Mats Møller Dæhli (born 2 March 1995) is a Norwegian professional
footballer
A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby le ...
who plays as a
midfielder
A midfielder is an outfield position in association football.
Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. As central midfielders often go across boundarie ...
for
2. Bundesliga club
1. FC Nürnberg and the
Norway national team.
Born in
Oslo
Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of ...
, he was previously contracted to English club
Manchester United
Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of City of Salford, Salford to ...
, where he played for the
reserve team
In sports, a reserve team is a team composed of players under contract to a club but who do not normally play in matches for the first team. Reserve teams often include back-up players from the first team, young players who need playing time to i ...
. He joined Norwegian club
Molde
Molde () is a town and municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Romsdal. It is located on the Romsdal Peninsula, surrounding the Fannefjord and Moldefjord.
The administrative centre of the m ...
, then managed by former Manchester United striker
Ole Gunnar Solskjær
Ole Gunnar Solskjær (; born 26 February 1973) is a Norwegian professional football manager and former player who played as a forward who last managed Premier League club Manchester United. As a player, Solskjær spent the majority of his care ...
, in July 2013 and made his professional debut the same year. He transferred to Cardiff City in January 2014, after Solskjær had been hired as manager of the Welsh club.
Dæhli has been a key player for every Norwegian youth team up to
under-19 level. He has also played for the
under-21 team, and made the step up to the
senior team in 2013.
Early life
Dæhli was born in
Oslo
Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of ...
to Mette Møller, a photographer for ''
Dagbladet
''Dagbladet'' (lit.: ''The Daily Magazine'') is one of Norway's largest newspapers and is published in the tabloid format. It has 1,400,000 daily readers on mobile, web and paper. Traditionally ''Dagbladet'' is considered the main liberal newsp ...
'', and
Truls Dæhli, a sports journalist for ''
Verdens Gang
''Verdens Gang'' ("The course of the world"), generally known under the abbreviation ''VG'', is a Norwegian tabloid newspaper. In 2016, circulation numbers stood at 93,883, having declined from a peak circulation of 390,510 in 2002. ''VG'' is n ...
'' (VG). He grew up at
Ullevål Hageby
Ullevål Hageby is a residential area and garden city in borough Nordre Aker of Oslo, Norway. All housing in the area is part of the housing cooperative ''Oslo Havebyselskap''. The area borders on Ullevål University Hospital to the east, Blinde ...
in Oslo, but lived in London for two years when his father worked as a
correspondent
A correspondent or on-the-scene reporter is usually a journalist or commentator for a magazine, or an agent who contributes reports to a newspaper, or radio or television news, or another type of company, from a remote, often distant, locati ...
for VG. While living in London, the seven-year-old Dæhli attended a training session with
Chelsea
Chelsea or Chelsey may refer to:
Places Australia
* Chelsea, Victoria
Canada
* Chelsea, Nova Scotia
* Chelsea, Quebec
United Kingdom
* Chelsea, London, an area of London, bounded to the south by the River Thames
** Chelsea (UK Parliament consti ...
.
After returning to Oslo, he spent most of his childhood playing for
Lyn, but after the club was bankrupted in 2010 he had a spell at
Stabæk,
where he was described by
Pål Berg, one of Stabæk's coaches, as "an exceptional talent" having "superior technique". He played for the
reserve team
In sports, a reserve team is a team composed of players under contract to a club but who do not normally play in matches for the first team. Reserve teams often include back-up players from the first team, young players who need playing time to i ...
in the
2. divisjon
The Norwegian Second Division, also called 2. divisjon and often referred to as PostNord-ligaen for sponsorship reasons, is the third-highest level of the Norwegian football league system.
There are 28 teams divided into two groups, and at the ...
,
before he returned to Lyn.
Dæhli was discovered at the age of 12 by the talent scout John Vik, who recommended
Manchester United
Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of City of Salford, Salford to ...
to sign the player. Dæhli trained with United a couple of times before he signed a contract with the club in November 2010, and he joined the
academy
An academy ( Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary or tertiary higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membership). The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy ...
in February 2011.
