Carsten Dethlefsen


Carsten Dethlefsen is a Danish former professional footballer, who played as a defender for Odense BK. He played a single match for the [Denmark national Association football|football team|Danish national team], against England in 1994. He was the male Denmark team's first black player.

Early life

Dethlefsen was born in Hamburg, West Germany to a Liberian father and a German mother. At the age of 1, he was adopted by a Danish couple and raised in Denmark.

Club career

Dethlefsen signed for Odense BK in 1992 and spent six seasons with the club. He played in OB's famous upset of Real Madrid in the 1994–95 UEFA Cup. After playing for Viborg FF in the 1998–99 season, Dethlefsen was forced into retirement by a serious ankle injury.

International career

In March 1994, Dethlefsen made his debut for Denmark, the reigning European Champions, in a 1–0 friendly defeat by England at Wembley Stadium. In the pre-match press conference national team coach Richard Møller Nielsen quipped: "He may be dark, but his football future is bright".

Honours