Written by Matteo Ciaramella
Today’s article will be dedicated to a player who finished third in the 1984 Ballon d’Or voting, second in 1985, and fourth in 1986. An iconic, yet forgotten figure that has blessed millions of people with his mesmerizing playing style and unlikely career. The man in question is Danish former striker and winger Preben Elkjaer-Larsen, who, despite narrowly missing the greatest individual award in football, played for rather modest clubs. A career spent at Vanlose, FC Köln, Lokeren, Hellas Verona, and Vejle doesn’t exactly resemble the typical story of a Ballon d’Or candidate, but this player was hardly ‘typical’.
Preben Elkjaer-Larsen was a true force of nature. Eighty three kilograms of pure muscle – a terrifying sight for any defender. Ironically, what became an advantage for Elkjaer-Larsen during his career, was what hindered him and his abilities as a boy. Young Preben was a big, clumsy, child, with overly broad and tall shoulders that made every one of his movements extremely awkward. “When I first started, I felt like I couldn’t read nor write during games” he would later remark, emphasizing how out of place he felt on the football pitch. It is mindblowing that a player of his quality and skill wasn’t born with natural talent, but rather worked and honed it until he became a one-of-a-kind winger.
As the years went by and his football talents allowed him to blossom into an exceptional player, Elkajer-Larsen began having fun off the pitch too. Famous are his adventures with alcohol, smoking, and women, from his early days at FC Köln as a 20 year old, to his prime in Verona as a veteran. Smoking, in particular, was where he was most consistent: “No no, I never smoked. I mean, never during half-time breaks. I only smoked before and after games.” he recalled during a 2015 interview. And while it would be perfectly reasonable for you to assume that this habit had a noticeable physical effect on him, you would be wrong, because if there was another thing that Preben Elkjaer-Larsen was notorious for, it was his intensity during games. The Guardian described him as ‘determination incarnate’, and if you watch his highlights, well, it honestly looks like he had an extra lung, despite him going through packs of cigarettes on the daily. How he did all that, I do not know, but it all just adds to the intrigue around this eccentric, fascinating character.
His physical attributes and playing style allowed him to have a successful stint for Belgian club Lakeren and a Euro ‘84 semifinal run with the Danish national team, which meant that during the summer of 1984, Preben Elkjaer was one of the most desired players in Europe. Clubs such as AC Milan and Real Madrid were dying to get him, but in a surprise move, he ultimately chose mediocre Hellas Verona. By July of that year he had already bought a house with a view on Lake Garda, and thus, his Italian days began.
Upon his arrival to Verona, Elkjaer-Larsen called up national team friend Michael Laudrup (who played fo Lazio at the time), asking about the team. Laudrup told him that they had good players, and with the addition of Elkjaer-Larsen, they would probably finish fifth, or maybe fourth. I am not sure if this somehow set Preben’s determination on fire, but he must have taken that claim personally, because 10 months later, he and Verona were crowned champions of Italy for the first time in club history. Unthinkable, inconceivable, simply beyond any wildest belief or dream, but they did it, and that was in big part thanks to ‘determination incarnate’: Preben Elkjaer-Larsen.
Now, before you go any further, take a moment to aknowledge how every aspect and achievement in Preben’s story could be deemed impossible.
A clumsy kid ultimately mastering his body and becoming one of the most lethal physical forces that European football has witnessed – impossible.
A rising, global star wanted by everyone, choosing a mediocre club and winning an unthinkable, historic title in his first season with them – impossible.
A heavy smoker, who made intensity and stamina a vital part of his game – impossible.
You get it. The Danish star had a career filled with moments that could easily be described as ‘impossible’, but there is one in particular that tops them all.
It’s October 14th, 1984, Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi in Verona, Italy. The atmosphere is incredible, with Verona leading 1-0 against Juventus 81 minutes in. Verona midfielder Antonio Di Gennaro prepares to perform a goal kick, in lieu of goalkeeper Claudio Garella. With a powerful strike, Di Gennaro sends it to the star player of that team – Preben Elkjaer-Larsen – situated on the left flank, just beyond the halfway line. Elkjaer-Larsen moves towards the ball, dragging Juventus defender Stefano Pioli with him.
What happens next is pure magic. With an unexpected decision, Elkjaer-Larsen lets the ball bounce off the ground and jump over Pioli, who loses the striker as he takes off toward goal. When they get closer to the opposite end of the pitch, Pioli makes a last-resort slide tackle attempt to catch his fugitive, to no avail. The tackle did, however, catch Elkjaer-Larsen’s boot, causing him to lose it right as he enters the penalty box from the left flank and approaches Juventus center back Gaetano Scirea. No problem for the Verona star, as he dodges the defender with a swift movement, and is left alone, in front of goalkeeper Tacconi, whom he beats with a powerful, yet carefully placed shot into the bottom right corner.
I could go on and on about the football mastery required to pull off a goal like this, and I would not fault you for marveling at this stunning solo run, but what is truly impressive to me is that Elkjaer-Larsen was boot-less on his right foot during the most crucial part of the goal. Where he needed the best feel of the ball, as he dribbled past one of the greatest defenders of all time in Gaetano Scirea, Elkjaer-Larsen had no boot. When he proceeded to beat the goalkeeper with that precise strike, he also needed the control provided by a leather football boot, which he did not have. And most importantly, in those rapid, sudden shifts, he would have needed studs to avoid slipping on the natural grass pitch, but as we all know, on that day, during that goal, Preben Elkjaer-Larsen was boot-less on his right foot. This goal is the embodiment of the word ‘inexplicable’, perfectly symbolizing Elkjaer-Larsen’s career – a career that should not be possible, encapsulated in a goal that should not be possible.
The man who had a knack for making the impossible possible – Preben Elkjaer-Larsen.
References
https://www.sportpress24.com/2020/09/06/esclusiva-intervista-a-lars-preben-elkjaer-larsen-una-persona-meravigliosa/ : Preben Elkjaer-Larsenhttps://www.theguardian.com/football/2009/oct/13/danish-dynamite-the-players