Club career
Manchester United
Dæhli signed a professional contract with Manchester United on his 17th birthday, and made his debut for the reserves in the match against West Bromwich later the same month. His skillful performances for
Paul McGuinness
Paul McGuinness (born 16 June 1951) is the founder of ''Principle Management Limited'', a popular music act management company based in Dublin, in the Republic of Ireland. He was the manager of the rock band U2 from 1978 to 2013.
Early life
...
' Under-18s led to his elevation to the reserve squad in July 2012, and he scored the match-winning goal against Irish side Longford on 22 July 2012 after an assist from countryman
Joshua King. He won the "Jimmy Murphy Young
Player of the Year award
Several sports leagues honour their best player with an award called Player of the Year (POY) . In the United States, this type of award is usually called a Most Valuable Player award.
Association football
In association football, this award is h ...
" at the end of his maiden season for Manchester United.
Molde
In July 2013, Dæhli returned to Norway to sign a two-and-a-half-year contract with former Manchester United forward
Ole Gunnar Solskjær
Ole Gunnar Solskjær (; born 26 February 1973) is a Norwegian professional football manager and former player who played as a forward who last managed Premier League club Manchester United. As a player, Solskjær spent the majority of his care ...
's club
Molde
Molde () is a town and municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Romsdal. It is located on the Romsdal Peninsula, surrounding the Fannefjord and Moldefjord.
The administrative centre of the m ...
. He made his professional début when he replaced
Daniel Chima at half time in the
Tippeligaen
Eliteserien () is a Norwegian professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Norwegian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 16 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion ...
game against
Brann on 3 August 2013. Solskjær praised Dæhli after his performance in the semi-final of the
2013 Norwegian Football Cup against
Lillestrøm
Lillestrøm is a municipality in Viken county. It is located in the traditional district of Romerike. With a population of 85,757 inhabitants, it is the fourth most populated municipality in Viken. It was founded on 1 January 2020 as a merger be ...
, and claimed that Dæhli could have been playing for Manchester United's first-team if he had not returned to Norway. Solskjær also compared him to
Adnan Januzaj, stating that the two played together at the under-18 team and that it was Dæhli who won the Player of the Year award. During Dæhli's first eight matches in the Tippeligaen, 91.88% of his passes were successful, and was a contributor to Molde's good form during the second half of the 2013 season. In October 2013 Dæhli was awarded the "
Statoil
Equinor ASA (formerly Statoil and StatoilHydro) is a Norwegian state owned enterprise, state-owned multinational energy company headquartered in Stavanger. It is primarily a petroleum company, petroleum company, operating in 36 countries with ad ...
Talent of the Month" award.
Cardiff City
Dæhli returned to the Premier League on 11 January 2014, joining up with former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær at
Cardiff City for an undisclosed fee, making him their second signing of the window after fellow Norwegian
Magnus Wolff Eikrem
Magnus Wolff Eikrem (born 8 August 1990) is a Norwegian professional footballer who plays for Molde FK in Eliteserien. His regular playing position is in attacking midfield, though he can play anywhere across the midfield.
Career Early years
Bor ...
. Solskjær stated upon signing Dæhli for the second time in his managerial career: "It's taken a bit of time because we've met some competition from
Manchester United
Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of City of Salford, Salford to ...
signing Mats and I'm glad to say he's chosen to come to Cardiff. That shows the desire he has for doing well for Cardiff. Mats is an outstanding talent. He'll be 19 in March, he's just made his debut for Norway - made two appearances in November - so he'll give us energy and enthusiasm."
Dæhli made his debut for Cardiff on 25 January 2014 in the
2013–14 FA Cup
The 2013–14 FA Cup (also known as The FA Cup with Budweiser for sponsorship reasons) was the 133rd season of the FA Cup, the main domestic cup competition in English football, and the oldest football knock-out competition in the world. It was s ...
fourth round victory over
Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers Football Club () is a professional football club based in Horwich, Bolton, Greater Manchester, England, which competes in . The club played at Burnden Park for 102 years from 1895 after moving from their original home at Pike's ...
at the
Reebok Stadium
The University of Bolton Stadium is the home ground of Bolton Wanderers F.C. in Horwich, Greater Manchester, England.
