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Brian Laudrup

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Template:Short description Template:Pp-blp Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox football biography

Brian Laudrup ({{#invoke:IPA|main}}, born 22 February 1969) is a Danish former professional footballer who played as a winger, forward or as a midfielder, and was regarded as one of the most talented players of his generation. He currently works for the various TV sports channels of Scandinavian media network, Viaplay. Laudrup also manages a football academy for marginalised youth.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Brian Laudrup is the son of Danish former footballer Finn Laudrup and the younger brother of footballer Michael Laudrup.

During his playing career which eventually stalled due to injury, Laudrup represented a number of European clubs. He started with Danish club Brøndby, winning two Danish championships in the late 1980s. He then played for German and Italian clubs, winning the 1993–94 Serie A as well as the 1994 UEFA Champions League title with Milan. He was a vital part of the Rangers team which dominated the Scottish Premier Division in the 1990s, winning three championships, among others. He won the 1998 UEFA Super Cup in his brief stint with English club Chelsea, followed by a short spell with Copenhagen in Denmark, before ending his career with Ajax in 2000.

Laudrup also played 82 matches and scored 21 goals for the Denmark national team, and was a vital part of the Danish teams which won UEFA Euro 1992 and the 1995 Confederations Cup.

Laudrup won the Danish Football Player of the Year award a then record four times. It has since been beaten by Christian Eriksen who in 2018 won the award for the fifth time. Laudrup was named by FIFA as the fifth-best player in the world in 1992 and was named by Pelé as one of the top 125 greatest living footballers at the FIFA 100 ceremony in March 2004, alongside his older brother, Michael.

Early lifeEdit

Brian Laudrup was born into a football family – his father Finn Laudrup was a former Danish international, and his brother Michael Laudrup also became a Danish international. Brian Laudrup was born in Vienna when his father was playing for Wiener SC.

Club careerEdit

BrøndbyEdit

Laudrup began his senior career with Brøndby in Denmark. At Brøndby, he competed with later Danish internationals Claus Nielsen and Bent Christensen for a place in the starting line-up, and formed a great partnership with Nielsen.<ref>"PROFESSIONEL INDSATS AF BRØNDBY – AGF FORSPILDTE STOR", Polinfo, 22 October 1987.</ref> He won the 1987 and 1988 Danish First Division with the club. Halfway through the 1989 season, Laudrup's contract with Brøndby expired, and he agreed to join German club Bayer Uerdingen. The transfer fee was thought to be around DKK 8 million, the partition of which Brøndby and Brian's father and agent Finn Laudrup disagreed about.<ref>"PENGESTRID MELLEM LAUDRUP OG BRØNDBY", Polinfo, 26 October 1989.</ref> The Danish Football Union ruled in favor of Brøndby's claims of around DKK 3.9 million, but the Laudrups paid around DKK 3.3 million, and insisted on not paying the remainder.<ref>Jan Løfberg & Jens-Carl Kristensen, "DBU stadfæster i Laudrup-sagen", Berlingske Tidende, 21 January 1990.</ref> The case was eventually settled in March 1990.<ref name="erlandsen">Vagn Erlandsen, "Forlig i Laudrup-sagen", Berlingske Tidende, 17 March 1990, Section 3, p. 6.</ref>

UerdingenEdit

Laudrup joined Uerdingen in order to play in a club with relative little pressure, and also looked to lean on fellow Dane Jan Bartram, who was already at the club.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> He scored 6 goals in 34 matches during the 1989–90 Bundesliga season, and impressed so much for both club and country that he was named Danish Player of the Year.

Laudrup's performances in the Bundesliga were widely praised. At kicker's biannual ranking of Bundesliga players, Laudrup was rated the league's second-best forward in the second highest category, international class, after Werder Bremen's New Zealander, Wynton Rufer.<ref name="bulibold.dk2">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> German sports magazine Sport Bild hailed Laudrup as the 1989–90 season's best signing, ahead of high-profile names including Uwe Bein, Stefan Kuntz and Thomas Strunz.<ref name="bulibold.dk2" />

As he felt the Uerdingen executives would not strengthen the Uerdingen team, Laudrup sought to leave the club in the summer of 1990.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Bayern MunichEdit

Laudrup's great performances in the Bundesliga and for Denmark attracted Bayern Munich for his signature, who purchased him for a DM6 million transfer fee in May 1990, making him the most expensive Bundesliga player at the time.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In his first season, Laudrup scored 9 goals in 33 games as the club finished in second place. Laudrup was also part of the Bayern squad that reached the semi-final of the 1990–91 European Cup.

