Sophus Nielsen

Sophus Nielsen started his career as a footballer in the youth team of Concordia and then joined the club “Stjernen” in Østerbro. In 1902, he joined Boldklubben Frem where he made his début for the first team as a 16-years-old. Most of his club career he played forward for Frem except for a short spell during the 1906-1907 season, when he played for Boldklubben 1903 (B1903). Later, his brother Steen Nielsen was to become president of B1903.

Nielsen represented Denmark at the 1908 and 1912 Olympic Games making his international début at the 1908 Olympics. After two hands-down victories against the two French teams, Denmark was defeated in the final by Great Britain (England) by 2-0, winning silver. Nielsen played in all three games scoring 11 goals including 10 in the semi-final in the 17-1 victory over France A. Nielsen’s record of 10 goals in one international match was equalled at the 1912 Olympics, when Germany’s Gottfried Fuchs also scored 10 goals against Russia. This record was not surpassed until 2001, when Australia defeated American Samoa by a world record 31-0 and Archie Thompson set his own world record by scoring 13 goals. At the 1912 Olympic Games in Stockholm, Denmark had a bye in round one and defeated Norway and the Netherlands convincingly to reach the final. Here they lost 4-2 to Great Britain (England) winning Olympic silver. Sophus Nielsen again played in all thee games and scored twice against Norway.

In total, Sophus Nielsen played 20 international matches for Denmark and scored 16 goals. according to the Danish Football Association (according to other sources 17 goals). He won his last cap in 1919 in a friendly against Sweden. His special talent is also said to have been due to his crooked legs, to which he also owed his nickname “Krølben“ (twisted legs).

Sophus Nielsen was the son of a bricklayer from København’s Nørrebro district. When his father died early, mother supported herself and her children by sewing uniforms for the military. Sophus contributed to the family budget by working as a baker’s boy. He then became an apprentice as a blacksmith and took up studies at the Technical Society’s School in the evenings. From 1910, Sophus and his brother Carl spent their journeymen’s years in the German town of Kiel. Sophus became the master of the tool department at a shipyard. Both Sophus and Carl joined the local football club SV Holstein Kiel and played for the Northern German football championship winning the title in 1911. After returning to Denmark, Sophus Nielsen was employed at the Carlsberg Breweries and later at the freeport in the Copenhagen Dry Cleaners’ machine hall.

After his playing career, Nielsen coached Frem’s youth team. He then became involved in the Dansk Boldspil-Union’s (Danish Football Association, DBU) training activities and was appointed first official national coach in 1940. In this position, he started coaching courses, which were recognised in Denmark and abroad. Additionally, he was a teacher at Gerlev Idrætshøjskole (Gerlev Sports College).

In 1913, Nielsen married Sofie Lydia Winzendtsen, with whom he had one daughter. He was inducted into the Football Hall of Fame in 2014.