Victor Kristiansen: Denmark’s flying full-back with a habit for the ‘small victories’
High-flying full-back has balanced a degree in political science with a burgeoning football career, which is a testament to his character.
This article is the latest piece of xG Files’ ‘EuroFiles’ series for the upcoming European Championship, profiling 24 players from the qualified nations with expert opinions from journalists, writers, editors, and media guides from each respective nation, which you can find here.
Oncemore, Denmark enter the European Championships in a hopeful fashion.
Just like last time, qualification petered out with eventual ease, and an overwhelming sway of confidence backs head coach Kasper Hjulmand despite an underwhelming turn-out at the 2022 Winter World Cup.
Cultured veterans such as Christian Eriksen, Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, and Andreas Christensen remain, and they are now joined by young players increasingly rising in prominence at the club and international level, such as Rasmus Højlund and Sporting’s Morten Hjulmand.
In their run to the semi-final in the last EUROs, the high-flying, dashing performances of Joakim Mæhle at wing-back were lauded by many, paving the way for such a player in coach Hjulmand’s system, which 21-year-old Victor Kristiansen has risen to stake.
“He [Kristiansen] has shown himself as a constant high-powered left back who constantly offers himself as a wide option for an inside moving wing,” said Kasper Pedersbæk, a Danish football analyst and journalist.
Kristiansen's ascent within the Danish squad has coincided with some much-needed harnessing of his rough diamond-like qualities within his club environment.
“Kristiansen is a pass-and-move player,” said Pedersbæk. “Dribbling is not his main skillset. He offers passing, runs, and himself to receive the ball in new areas.”
Such a skillset that many, during his one season with Brendan Rodgers at Leicester City, of the Danish contingent believe was neglected has been embraced under Thiago Motta’s admirable Champions League Bologna side, which values rotations on the ball and restricting opponents with it.
From young, Kristiansen has always stood out to those who watched.
Born and raised in Copenhagen, from the age of four, he grew up in the Copenhagen set-up via their mother club, Kjøbenhavns Boldklub (KB).
“He is the type of player that celebrates winning tackles, corners, and all the other smaller victories on the pitch,” says Scandinavian football journalist at Mediano, Sebastian Stanbury.
Despite his talent, size was always a recurring obstacle in Kristiansen’s development. Even in his early teens, when most players are still growing, his slight frame was a point of discussion amongst coaches while moving up the age groups. Add to that, Copenhagen Academy's development plans are more geared toward forward-thinking players, as reiterated by the club’s head of research, Jes Buster Madsen.
Nonetheless, Kristiansen's seemingly innate willpower served him well in his journey to the professional game, and it continues to do so.
The Dane’s behaviour on the pitch is a product of who he is off it. A nurturing family that supported his decision to study a degree in political science alongside a burgeoning career in football.
In modern sports, professional sides are constantly on the lookout for the right character to join and ultimately represent their organisations as players and people. Kristiansen's mature character makeup aided his transition into the first team, where he won the Danish Superliga title and improved in the Champions League in two years, eventually attracting a move to the Premier League in a €15 million deal to Leicester City in January 2023.
“He has a lot of qualities that almost all managers like: his physique, running, and dedication,” said Stanbury.
It's a skill set that, in the midst of Leicester’s eventual election, was brought in to contribute in the short and long term.
Individually, Kristiansen's twelve appearances last season were commendable. Amid a chaotic season for Leicester and, particularly, in an equally fractured defensive set-up, Kristiansen's displays showed a much-lauded maturity and grittiness—his average of 3.83 tackles per ninety ranked him in the top 1 percentile for fullbacks in the league, according to Fbref.
The high pressure and transition nature of England’s top division suited Kristiansen—a system that was especially implemented by other top leagues in Europe.
A season in the Championship seemed practical but unlikely due to the interest, and after a chat with then newly appointed Enzo Maresca, who proposed to move Kristiansen away from his traditional full-back role to a makeshift centre-back in Maresca’s 3-4-3 in-possession system, made a stay unfeasible.
“Kristiansen wanted to continue his development at left-back, and Thiago Motta and Bologna provided that,” Stanbury said.
Just like many at Bologna, Kristiansen's upsurge in development is a product of embracing the fearless collective Motta has built.
He has become a mainstay in the Danish squad, starting the last four international games and emerging as a strong-footed option on the left of Denmark’s back four/five. The right-hand side remains stacked with options, including Mæhle, Benfica’s Alexander Bah, and Roma’s Rasmus Kristensen.
Yet, as some of his Bologna teammates prepare for a summer of lure and clarity, Kristiansen seems at a crossroads.
As it stands, he will return to a promoted Leicester City side with four years left on his contract. Maresca’s departure to Chelsea may ensue a stay, but the attraction of Champions League football may understandably prove all too tempting.
Nothing is guaranteed in football, but given his performances and still-formative years in the sport, just like Euro 2021 was a breakout tournament for Mæhle, 2024 presents the same opportunity for his compatriot on the other side.
“We don't know what will happen after the summer.” Stanbury added, “ [However] Kristiansen has too many qualities to fail.”