Laudrup was highly rated among the experts, but he was also very popular in large parts of the German population. In a vote that gave kicker-readers the opportunity to choose their favourite players at individual places and the most popular player, known as "das Idol '90", was won by Laudrup with four times as many votes as Klaus Allofs in second place.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> By a vote of Sport Bild that 156,000 readers participated in, he received 24,245 votes and was elected the fourth best performer out of 900 candidates among German legionnaires abroad and all players in the 1. and 2. Bundesliga. Only the popular world champions Andreas Brehme, Lothar Matthäus and Rudi Völler received more votes. Laudrup finished ahead of high-profile stars like Thomas Häßler, Jürgen Klinsmann, Andreas Möller, Thomas Doll, Jürgen Kohler, Karl-Heinz Riedle and Matthias Sammer, and so entirely on Bundesliga players, Laudrup took first place.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Laudrup was a consistent performer in his first five matches of the 1991–92 season<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> but suffered a cruciate ligament injury in his right knee in August 1991.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Laudrup watched from the stands as the team collapsed in a disastrous season. In December 1991, Laudrup said new Bayern executives Franz Beckenbauer and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge were creating chaos in the team through their public criticism of the younger Bayern players.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He returned to the team in February 1992 and played the last 15 matches of the season as Bayern finished in tenth position. Despite the injury-hit season, Laudrup still finished the 1991–92 season being named Danish Player of the Year again for the second time, and finished fifth in the FIFA World Player of the year poll.

FiorentinaEdit

Laudrup's reputation began to grow and he fulfilled his lifelong ambition when he moved to Serie A (at the time, arguably the top league in the world) to sign for Fiorentina. Fiorentina started the 1992–93 season brilliantly, playing open, flowing and attacking football in the first part of the season. However, a change of manager in the second half of the season was the beginning of the end for Fiorentina. The team as a whole produced mediocre performances, and despite the presence of such other stars as Stefan Effenberg and Gabriel Batistuta, the club was unexpectedly relegated after more than 50-straight years playing in Serie A.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Despite the relegation, Laudrup himself had a fairly solid season, and was loaned to Milan for the 1993–94 season.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Loaned to MilanEdit

Laudrup was loaned to Milan for the 1993–94 season, which only saw him play a handful of matches throughout the season due to a squad rotation system at the club, and also because of the three foreigner rule at the time. The world class team of Milan at the time had six other foreigners, namely Marco van Basten (unable to play due to long-term injury), Zvonimir Boban, Dejan Savićević, Jean-Pierre Papin, Florin Răducioiu, and Marcel Desailly, which meant Laudrup could play only sporadically.<ref name="Vialli">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It was also manager Fabio Capello's very strict system where he preferred to play more defensive type players rather than the direct play preferred by Laudrup. However, Capello's defensive system proved to work at the end of the season, as Milan won the Scudetto only scoring 36 goals in 34 matches. Laudrup played seven European matches for the 1993–94 UEFA Champions League-winning Milan side. Despite being on contract with Fiorentina until the summer of 1996, Laudrup stated in December 1993 he did not want to return to the club.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

RangersEdit

In June 1994, Laudrup was offered an escape route from Italy when he was approached by Walter Smith of Rangers. Rangers at that time were an ambitious club and had money to spend to try to seek European glory. This attracted Laudrup, and he signed for a £2.3 million transfer fee.<ref name="gershof" />

He made an immediate impact at Rangers. On the opening league fixture of the season against Motherwell in August 1994, it was from his precise cross that Mark Hateley headed the opening goal. In the second half with only a few minutes remaining, he provided another assist with a long run from the half-way line before passing to Duncan Ferguson, who then scored Rangers' second goal to clinch a 2–1 win.<ref name="gershof">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He scored his first goal for the club later that same month, in a Scottish League Cup tie against Falkirk.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Although Scottish football was more physical than what he was previously used to, he excelled in the free role given to him by manager Walter Smith.<ref name="gershof" /> Laudrup turned down an offer from Barcelona five months after signing for Rangers.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He finished the season with 10 goals in 33 League games, in addition to a number of assists, as Rangers won their seventh consecutive Championship.<ref name="gershof" /> As recognition of his fine performances, Laudrup won both the Scottish Football Writers and Scottish PFA player of the year awards.<ref name="gershof" /> His performances for Rangers and Denmark also resulted in his winning his third Danish Player of the Year award.

