Lars Jacobsen

Lars Christian Jacobsen, (born September 20, 1979), is a Denmark professional Football (soccer) player, who currently plays as a Defender (football) for English Premier League side Everton F.C. He is the first choice right full back for the Denmark national football team.

Biography

Born and raised in Odense on Funen, Jacobsen started his career with local top-flight team Odense Boldklub (OB). His talent was quickly discovered, as he played 58 matches for various youth national teams, and won the 1997 Danish Football Association Young Players of the Year award. He made his senior debut for OB in the Danish Superliga 1996-97.

He got his big break-through the following season, when he played 15 first team matches, even though the club was relegated to the Danish 1st Division. He helped the club win promotion and relegation the very next season. His most notable result with OB came in the 2002 Danish Cup final. OB won 2-0 against defending Superliga champions F.C. Copenhagen, and Jacobsen was named "Cup Fighter" (man of the match) as the club won its first trophy in nine years. After the cup triumph, he moved abroad to play for Germany club Hamburger SV (HSV). HSV was no success for Jacobsen, as he played 22 German Bundesliga matches in his one and a half year at the club. In the 2003 winter transfer window, he moved back to Denmark to play for F.C. Copenhagen (FCK).

At FCK, Jacobsen was assigned the number 2 shirt, and he quickly became a part of the starting line-up, playing in different defender positions. He established himself at right full back, and in F.C. Copenhagen season 2005-06, he played full time as the club won the Superliga championship; 2,970 minutes in 33 matches. He was selected by national team coach Morten Olsen for the Denmark national football team in spring 2006. He made his national team debut on March 1, 2006, and played all 90 minutes of the friendly match 2-0 win against Israel national football team. He went on to play eight national team games in a row, before Morten Olsen decided to spare the FCK players in November 2006, due to FCK's tough fall schedule with several games in the international UEFA Champions League 2006–07 tournament.

Jacobsen was one of several FCK players who gathered international attention in FCK's UEFA Champions League games, and as he looked to leave the club on a free transfer (soccer) in June 2007, he was rumoured to be sold in the 2006 winter transfer window. A number of European clubs were reportedly interested in buying him, among them Everton FC, Paris SG and his former club Hamburger SV. In December 2006, Jacobsen agreed with FCK to stay at the club until his contract ran out, helping the club defend the Superliga championship.

Days later he signed a contract with German club 1. FC Nuremberg starting from July 2007. His stay with the German club was troubled because of injuries, and the club also failed to stay in the German Bundesliga. He therefore requested to leave and it was granted by the club in late June 2008.

In August 2008, Jacobsen signed for England Premier League club Everton F.C. on a free transfer, on a one-year deal, and was assigned squad number 15. However, he is yet to play for the club after injuring his shoulder.

Honours

Team
- Danish 1st Division: Danish 1st Division 1998-99, with Odense
- Danish Cup: 2000–01, with Odense
- Danish Superliga: Danish Superliga 2003-04, Danish Superliga 2005-06 & Danish Superliga 2006-07, with Copenhagen

Individual
- 1997 Danish Football Association Young Players of the Year
- 2001 Danish Cup Fighter
- 2005 and 2006 Danish Team of the Year (Right back)