He was the participant who silenced Wembley on the week he turned 21. Mikkel Damsgaard’s free-kick for Denmark within the Euro 2020 semi-final towards England launched the midfielder to fame.
Think about, at that second, telling Damsgaard that his subsequent profession objective must wait for an additional three-and-a-half years – in September’s EFL Cup third-round tie for Brentford towards Leyton Orient.
Now 24, the Danish midfielder has been on some journey since that Wembley second. It features a transfer to the Premier League from Sampdoria to Brentford in 2022 however it’s only now – two-and-half-years later – that he’s beginning to present his value.
Damsgaard presently sits fourth within the Premier League assists chart with eight, behind solely Antonee Robinson, Bukayo Saka and Mohamed Salah.
His newest was an outstanding supply for Kevin Schade’s header towards Crystal Palace final weekend and one other set-up towards Tottenham this weekend, dwell on Sky Sports activities, would see him break Brentford’s membership file for many assists in a Premier League season.
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However Damsgaard’s story is just not a breakthrough one. Many have identified his abilities for a while. Even earlier than his Wembley second, his former supervisor at FC Nordsjaelland described him because the “greatest talent Denmark has produced since Michael Laudrup”. Unfortunate in case you are Christian Eriksen.
Damsgaard’s underlying story – not identified by many within the Premier League viewers – is a battle with rheumatoid arthritis whereas at Sampdoria. He was first recognized following some knee surgical procedure six months after his Wembley second – and that dominated him out for half a yr.
The situation causes irritation and ache within the joints and was an enormous bodily setback for the midfielder. Describing his signs after becoming a member of Brentford, he admitted his “mind was going faster than his legs could move” – and revealed earlier this season that he’s nonetheless taking medicine for it.
“I’d lost a lot of kilos, so I was very, very skinny,” he advised Brentford’s membership media in 2023. “I had confidence issues, and I didn’t have the same speed and power in my legs.
Damsgaard (left) admitted to being too skinny following his sickness
The midfielder has undergone a bodily transformation at Brentford
“I had to play a little smarter, and I played a lot worse than what I was capable of, because I wasn’t able to reach the level I wanted to.
“I used to be again, and I used to be taking part in with out ache, however I could not transfer the best way I needed to, and I did not have the arrogance to strive the identical issues.”
Despite missing so much football, Brentford and Thomas Frank still chose to move for him in the summer of 2022. “They’d executed their analysis, spoken to my physios and knew all the things that was happening with me,” said the midfielder about the move.
But such an acute problem takes time to recover from. Damsgaard’s first season at Brentford saw him play 26 times in the Premier League, mostly from the substitutes’ bench and without a goal or an assist.
Last season was meant to be the term where he kicked on, but the Dane went pretty much back to square one. Damsgaard was ruled out for four months with knee problems the issue once again.
The 24-year-old has now been injury free for just over a year – and it shows. There seems to be some power back in his legs.
Firstly, he is part of an aggressive Brentford midfield that is so hard to play against at times. He is one of the Premier League’s best pressers off the ball – and with club captain and compatriot Christian Norgaard next to him, it provides a base in the Brentford midfield.
Then comes the artistic contact. His quite a few assists are a pleasant mix between open play (6) and set-pieces (2). Summer season-signing Fabio Carvalho, a £27.5m funding by the Bees, has barely bought a kick in since shifting from Liverpool. That is because of Damsgaard, who was rewarded with a brand new contract till 2030 earlier this month.
“After two years of relatively consistent training and a good environment – and with patience both ways – we are now seeing the fruit of the work,” mentioned Bees boss Frank on the time of the announcement.
“He has been one of our best players this season; we are very dangerous when he is playing. But there is more to come from Mikkel.
“It has been half a season, now he must carry out for a full season. We have to add layers, however I’m pleased with what he’s doing.”
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Damsgaard produced a superb help for Kevin Schade’s objective at Crystal Palace
Brentford have a historical past of not simply recognizing then offloading expertise for giant cash, but additionally giving time to those that begin slowly or battle with accidents.
This season, Damsgaard epitomises all these themes however so do Keane Lewis-Potter, Nathan Collins and Schade. You may guess Rico Henry, Aaron Hickey, Igor Thiago and even the slow-starting Carvalho will too.
But when Damsgaard carries on with this momentum, he could also be one of many subsequent big-money abilities by the exit door at Brentford to grander golf equipment.
Watch Brentford vs Tottenham Hotspur dwell on Sky Sports activities’ Tremendous Sunday this weekend from 1pm; kick-off 2pm