Laudrup missed a run of nine League games in the early part of season 1995–96 due to an injury sustained in international duty. He returned against Celtic in November 1995 and scored Rangers' first goal in a 3–3 draw at Ibrox.<ref name="gershof"/> He was also now playing alongside Paul Gascoigne, and the pair were instrumental in Rangers winning their eighth league championship.<ref name="gershof" /> Laudrup also made a big impact in the latter stages of the Scottish Cup that season. He scored the winning goal in the semi-final against Celtic, playing a one-two with Gordon Durie, before taking control of the ball on his chest and chipping it over the Celtic keeper.<ref name="gershof" /> In the final against Hearts, Rangers won 5–1. Durie scored a hat-trick, the first-ever Rangers player to do so in the final, but it was Laudrup who won the Man of the Match award, having provided assists for all three of Durie's goals, and scoring the other two himself.<ref name="gershof" /><ref name="cuph">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The game has since become known as the Laudrup Final.<ref name="cuph" />

His third season at Rangers, 1996–97, saw another cup final goal, this time in a 4–3 win over Hearts in the 1996 Scottish League Cup Final.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The season's most notable concern was Rangers bid to equal Celtic's record of nine consecutive league titles. With Rangers hampered by a series of niggling injuries to their main strikers, a greater burden for goalscoring was placed on Laudrup. He responded by scoring 16 goals in 33 league games, including the only goal against Celtic in a win in November 1996, and a headed goal in a 1–0 win in May 1997 away at Dundee United which clinched the league title and the club's bid for nine-in-a-row.<ref name="gershof" /> His performances saw him win the Scottish Football Writers' award once again.<ref name="gershof" /> His great performances for Rangers and Denmark also made him win his fourth Danish player of the year.

Laudrup was linked with a £5 million move to Ajax Amsterdam in the summer of 1997, but was persuaded to stay with Rangers for one more season to help their bid for a tenth successive league title.<ref name="rhero">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> However, despite a bright start, the season ended up an anti-climax, with Laudrup failing to match the form of previous seasons.<ref name="gershof" /><ref name="rhero" /> Rangers finished runners-up in the league behind Celtic, and ended the season trophy-less after losing to Hearts in the 1998 Scottish Cup Final.<ref name="rhero" /> Laudrup left the club shortly afterwards. He later described his time at Rangers as "the four best years of my career".<ref name="fifa06" />

ChelseaEdit

Laudrup joined Chelsea in the summer of 1998. There was a possibility of Laudrup becoming a Manchester Utd player when Alex Ferguson phoned Brian about coming to Old Trafford. Laudrup said: "I had to tell him that he called a day late, because I had just signed with Chelsea".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

However he very quickly had reservations, and tried to get out of his contract before he even kicked a ball for Chelsea, informing them about this prior to the 1998 World Cup.<ref name="WSC">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Chelsea were not accommodating and told Laudrup they would go to court or involve FIFA and UEFA if the contract was not honoured.<ref name="WSC" />

Laudrup relented and become a Chelsea player, but was very open that he was unhappy in London and with the squad rotation system policy. "I would have thought twice about signing for Chelsea if I had known," he said. He added, "When I first discussed terms with Chelsea in February, nobody told me about this system if I'd known about it I would have brought it up" and concluded "I don't like the system of rotation."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

He made his debut as Chelsea won the 1998 UEFA Super Cup. He did not play many matches due to a combination of injury, the squad rotation system that Chelsea had where no player was guaranteed to be in the starting line up, and also because of his fall-out with the club.<ref name="Vialli"/> Laudrup provided an assist in the 4–3 victory against Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park after coming off the substitutes' bench to equalize 3–3.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Laudrup provided another assist in the 2–0 victory against Middlesbrough at Stamford Bridge.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Laudrup's only Chelsea goal came in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup to give Chelsea a valuable 1–0 away win against Copenhagen to send Chelsea through to the quarter-finals. It was also his last match for the London club. Manager Gianluca Vialli had no hesitation about playing Laudrup against Copenhagen despite his unhappiness at the club, stating "I've always had faith in Brian. I knew before the game he was having a quite difficult time with all that was going on but he's been outstanding in training and previous matches and he responded very well. He's been professional and the goal was the right reward for him."<ref name="Tongue">Template:Cite news</ref> After the tie, he ironically moved on to Copenhagen who had negotiated a deal during the time of their two games against Chelsea.<ref name="WSC" />

