Thomas Røll

Silkeborg IF

Born in Aarhus, Røll also lived on Funen, before he started playing football in Bylderup Bov near the Danish-German border. He was accepted into the youth academy of Silkeborg IF, and went on to play for a local club in Tønder, before moving to Silkeborg in autumn 1994. At Silkeborg's youth academy, Røll played alongside future Danish international defender Martin Laursen. Røll began his senior career as a forward for Silkeborg under manager Preben Elkjær, who believed Røll lacked only temper to become a star in Danish football. Røll debuted in the top-flight Danish Superliga championship in May 1996, and was a part of the Silkeborg team which won the international 1996 UEFA Intertoto Cup competition, beating Croatian team HNK Segesta in the final games. Røll quickly established himself in the first team, and played 29 of 33 league games during the 1996–97 Superliga season. He played six seasons for Silkeborg IF, and eventually settled as the playmaker of the team. In his position of deep-lying forward, he especially experienced a successful striking partnership with Henrik Pedersen. He helped Silkeborg win silver medals in the 1997–98 Superliga and bronze medals in the 2000–01 Superliga season, as well as the 2001 Danish Cup trophy.

F.C. Copenhagen

In June 2001, the financially struggling Silkeborg IF sold Røll to the defending Danish champions F.C. Copenhagen (FCK) in a transfer deal reportedly worth DKK 7 million. Røll signed a five-year…

While at Silkeborg, Røll was called up for the Danish under-21 national team in February 1997, at the age of 19. He scored a goal in his debut against the Israel under-21s; in a game the Denmark under-21s won 2–1. While at FCK, Røll made his Danish national team debut under national manager Morten Olsen in October 2002. On November 20, 2002, he became the first non-white player ever to score for Denmark. In March 2004, Røll played a national team match despite suffering a sore Achilles tendon. The Achilles tendon subsequently needed surgery, which caused Røll three months of rehabilitation, and he was dropped from the national team.

Silkeborg

Intertoto Cup: 1996 Danish Cup: 2001 Copenhagen

Danish Superliga: 2003, 2004, 2006 Danish Super Cup: 2001, 2004