing the last 13 games of that season as OB finished fifth. For the following six seasons, Sørensen would miss only three Superliga games. He helped the club finish third in the Danish Superliga 2005-06
Danish Superliga 2005-06
The 2005-06 Danish Superliga season was the 16th season of the Danish Superliga league championship, governed by the Danish Football Association. It took place from the first match on July 19, 2005 to the final match on May 14, 2006....
, and was named for the 2006 "Danish Team of the Year". He was named Ulrik Laursen
Ulrik Laursen
Ulrik Rosenløv Laursen is a Danish former professional football player who ended his career playing for F.C. Copenhagen in the Danish Superliga. Laursen was predominantly used in the central defense, but was also competent as a left back.-Career:He began his career at Odense Boldklub, where his...
's vice-team captain, and was part of the OB team which won the 2007 Danish Cup Final
2007 Danish Cup Final
The Danish Cup Final 2007 were the final and deciding match of the Danish Cup 2006-07. It took place on Thursday 17 May 2007 at Parken Stadium in Copenhagen. The contesting teams were the Danish Superliga 2006-07 leaders, F.C. Copenhagen, and the current no. 2 in the league, Odense Boldklub.F.C....
. He was again named for the 2007 "Danish Team of the Year".
In November 2007, he received his first red card of his OB career in a game against Randers FC
Randers FC
Randers FC is a Danish professional football team based in Randers, which plays in the top-flight Danish Superliga championship. Founded as a merger on January 1, 2003, the club builds upon the license of Randers Freja, a former three-time Danish Cup winning team...
. He was evicted for intervening in a confrontation between OB's Norwegian Bengt Sæternes
Bengt Sæternes
Bengt Sæternes is a football player from Egersund, Norway. He plays in the striker position for Viking FK. His former clubs are Egersund IK, IL Eiger, Viking FK, Odd Grenland, FK Bodø/Glimt, Club Brugge, SK Brann, OB, and Vålerenga.-Career:Bengt Sæterners had short stints in boths Viking and Odd...
and Randers' Ghanaian Issah Ahmed
Issah Ahmed
Issah Gabriel Ahmed or Issah Gabarel Ahmad is a Ghanaian football defender who currently, as of May 2006, plays for Randers FC. In Ghana Issah is known for the nickname "Issah the rock" because of his strength in the defence....
by stating that "this is Denmark", which the referee deemed "indecent language" towards Ahmed. Sørensen stated that he did not have any racistic intention but wanted to end the confrontation which he found an annoying pause in the game, and had finished the sentence "and we clearly don't speak the same language". The explanation was accepted by the Danish Football Association
Danish Football Association
The Danish Football Association is the governing body of football in Denmark. It is the organization of the Danish football clubs and runs the professional Danish football leagues and the men's and women's national teams. It is based in the city of Brøndby and is a founding member of both FIFA...
, who did not impose any additional punishment except from the one-game suspension due to the red card.
When Laursen left OB in the winter 2007, Sørensen declined to become new team captain, settling as vice-captain to Esben Hansen
Esben Hansen
Esben Hansen is a Danish former football midfielder.He made his international debut for Denmark in a game against Liechtenstein on September 13, 2007, when he was named in the starting 11....
. He eventually established himself as captain during Hansen's prolonged absence from the team and subsequent loan deal in the summer 2009. Sørensen helped OB finish second in the Danish Superliga 2008-09
Danish Superliga 2008-09
The 2008–09 Danish Superliga was the 19th season of Danish Superliga league championship, which determines the winners of the Danish football championship, governed by the Danish Football Association. The season started on 19 July 2008 and ended on 31 May 2009. The defending champions were Aalborg...
and Danish Superliga 2009-10 seasons.
International career
Sørensen was called up for the Denmark League XI national football teamDenmark League XI national football team
The Denmark League XI national football team is an unofficial national football team run by the Danish Football Association.The team generally consists of Danish players playing in the Danish Superliga, or other leagues if the clubs there agree to release them...
, to play a number of unofficial national team games in the Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
in January 2006, by national team manager Morten Olsen
Morten Olsen
Morten Per Olsen is a Danish football manager and former football player. He has been the head coach of the Danish national team since 2000, guiding Denmark to the 2002 FIFA World Cup, 2004 European Championship and 2010 FIFA World Cup...
. He was hospitalized due to dehydration after the first game, but returned to the team for the third and last game of the tour. He was again called up for the League XI tours in January 2007, 2008, and 2009, playing a combined total seven games for the team.
In October 2007, he was included by Olsen in the A national team
Denmark national football team
The Denmark national football team represents Denmark in association football and is controlled by the Danish Football Association , the governing body for the football clubs which are organized under DBU...
, and made his debut in the 3–1 win against Latvia
Latvia national football team
The Latvian national football team is controlled by the Latvian Football Federation, the governing body for football in Latvia and represents the country in international football competitions, such as the World Cup and the European Championships. So far, they have never qualified for a FIFA World...
in the UEFA Euro 2008 qualification tournament. He played a further two qualification games in November 2007. He played his fourth national team game in a row in February 2008, before he was dropped from the team in favour of Thomas Rasmussen
Thomas Rasmussen
Thomas Schultz Rasmussen is a Danish footballer who plays as a left wingback for Brøndby IF in the Danish Superliga. He has played eight games as for the Denmark national football team, both as wingback and attacking midfielder.-Career:Born at Frederiksberg in Copenhagen, Rasmussen started his...
. He returned to the national team in February 2009, playing his fifth game. He was called up again in August 2009, but had to pull out of the squad injured.