Nicklas Bendtner

Nicklas Bendtner (born January 16, 1988) is a Danish professional football (soccer), who plays as a striker for English club Arsenal F.C. in the Premier League, and the Denmark national football team.

Club career

Denmark and Arsenal

Born in Copenhagen, Bendtner started playing football for Copenhagen clubs B.93 and Kjøbenhavns Boldklub. Nicklas Bendtner scored four goals in six Danish national youth team matches, before joining English club Arsenal F.C. in the summer of 2004. Nicklas Bendtner formed a prolific striking partnership at the Arsenal reserve team, with reserve teammate Arturo Lupoli. Bendtner's first team debut for Arsenal came on October 25, 2005, in a Football League Cup match against Sunderland A.F.C at the Stadium of Light, as a substitute for Quincy Owusu-Abeyie in the final minutes.

Loan to Birmingham City

Bendtner was loaned out to Birmingham City F.C. in August 2006, with the loan initially lasting until January 2007. Bendtner made Nicklas Bendtner debut for Birmingham City, as a substitute for Stephen Clemence, in the game against Colchester United F.C. on August 5, 2006. Nicklas Bendtner played the final half hour, scoring the winning goal.

The loan to Birmingham was extended through the end of the 2006-07 in English football.

Returning to Arsenal

2007–08

Bendtner signed a new five-year contract with Arsenal in May 2007, and returned to the club for the Premier League 2007-08 season.

In Nicklas Bendtner first match at the Emirates Stadium, a friendly versus Paris Saint Germain in the inaugural pre-season Emirates Cup tournament, Bendtner scored a goal, and assisted in another by Mathieu Flamini.

Bendtner's first competitive strike for the Gunners was the game winning goal in a 2–0 result versus Newcastle United on September 25, 2007 during a Football League Cup match. Nicklas Bendtner first UEFA Champions League goal came in the 89th minute against SK Slavia Praha on October 23, 2007 and finished off a 7–0 victory for Arsenal after receiving back-heeled pass from Emmanuel Eboué.

Nicklas Bendtner first Premier League start came at Everton F.C. on December 29, 2007. In the game Nicklas Bendtner was sent off for two bookable offences. After suspension ended, Bendtner scored Nicklas Bendtner first FA Cup goal against Burnley F.C. on January 6, 2008. Arsenal won the game 2–0.

Bendtner's first Premier League goal came on December 22, 2007 in a 2–1 Arsenal victory against Tottenham Hotspur F.C., at The Emirates Stadium. Bendtner came on as a substitute with 17 minutes of the game left, to replace Eboué. Nicklas Bendtner headed the winning goal, from a Cesc Fàbregas corner. It holds the record for the fastest goal ever scored by a substitute (1.8 seconds the official time).

2008–09

The main highlight of Nicklas Bendtner pre-season was scoring four goals in the first-half of Arsenal's 10–2 victory against Burgenland XI on Tuesday 29 July 2008.

Nicklas Bendtner scored Nicklas Bendtner first Premier League goal of the 2008–09 season against Bolton Wanderers F.C. on 20 September 2008 at the Reebok Stadium.

On 5 May 2009 the 21-year-old was controversially shown leaving a night club hours after Arsenal's 3–1 home defeat by Manchester United in the Champions League semi-final. Bendtner was pictured with Nicklas Bendtner belt undone and jeans pulled down. "I may be young, but my actions were a poor error of judgment and something I deeply regret," said the Dane. Bendtner was a second-half substitute for Arsenal, who lost 4–1 on aggregate to defending champions United.

International career

Bendtner started Nicklas Bendtner national team career by scoring three goals in three starts for the Denmark under-16 national team in February 2004. Nicklas Bendtner then scored six goals in 15 games for the Denmark under-17 national team, and was named 2004 Danish Football Association Young Players of the Year.

Bendtner was the youngest player selected for the Denmark under-21 national football team for the 2006 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship tournament. Nicklas Bendtner replaced Morten Rasmussen (football striker) in the Danish starting line-up. Nicklas Bendtner got Nicklas Bendtner under-21 debut on May 17, 2006, at the age of 18, scoring both goals in a Danish 2–0 victory over Spain national under-21 football team in a friendly match. When Bendtner was substituted with Rasmussen during the game against the Netherlands national under-21 football team, Bendtner told the press Nicklas Bendtner found Rasmussen a lesser player. Bendtner was reprimanded, but played the rest of the tournament before Denmark were eliminated.

On August 16, 2006 Bendtner earned Nicklas Bendtner first senior cap for the Denmark national football team, still only 18 years old, making Nicklas Bendtner the seventh youngest player on the Danish senior national team ever. Nicklas Bendtner was in the starting lineup for Nicklas Bendtner debut game, a friendly match against Poland national football team. Nicklas Bendtner scored a goal after 30 minutes, helping Denmark to a 2–0 win. On September 1, 2006, Nicklas Bendtner played Nicklas Bendtner second national team game, and came on as a substitute in a friendly match against Portugal national football team. Nicklas Bendtner scored the final goal in a 4–2 win for Denmark.
Bendtner has since then earned a spot in the starting line on the Danish national team scoring two goals in UEFA Euro 2008 Qualifying.

At the World Cup 2010 Qualification Bendtner scored the goal for 1–1 against Portugal. Denmark won the match 3–2.

Club career statistics

(- FA Cup, Football League Cup and FA Community Shield)

National team career statistics

International goals

Honours

With Birmingham City

Runner-up
- Football League Championship: The Football League 2006-07

Individual
- Danish Football Association Young Players of the Year: 2004
- Danish Talent of the Year: 2007