Although Laudrup's time at Chelsea was brief, his performances were praised, and he kept a professional attitude when called into action despite being personally unhappy in London.<ref name="Graham Le Saux picks his best XI">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Tongue"/>

Former Chelsea teammate Graham Le Saux later named Laudrup in his greatest ever XI.<ref name="Graham Le Saux picks his best XI"/>

CopenhagenEdit

Laudrup moved back to Denmark in the spring of 1999 for a brief spell with Copenhagen. Playing for the main rivals of former club Brøndby, he was unceremoniously booed by the home fans when he revisited Brøndby Stadium in March 1999,<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> and was also harassed by fans from other Danish clubs.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

AjaxEdit

Family problems resulted in Laudrup joining Ajax. Laudrup's registration had reverted to Chelsea after leaving Copenhagen, therefore Ajax and Chelsea had to negotiate a transfer fee.<ref name="theguardian1999">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He said, "I had offers from 15 clubs and I have the feeling that Ajax is the right club for me. I didn't enjoy playing with FC Copenhagen. I had the same problems there that I had with Chelsea; I could not show more than 70% of my real self."<ref name="theguardian1999"/> Ajax head coach Jan Wouters, who spent a season with Laudrup at Bayern Munich, added, "I like Brian a lot because he can adapt and play several positions."<ref name="theguardian1999"/> After one individually successful season from 1999 to 2000, scoring 15 goals in 38 matches, Laudrup could not play another season due to injuries. He was forced to retire from top-level football at age 31 after one of the most successful careers in Danish football.<ref name="theguardian1999"/>

International careerEdit

Laudrup made his international debut for the Denmark under-17 team in July 1984, and played six matches for the team until October that year. From October 1985 to August 1987, he played 12 matches and scored 6 goals for the under-19 team. He also represented the under-21s in five games from June 1987 to November 1988.<ref name="dbustats">Player info – Brian Laudrup Dansk Boldspil-Union.</ref> He was called up for the senior Denmark national team by coach Sepp Piontek in April 1987 as a replacement for his brother Michael,<ref>"ENESTÅENDE DYNASTI I DANSK LANDSHOLDSFODBOLD", Polinfo, 29 April 1987.</ref> but did not receive his debut.<ref>"KNEBEN DANSK ARBEJDSSEJR I JÆVNT TRIST EM-KAMP", Polinfo, 30 April 1987.</ref>

Senior debutEdit

Laudrup was included in the senior Danish "Olympic national team" of under-21 coach Richard Møller Nielsen, and took part in three qualification matches for the 1988 Summer Olympics. He made his debut on 18 November 1987, at age 18, in a 1–0 defeat to West Germany, with Bjarne Goldbæk also debuting in that match. Laudrup scored his first national team goal in his third game, a 4–0 win against Greece on 20 April 1988. He was then included as a part of coach Piontek's selection ahead of the UEFA Euro 1988. He came on as a substitute in a friendly match against Austria in April 1988, but broke his collarbone just before the final Euro 1988 squad was named.<ref>"FÅ OVERRASKELSER I SEPP PIONTEKS EM TRUP", Polinfo, 1 June 1988.</ref>

Laudrup was recalled to the senior national team in February 1989,<ref name="dbustats"/> and became a mainstay in the team under new national team coach Richard Møller Nielsen. He scored three goals in four matches as Denmark narrowly missed qualification for the 1990 FIFA World Cup. During the dispute with Brøndby over his transfer fee, it was discussed whether the Danish Football Union should ban Laudrup from the national team.<ref name="erlandsen"/> Following three matches in the qualification campaign for the Euro 1992, Laudrup opted to quit the national team in November 1990 alongside his brother Michael and Jan Bartram, as he lacked respect for coach Nielsen.<ref>Jens-Carl Kristensen, "Fastholder nej overfor Ricardo", Berlingske Tidende, 23 November 1990, Section 3, p. 9.</ref>

European champion at Euro 1992Edit

Laudrup returned to the national team under coach Nielsen in April 1992.<ref name="dbustats"/> In 1992, Laudrup travelled with the Danish national team to Euro 1992 in Sweden, and in a strictly defensive strategy, Laudrup was one of the few attacking players. Though he did not score a single goal in the competition, his skill and speed was an important part of the Danish team that went on to win the tournament, and Laudrup was voted a shared fifth in the 1992 FIFA World Player of the Year poll, with fellow Dane Peter Schmeichel, though he had the edge over Schmeichel in the domestic polls, where Laudrup won his second Danish Player of the Year award in 1992.