Opening in 1997, it was named the Reebok Stadium, after club sponsors Reebok. In 2014, Bolton Wanderers signed a naming righ ...
, coming on for
Joe Mason in the 79th minute of the game.
Dæhli scored a 95th-minute equaliser after coming on at half-time as Cardiff twice came back to steal a potentially crucial point against
West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion Football Club () is an English professional football club based in West Bromwich, West Midlands, England. They compete in the EFL Championship, the second tier of English football. The club was formed in 1878 and has pla ...
on 29 March 2014.
SC Freiburg
On 22 December 2014, Dæhli agreed to join
Bundesliga
The Bundesliga (; ), sometimes referred to as the Fußball-Bundesliga () or 1. Bundesliga (), is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of the German football league system, the Bundesliga is Germany's primary footba ...
club
SC Freiburg
Sport-Club Freiburg e.V., commonly known as SC Freiburg () or just Freiburg, is a German football club, based in the city of Freiburg im Breisgau, Baden-Württemberg. It plays in the Bundesliga, having been promoted as champions from the 2. Bund ...
in the January 2015 transfer window. He made his debut against
Borussia Mönchengladbach
Borussia Verein für Leibesübungen 1900 e. V. Mönchengladbach, commonly known as Borussia Mönchengladbach (), Mönchengladbach () or Gladbach (; abbreviated as Borussia MG, BMG), is a professional Association football, football club based in ...
in a 1–0 defeat.
FC St. Pauli
On 18 January 2017, Dæhli went on loan to
Bundesliga
The Bundesliga (; ), sometimes referred to as the Fußball-Bundesliga () or 1. Bundesliga (), is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of the German football league system, the Bundesliga is Germany's primary footba ...
club
FC St. Pauli
Fußball-Club St Pauli von 1910 e.V., commonly known as simply FC St Pauli (), is a German professional football club based in the St. Pauli district of Hamburg, that competes in the 2. Bundesliga.
The football department is part of a larger sp ...
, who had the option of making the transfer permanent when the loan agreement ended on 30 June 2018. The club availed themselves of this opportunity, signing Dæhli permanently on 1 July 2018.
Genk
On 4 January 2020, St. Pauli announced that Dæhli would be joining Belgian club
K.R.C. Genk
Koninklijke Racing Club Genk (), commonly known as KRC Genk, Racing Genk or simply Genk, is a Belgian professional football club based in the city of Genk in Belgian Limburg. Racing Genk plays in the Belgian Pro League and have won four cham ...
with immediate effect after three and a half years with the club.
Loan to 1. FC Nürnberg
On 25 January 2021, Dæhli moved to
2.Bundesliga team
1. FC Nürnberg, on a loan deal until the end of the season.
The deal includes a purchase option.
On 21 May 2021, he joined the club permanently.
International career
Dæhli made his debut for the Norway under-15 team against Sweden U15 in 2010, and in an under-15 tournament against Spain, France and Netherlands in October 2010 he was named "player of the tournament".
After his performances for Norway's youth teams, he was dubbed the most talented footballers in Norway by the former footballers
Hallvard Thoresen and
Nils Johan Semb while
Ole Gunnar Solskjær
Ole Gunnar Solskjær (; born 26 February 1973) is a Norwegian professional football manager and former player who played as a forward who last managed Premier League club Manchester United. As a player, Solskjær spent the majority of his care ...
called him one of the biggest talents in Europe and was compared to
Xavi
Xavier Hernández Creus (born 25 January 1980), known as Xavi is a Spanish professional Manager (association football), football manager and former Football player, player who is the manager of La Liga club FC Barcelona, Barcelona. Widely con ...
by
TV 2-pundit
Morten Langli.
Dæhli decided in August 2012 to take a break from the Norway youth team, after he was promoted to Manchester United's reserve team to reduce the number of matches, as he was playing for both United's under-18 and reserve teams. The next month he had a meeting with
under-21 coach
Per Joar Hansen
Per Joar Hansen (born 17 August 1965) is a Norwegian football coach. He grew up in the small community of Trofors in Nordland. He played for and managed Rosenborg BK, and he has managed GIF Sundsvall, Aalesunds FK, Ranheim and the Norwegian u ...
