Servus and velkommen, Pernille Harder! The 2018 and 2020 UEFA Women's Player of the Year, one of the current best attacking players in the world is moving from Chelsea to the Bavarian capital from the coming season. In our profile, we take a closer look at the 30-year-old Denmark international, who has signed a contract with FC Bayern until 2026.
World-class player with a broad repertoire
Harder laced up her boots for Chelsea from 2020 to 2023. From the coming season, the 30-year-old will be chasing goals for FC Bayern Women.
Few players have made such an impact on women's football in recent years as Pernille Harder. This is generally due to the broad spectrum of qualities the Dane combines on the pitch. The attacking all-rounder is not only characterised by her excellent technique and goal-scoring instincts, but Harder also excels as a strategist and a pace-setter. The attacker, who sometimes goes by the nickname "P", is considered a difference maker who is difficult to control due to her ball handling skills. The 30-year-old acts as a kind of "free spirit" in attack and pops up wherever there's a threat. In addition to her footballing strengths, the Dane, who can play with either foot, also stands out for her determination. It's not without reason that she's regarded as one of the best footballers in the world because of this versatile portfolio of qualities.
From Denmark to the grand European football stage
Harder already illustrated her inimitable flair for goals in the Linköpings FC jersey, drawing attention to herself at a young age.
Born on 15 November 1992 in the small Danish town of Ikast, Harder began her career with Tulstrup-Faurholt IK. After further spells at Viborg (2007-2010) and Skovbakken IK (2010-2012), the attacking all-rounder moved to Linköpings FC in Sweden, where she signed her first professional contract. In the city of 100,000 inhabitants, Harder celebrated two cup wins in 2014 and 2015 as well as the Swedish league title in 2016, in which she played a major role as top scorer.
At Wolfsburg, Harder experienced the most successful phase of her career to date.
In January 2017, the 1.69 metre tall Harder made the move to VfL Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga. In her three-and-a-half years in Germany, Harder won the double four times and also reached the UEFA Women's Champions League final twice. After this successful spell, in which the Dane scored 105 goals in 114 competitive appearances, she moved to the FA Women's Super League in England in 2020. For a then-record fee of €350,000, she joined Chelsea, with whom she won the league and FA Cup double in the 2020/2021 season, among other honours. After three seasons with the Blues, the 30-year-old is now moving from London to the Bavarian state capital to join FC Bayern.
Exceptional player with numerous honours
In addition to eight cup wins and eight consecutive league titles since 2016, the Dane has also won numerous personal awards over the years. Harder's outstanding performances earned her the UEFA Women's Player of the Year award in both 2018 and 2020. In 2020, the 30-year-old also became the first non-German ever to be named "Women's Footballer of the Year in Germany". The Dane, whose role models include Brazilian Marta, David Beckham and Ryan Giggs, has also been nominated three times for the coveted Ballon d'Or. Other awards, such as being voted "UEFA Champions League Forward of the Season 2020" or bagging the top scorer trophy three times, help fill Harder's trophy cabinet.
Leader and identification figure in the Danish national team
In 2017, Harder surprisingly led the Danish national team to the European Championship final. The Scandinavians were only defeated by the host nation, the Netherlands.
Harder made her debut for the Danish national team at the age of 16. Since then, she has made around 140 appearances for her home country, scoring 70 goals. Since 16 September 2021, Harder, who is the captain of the national team, has also been the record goal scorer for the Danes. She's considered the lynchpin of the Scandinavians and surprisingly led them to the final at the 2017 European Championship, the Danish women's national team's greatest success to date.
Family-oriented sports enthusiast
The Dane is also a sports enthusiast off the pitch. In addition to football, Harder is fascinated by golf, which she has been playing herself for several years. This broad interest in a variety of different sports can certainly also be traced back to her sports-loving family. Father Mogens, mother Annie and her older sister Louise all played football themselves.
When life doesn't revolve around sport, Harder, who completed a master's degree in business administration in 2022 alongside her football career, enjoys spending time with her family. The Dane also really enjoys exploring new cities, restaurants and cafés. From next summer, she'll also be able to go on a discovery tour in Munich.
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