Jesper Olsen
Olsen (left) and Peter van de Ven in 1983.
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 20 March 1961 | ||
| Place of birth | Faxe, Denmark | ||
| Height | 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) | ||
| Playing position | Left winger | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1977–1981 | Næstved | 64 | (11) |
| 1981–1984 | Ajax | 85 | (23) |
| 1984–1988 | Manchester United | 139 | (21) |
| 1988 | Næstved | 2 | (1) |
| 1989–1990 | Bordeaux | 54 | (3) |
| 1990–1992 | Caen | 58 | (0) |
| Total | 402 | (59) | |
| National team | |||
| 1980–1990 | Denmark | 43 | (5) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 2010–2011 | Melbourne Heart (assistant) | ||
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. |
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Jesper Olsen (born 20 March 1961) is a Danish former footballer who played for Ajax of the Netherlands and Manchester United of England, among other teams. Olsen was a regular left winger for the Danish national team, scoring five goals in 43 matches. He represented Denmark at the Euro 1984 and 1986 World Cup tournaments.
He started his senior career for Næstved IF, and made his debut for the Danish national team in a July 1980 friendly match against the Soviet Union. He had a trial with Arsenal FC in 1978–79, scoring a goal in a reserve team game. Ajax initially tried to sign Olsen in 1980, but it was only in July 1981 that he moved to play professionally for Ajax in the Netherlands.
While playing for Ajax, Olsen became well known for his part in the infamous "passed penalty" routine he performed with Johan Cruyff. When Cruyff was awarded a penalty kick in a Dutch Eredivisie league match against Helmond Sport on 5 December 1982, with Ajax leading 1–0, Cruyff passed the ball sideways to Olsen, who returned it to Cruyff, with the Dutchman then slotting the ball past the bemused goalkeeper to make the score 2–0. It was allowed by the referee because the penalty is a direct free kick, so it can also be taken indirectly.
During his stay with Ajax, Olsen earned the nickname De Vlo (The Flea) due to his posture and his ability to twist, turn and jump to avoid tackles. He was also called "The Untouchable". The Ajax coach in the 1981–82 season, Kurt Linder, regarded him the most surprisingly talented player in the young Ajax squad, both technically and tactically phenomenal.
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