Daniel Agger

Club career

Brøndby IF

Daniel Agger joined Brøndby IF from childhood club Rosenhøj BK at 12 years of age, to play for the youth team of Danish Superliga club Brøndby IF.

In July 2004 he was moved from the youth squad to the first team, following the departure of Sweden national football team defender Andreas Jakobsson.
Daniel Agger quickly established himself not only as a first team regular, but as one of the bearing elements of the team that won the Danish Superliga 2004-05 championship.
Despite his young age, he played with great authority and class under the guidance of Brøndby captain (football) Per Nielsen, and after the first half of the season Agger was named 2004 "talent of the year" by Spillerforeningen (the Danish equivalent of the Professional Footballers Association).

After the successful Superliga 2004–05 season, Agger was called up to the senior Danish national football team for the 1–0 friendly win against Finland national football team on 2 June 2005, playing the full match.
Agger would see the next national team match from the bench before playing the full 4–1 friendly win on 17 August 2005 over England national football team alongside Per Nielsen, where he caused problems for the English forwards, most notably Wayne Rooney. He played the full length in the next two national team matches, before an injury sustained in the Danish Superliga 2005-06 season in September forced him out for the remainder of the year 2005. Only 20 years of age, Daniel Agger was awarded the Danish "talent of the year" of all sports on 6 December 2005.

Liverpool F.C.

Agger was long linked to a transfer to a bigger club, and in the January 2006 transfer window, Agger was looking to join English Premier League team Liverpool F.C., the defending UEFA Champions League champions. Daniel Agger did not travel with his Brøndby teammates for their winter training camp in January and on 12 January 2006 he signed a 4½ year contract with Liverpool. The Pound sterling5.8m transfer deal made him the most expensive footballer sold by a Danish club to a foreign club, as well as the most expensive defender Liverpool had ever bought, at the time. (Liverpool's most expensive defender is now Martin Škrtel, who cost approximately £6.5m from the Russian club, Zenit St. Petersburg).

His first half season at Liverpool saw injuries limit him to four first-team appearances during spring 2006. He played ten games and scored three goals for the Denmark under-21 national football team, for which he was selected to play in the 2006 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship tournament in May 2006.

At the start of the 2006-07 in English football, Agger played the full game as Liverpool won the 2006 FA Community Shield. Still adapting to the English game, he established himself in Liverpool's first team squad, competing with Liverpool vice-captain Jamie Carragher and former Finland national football team team captain Sami Hyypiä for the two starting places in the central defence. Agger scored his first goal for Liverpool on 26 August 2006 in a 2–1 win against West Ham United F.C.. Agger was allowed to run unchallenged toward the Spion Kop (stadia)-end goal and scored from out. Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez commented he was not surprised and that Agger has frequently scored such goals in training. The goal was named Goal of the Month (England) for August by the BBC's Match of the Day, and later Liverpool's Premiership Goal of the Season. On 4 October 2006 he was given Professional Footballers' Association fan award for impressive and solid displays in September.

Agger scored his second goal for the club in a Football League Cup away game against Birmingham City F.C. with a volley from close range in the seven minutes of first-half stoppage time. His third was against Arsenal scoring a header in a 4–1 victory played on 31 March 2007. In the first semi-final of the UEFA Champions League 2006-07, Agger received some criticism as Liverpool lost to Chelsea F.C. 1–0, after Chelsea striker Didier Drogba managed to dribble past him before making the assist to win the game. In the second leg of the semi-finals, Agger answered his critics by scoring another curler from a smartly-taken Steven Gerrard free-kick from just outside the penalty area, and helping Liverpool keep a clean sheet as the team beat Chelsea 1–0 on 1 May 2007. and on July 12th 2008 Agger made his playing return with a 75 minute appearance in Liverpool's friendly win over neighbours Tranmere Rovers. Agger stated after the match that "I am almost starting my career at Liverpool all over again" Agger was in the starting line up in Liverpools first game of the season against Standard Liege in the champions league qualifiers. The game ended 0-0. Agger found himself sidelined the rest of August and much of September. Furthermore he was excluded from the squad against Man united. This led to rumours that Agger and Benitez were not happy with each other and that there had been a verbal fight amongst the two. However, Benitez insisted that there was no problem between Agger and himself.

After a month without playing Agger returned to the starting line up against Crewe Alexandra F.C in the Carling Cup. Agger played the full 90 minutes and marked his return by scoring the first goal from a freekick outsite the box. Liverpool won the game 2-1.

Personal life

Agger revealed himself to be a Volbeat (band) fan as he selected their song The Garden's Tale as his choice for the "LFC Athens 2007 Playlist" in the build up of Liverpool's 2007 UEFA Champions League Final appearance.

In 2007, Agger bought two restaurants on Lark Lane, Liverpool, Liverpool.

Agger is known for his numerous tattoos. Among others, he has a Viking on his upper right arm with the quote "Memento mori" (which means 'remember you will die' or 'remember you are human') written underneath it, an intricate band around his left elbow as well as some tribal symbols, Chinese characters and the quote "List of Latin phrases" (which means 'death is certain, but the hour is uncertain') on his back. He also has the names of his brother and sister on the left of his chest. Agger himself is also a tattoo artist. Back in his homeland Agger owns a pub with hs uncle.