, after the under-21 match against
England U-21, where Hansen told Dæhli that he soon wanted Dæhli to play for the under-21 team. After qualifying for the
2013 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, Hansen successor
Tor Ole Skullerud
Tor Ole Skullerud (born 10 December 1970) is a Norwegian football manager and former player.
Club career
Skullerud was born Kongsvinger, Norway. He played for hometown club Kongsvinger IL, before turning out for Ready, Frigg, Grue IL, and Ull ...
, stated that he might include Dæhli in the squad for the championship.
After Dæhli's break from the Norway youth team was over, he was selected in the
under-19 squad that was playing three matches at
La Manga Club
La Manga Club is a sports and leisure resort located in the south-eastern region of Spain, Murcia, south of La Manga, and bordered by the Mar Menor and Calblanque Regional Park. The resort complex opened in 1972 and covers an area of 1,400 a ...
in February 2013. He was suspended from the last match, after receiving yellow cards in the first two matches, and together with
Ivar Furu
Ivar Erlien Furu (born 7 May 1994) is a Norwegian footballer who plays for Gamle Oslo.
Furu was born in Trondheim, and grew up in Sunndalsøra.
Career
Furu played for Molde as a junior, he then moved to KR in 2014 on loan. He went to Byåsen ...
Dæhli was promoted to the under-21 squad that was also playing at La Manga. The 17-year-old made his debut for the under-21 team when he replaced
Kristoffer Larsen after 60 minutes in the semi-final of the
2011–13 International Challenge Trophy against
Russia U-21 on 7 February 2013. When Skullerud announced the squad for friendly matches against
Spain U-21 and
Netherlands U-21 he did not call up Dæhli, and stated that because the under-19 team were playing
qualification matches as the under-21 championship, he would not bring Dæhli to Israel unless he was a certain starter. Instead of playing in the under-21 championship, Dæhli was a part of the under-19 team that played three matches in the
elite qualification for the
2013 UEFA European Under-19 Championship, where Norway finished second behind
the Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
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, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
.
At the age of 18, Dæhli was for the first time called up for the
Norway senior team for the friendly matches against
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
and
Denmark
)
, song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast")
, song_type = National and royal anthem
, image_map = EU-Denmark.svg
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark
...
in November 2013.
Career statistics
Club
International
:''Scores and results list Norway's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Dæhli goal''
Honours
Molde
*
Norwegian Football Cup
The Norwegian Football Cup ( no, Norgesmesterskapet i fotball for herrer) is the main knockout cup competition in Norwegian football. It is run by the Football Association of Norway and has been contested since 1902, making it the oldest football ...
:
2013
File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fact ...
Individual
*
Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year
Manchester United Football Club Under-21s is the most senior of Manchester United F.C., Manchester United's youth teams and the club's former reserve team. They play in the Premier League 2, the highest tier of the Professional Development Leag ...
:
2011–12
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Daehli, Mats Moller
1995 births
Living people
Footballers from Oslo
Association football midfielders
Norwegian footballers
Lyn Fotball players
Stabæk Fotball players
Manchester United F.C. players
Molde FK players
Cardiff City F.C. players
SC Freiburg players
SC Freiburg II players
FC St. Pauli players
K.R.C. Genk players
1. FC Nürnberg players
Eliteserien players
Premier League players
English Football League players
Bundesliga players
2. Bundesliga players
Regionalliga players
Belgian Pro League players
Norway youth international footballers
Norway under-21 international footballers
Norway international footballers
Norwegian expatriate footballers
Norwegian expatriate sportspeople in England
Expatriate footballers in England
Norwegian expatriate sportspeople in Wales
Expatriate footballers in Wales
Norwegian expatriate sportspeople in Germany
Expatriate footballers in Germany
Norwegian expatriate sportspeople in Belgium
Expatriate footballers in Belgium