Poul Nielsen
Encyclopedia
Niels Poul "Tist" Nielsen (December 25, 1891 – August 9, 1962) was a Danish
amateur football player, who is the joint all-time leading goalscorer for the Danish national team
with 52 goals in only 38 matches, averaging 1.37 goals per match, and won a silver medal
with the Danish national team at the 1912 Summer Olympics
. He played his entire club career as a forward
for Kjøbenhavns Boldklub
, with whom he won six Danish football championships.
The story goes that as a young boy Poul would sneak into football matches without paying, thus becoming a gratist ("free rider"), abbreviated to "Tist".
, Nielsen started playing football with Kjøbenhavns Boldklub (KB), where he spent his entire senior career. He made his debut for the Danish national team on May 5, 1910, as the youngest Danish national team player at 18 years and 131 days of age, breaking Vilhelm Wolfhagen
's age record from 1908. Nielsen's record would stand for eight years, until the 18 years and 51 days old Valdemar Laursen
became the youngest Danish national team debutant.
He made his debut in a Danish national team that was playing its first game since winning silver medals at the 1908 Summer Olympics
, and was included in the Danish squad for the 1912 Summer Olympics
tournament. He played one game at the 1912 Summer Olympics, the 4–1 defeat of the Netherlands
, where he scored his first national team goal in his third national team game. Denmark went on to successfully defend their Olympic silver medal, losing 2–4 to Great Britain in the final game, without Nielsen in the team.
After the 1912 Olympics, Nielsen started scoring goals for the Danish national team at a record-setting pace, while guiding KB to two Danish championships in a row in 1913 and 1914. He scored 22 goals in his first nine national team games after the 1912 Olympics, from May 1913 to June 1916, including six goals in a 10–0 win against Sweden
and all four Danish goals in a 4–1 win against Germany
. His tally in June 1916 was 23 goals in 12 national team games.
He was a part of the KB team that won the 1917, 1918, 1922 and 1925 Danish championships, while still scoring plenty of goals for the Danish national team. He ended his national team career in September 1925, having scored a total 52 goals in 38 matches, including 26 goals against Norway
and 15 goals against Sweden. Although Nielsen played in the 1910s and 20s, the number of goals he scored for his country still stands as the national record. Because his career spanned the nascent years of international football, he never got a chance to play in the World Cup; his only appearance on the world stage was the 1912 Summer Olympics.
He died in Copenhagen in August 1962, aged 70.
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...
amateur football player, who is the joint all-time leading goalscorer for the Danish 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...
with 52 goals in only 38 matches, averaging 1.37 goals per match, and won a silver medal
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
with the Danish national team at the 1912 Summer Olympics
1912 Summer Olympics
The 1912 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the V Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Stockholm, Sweden, between 5 May and 27 July 1912. Twenty-eight nations and 2,407 competitors, including 48 women, competed in 102 events in 14 sports...
. He played his entire club career as a forward
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
for Kjøbenhavns Boldklub
Kjøbenhavns Boldklub
Kjøbenhavns Boldklub or KB is a Danish sports club based in Copenhagen. The club was founded April 26, 1876 on the grassy fields in outer Copenhagen which later became Fælledparken. Football and cricket has been played in KB since 1879, making KB the oldest football club on Continental Europe and...
, with whom he won six Danish football championships.
The story goes that as a young boy Poul would sneak into football matches without paying, thus becoming a gratist ("free rider"), abbreviated to "Tist".
Biography
Born in CopenhagenCopenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, Nielsen started playing football with Kjøbenhavns Boldklub (KB), where he spent his entire senior career. He made his debut for the Danish national team on May 5, 1910, as the youngest Danish national team player at 18 years and 131 days of age, breaking Vilhelm Wolfhagen
Vilhelm Wolfhagen
Vilhelm "Wolle" Wolfhagen was a Danish amateur football player, who scored 14 goals in 18 games for the Denmark national football team, and won silver medals at the 1908 and 1912 Summer Olympics...
's age record from 1908. Nielsen's record would stand for eight years, until the 18 years and 51 days old Valdemar Laursen
Valdemar Laursen
Valdemar Kristian Laursen was a former Danish football player, who played 44 games and scored one goal for the Denmark national football team.He played his entire career as a midfielder for local club KB...
became the youngest Danish national team debutant.
He made his debut in a Danish national team that was playing its first game since winning silver medals at the 1908 Summer Olympics
1908 Summer Olympics
The 1908 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the IV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in 1908 in London, England, United Kingdom. These games were originally scheduled to be held in Rome. At the time they were the fifth modern Olympic games...
, and was included in the Danish squad for the 1912 Summer Olympics
1912 Summer Olympics
The 1912 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the V Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Stockholm, Sweden, between 5 May and 27 July 1912. Twenty-eight nations and 2,407 competitors, including 48 women, competed in 102 events in 14 sports...
tournament. He played one game at the 1912 Summer Olympics, the 4–1 defeat of the Netherlands
Netherlands national football team
The Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
, where he scored his first national team goal in his third national team game. Denmark went on to successfully defend their Olympic silver medal, losing 2–4 to Great Britain in the final game, without Nielsen in the team.
After the 1912 Olympics, Nielsen started scoring goals for the Danish national team at a record-setting pace, while guiding KB to two Danish championships in a row in 1913 and 1914. He scored 22 goals in his first nine national team games after the 1912 Olympics, from May 1913 to June 1916, including six goals in a 10–0 win against Sweden
Sweden national football team
The Swedish national football team represents Sweden in association football and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association, the governing body for Football in Sweden. Sweden's home ground is Råsunda Stadium in Stockholms län and their head coach is Erik Hamrén. Sweden made their first...
and all four Danish goals in a 4–1 win against Germany
Germany national football team
The Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
. His tally in June 1916 was 23 goals in 12 national team games.
He was a part of the KB team that won the 1917, 1918, 1922 and 1925 Danish championships, while still scoring plenty of goals for the Danish national team. He ended his national team career in September 1925, having scored a total 52 goals in 38 matches, including 26 goals against Norway
Norway national football team
The Norway national football team represents Norway in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of Norway, the governing body for football in Norway. Norway's home ground is Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo and their head coach is Egil Olsen...
and 15 goals against Sweden. Although Nielsen played in the 1910s and 20s, the number of goals he scored for his country still stands as the national record. Because his career spanned the nascent years of international football, he never got a chance to play in the World Cup; his only appearance on the world stage was the 1912 Summer Olympics.
He died in Copenhagen in August 1962, aged 70.