Peter Løvenkrands

Peter Rosenkrands Løvenkrands (born January 29 1980 in Hørsholm, Denmark) is a professional football (soccer) who plays for the Bundesliga (football) team FC Schalke 04. He is a Winger (football) who can also play as a Striker. Løvenkrands has played twenty times and scored a single goal for the Denmark national football team, and he represented Denmark at the 2002 FIFA World Cup and 2004 UEFA European Football Championship tournaments.

He is the younger brother of Danish footballer Tommy Løvenkrands.

Biography

Alongside later Danish international Martin Albrechtsen, Løvenkrands was called up for the Danish under-19 national team in September 1997, and they both signed their first professional contracts with Danish Superliga club Akademisk Boldklub (AB) in February 1998. Løvenkrands made his Superliga debut in July 1998, and was quickly touted as a future Danish national team player by AB manager Christian Andersen. He scored five goals in eight matches for the Danish under-19 national team, and was named 1998 Danish Football Association Young Players of the Year. He was a part of the 1999 Danish Cup-winning AB team, though he did not play in the final against Aalborg BK.

He joined Scottish club Rangers F.C for £1.3 million in June 2000. He went on to play 182 games for the Ibrox stadium club, winning two Scottish Premier League (SPL) championships. He scored 54 goals for Rangers, including a last minute winner against arch rivals Celtic F.C in the 2002 Scottish Cup final. In August 2005, he trialled for FA Premier League club Middlesbrough F.C, but decided not to move. He started the 2005-06 in Scottish football still with Rangers. During his time at Ibrox he was often played out of position as a left winger instead of his natural position of centre forward. He showed what he was capable of in the centre forward position, and displayed an impressive goal scoring form, in what would be his final season at Rangers.

He played an important role in Rangers' run to the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League tournament, scoring four goals during the UEFA Champions League 2005-06. In the group stage, he opened the scoring in the 3-2 win against FC Porto, and with his goal in the 1-1 draw against Inter Milan he secured Rangers' advancement to the knock-out round. In the round of 16, he scored in both the home and away game, as Rangers were eventually eliminated by Villarreal CF on the away goals rule. He also scored 14 goals during the Scottish Premier League 2005-06, the highest tally of his Ibrox career.

After six years at Ibrox, his contract with Rangers expired in the summer 2006 and he left the club on a free transfer (soccer). Løvenkrands was reportedly in talks with a number of clubs, including Spanish club Osasuna and AS Roma from Italy. He eventually signed for German club FC Schalke 04 on 23 May 2006, joining fellow Danish international Søren Larsen.

In March 2007, Peter became father to a daughter, Sophie. He also married his Scottish wife in Scotland.