Laudrup scored 2 goals in 12 matches<ref name="dbustats"/> as Denmark were edged out of participation at the 1994 World Cup by Spain and the Republic of Ireland. During the World Cup qualification, Michael Laudrup had re-entered the team.

Confederations Cup 95 successEdit

Laudrup was a vital part of the Danish team that won the Confederations Cup in 1995. He scored a remarkable individual goal in the 2–0 win over Saudi Arabia which saw him beat three defenders before slotting it into the net from a wide angle. The goal is rated by FIFA as one of the greatest goals ever scored in the history of the competition.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Denmark defeated Argentina in the final 2–0, with Laudrup providing an excellent dribble down the wing to assist in the second goal. Laudrup won the Golden Ball award naming him the best player of the tournament.<ref name="RSSSF_confed" />

Euro 1996 participationEdit

Laudrup helped Denmark qualify for Euro 1996, though the tournament was a disappointment for the defending champions. Laudrup was a highlight for the Danes scoring three goals in as many matches, including two against Turkey, but the team was eliminated in the preliminary group stage.

World Cup 98 participationEdit

With four goals in seven matches, Laudrup was an important part of the Danish team that qualified for the 1998 World Cup, the only World Cup of his career. He shone at the tournament, scoring two goals and gathering three assists. He saw Denmark through to the quarter-finals with a goal in the 4–1 surprise thrashing of Nigeria in the first knock-out round. The quarter-final was his last match for Denmark, where they were defeated 3–2 by eventual runners-up Brazil, despite Laudrup setting-up the first goal to make it 1–0, and scoring to the top near corner of the goal to level the match at 2–2. Until the Brazil match, when Laudrup had scored for Denmark, they had never lost.

The quarter-final was the best ever Danish result at a World Cup, and Laudrup later ranked the 1998 Denmark team higher than the Euro 1992-winning side.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He was named as one of the 16 players selected by FIFA as the "All Star Team" of the World Cup, alongside his brother Michael. After the tournament, Laudrup decided to end his national team career, having played in 82 matches, scoring 21 goals over the course of 11 years.

Player profileEdit

Style of playEdit

Laudrup was an elegant, technical and creative player who was gifted with tremendous pace and ball control.<ref name="denmark.dk_laudrup">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="98 FWC All-star team"/><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He used this talent, offensive capabilities and acceleration to dribble at speed and beat players with relative ease to create openings for teammates.<ref name="gershof" /><ref name="98 FWC All-star team"/> Although he was a powerful and accurate striker of the ball, who was capable of finishing well and scoring with either foot as well as with his head, Laudrup was also known to be a very unselfish player with excellent vision who would often take more pleasure in setting-up teammates rather than going for goal himself.<ref name="gershof"/><ref name="98 FWC All-star team"/><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Regarding Laudrup's unselfishness, John Greig commented: "Apart from applying the ammunition, Laudrup was also capable of scoring his share of goals, but I genuinely believe that he was embarrassed about scoring. He seemed to derive much more pleasure from making goals".<ref>John Greig, My story (book)</ref> A versatile player, Laudrup was capable of playing in several attacking and midfield positions; his preferred position was in a free role, as a winger on either flank, or in the centre, as an attacking midfielder behind the forwards, with licence to roam.<ref name=prince>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He was also deployed as a midfielder,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> as a deep-lying forward,<ref name=corriere>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> or even as a striker on occasion throughout his career.<ref name="denmark.dk_laudrup"/><ref name="treccani">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Despite his skill and ability, his consistency and mentality was occasionally brought into question throughout his career.<ref name=corriere/><ref name="books.google.co.uk">Template:Cite book</ref>

ReceptionEdit

Laudrup has been praised by several players, managers, pundits, and footballing figures for his footballing ability, including Charlie Nicholas,<ref name="books.google.co.uk"/> Roland Wohlfarth,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Ally McCoist, and Andy Goram.<ref name="books.google.co.uk"/> Franz Beckenbauer described Laudrup as "a world class player,"<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> a view shared by Andreas Brehme, who described him as a "player of the highest quality class."<ref name="bulibold.dk3">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Paul Gascoigne instead dubbed him an "amazing player."<ref>Glorious: My World, Football and Me, Paul Gascoigne (book)</ref> Laudrup's older brother, Michael, likened Brian's playing style to his own, and even believed his younger brother to be superior to himself.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> His former manager Horst Wohlers named him as the best player he had ever coached, and as the top footballer in the Bundesliga during their time together at Bayer Uerdingen.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In December 2013, Graeme Le Saux named Luís Figo and Brian Laudrup as his toughest opponents ever.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Walter Smith's view of Laudrup was more critical however, lauding his ability but also lamenting his mentality, which he believed limited him as a player, commenting: "Brian Laudrup is as good a player as I have ever worked with, but he frustrated me. He had the capability of being up there with the greatest players of all time. There was just that little bit in him mentally that stopped him from being right at the very top. Make no mistake, he was a fantastic player for us, but he could have elevated himself into a position where he was one of the best in the world."<ref name="books.google.co.uk"/>

Career after footballEdit

Laudrup now works as a pundit and co-commentator for Discovery Networks Denmark, covering the Premier League and Denmark national team. He formerly covered the UEFA Champions League in the same role for Danish TV3+.

He is also involved with the so-called "Laudrup & Høgh ProCamp", a youth football camp, co–coached with former national team goalkeeper Lars Høgh.

In his spare time, he played for Lyngby BK's Old Boys side alongside Michael Laudrup.

Personal lifeEdit

Laudrup is married to Mette and has a son, Nicolai, and a daughter, Rasmine.<ref name="fifa06">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

On 7 September 2010, he announced that he had lymphoma and was undergoing treatment.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Three months after the start of the treatment, he was told there were no signs of the disease.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Career statisticsEdit

ClubEdit

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Brøndby 1986<ref name="nft">Template:NFT player</ref><ref name="wf">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

1st Division 2 0 – 0 0 – 2 0
1987<ref name="nft" /><ref name="wf"/> 1st Division 24 11 – 4Template:Efn 0 – 28 11
1988<ref name="nft" /><ref name="wf"/> 1st Division 12 0 – 0 0 – 12 0
1989<ref name="nft" /><ref name="wf"/> 1st Division 11 2 – 0 0 – 11 2
Total 49 13 0 0 4 0 0 0 53 13
Bayer Uerdingen 1989–90<ref name="wf"/> Bundesliga 34 6 1 0 – – – 35 6
Bayern Munich 1990–91<ref name="wf"/> Bundesliga 33 9 1 0 – 7Template:Efn 0 1Template:Efn 0 42 9
1991–92<ref name="wf"/> Bundesliga 20 2 1 0 – 0 0 – 21 2
Total 53 11 2 0 0 0 7 0 1 0 63 11
Fiorentina 1992–93 Serie A 31 5 4 1 – – – 35 6
AC Milan (loan) 1993–94<ref name="wf"/> Serie A 9 1 2 0 – 6Template:Efn 1 1Template:Efn 0 18 2
Rangers 1994–95<ref name="fitba">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

Scottish Premier Division 33 10 2 2 1 1 2Template:Efn 0 – 38 13
1995–96<ref name="fitba"/> Scottish Premier Division 22 2 5 3 1 0 5Template:Efn 1 – 33 6
1996–97<ref name="fitba"/> Scottish Premier Division 33 16 2 0 2 2 6Template:Efn 2 – 43 20
1997–98<ref name="fitba"/> Scottish Premier Division 28 5 4 0 0 0 4 0 – 36 5
Total 116 33 13 5 4 3 17 3 0 0 150 44
Chelsea 1998–99<ref name="wf"/> Premier League 7 0 0 0 0 0 3Template:Efn 1 1Template:Efn 0 11 1
Copenhagen 1998–99<ref name="wf"/> Danish Superliga 12 2 – 0 0 – 12 2
Ajax 1999–2000 Eredivisie 31 13 1 0 – 5Template:Efn 2 1Template:Efn 0 38 15
Career total 342 84 23 6 4 3 42 7 4 0 415 100

Template:Notelist

HonoursEdit

Brøndby

Bayern Munich

AC Milan

Rangers

Chelsea

Denmark

Individual awards and nominations

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

  • kicker Bundesliga Best Forward (2nd): 1989–90<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

  • kicker Bundesliga Best Forward (1st): 1990–91<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

  • kicker Bundesliga Best Attacking Midfielder (3rd): 1992<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

|CitationClass=web }}</ref> 1996 (28th),<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> 1998 (23rd)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

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ReferencesEdit

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External linksEdit

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