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Women's Player of the Year: the case for Harder

Pernille Harder is one of three nominees for the UEFA Women's Player of the Year award. UEFA.com profiles the inspirational Wolfsburg forward and Denmark captain.

Will Pernille Harder be named UEFA Women's Player of the Year?
Will Pernille Harder be named UEFA Women's Player of the Year? ©UEFA.com

To be captain of your country with 92 caps and 47 goals at the age of 24 is impressive and it is 2016/17 that has really confirmed Pernille Harder as one of the world's best.

A Denmark regular since before she was 17, Harder had been impressive in the Swedish league since her 2012 move to Linköping, but 2016 marked a step up as she scored at more than a goal a game for the champions, earning a winter move to Wolfsburg into the bargain.

Harder, Marozsán or Martens?

A regular for her new club, the 2015 and 2016 Danish women's player of the year helped Wolfsburg to a league and cup double. Then, at UEFA Women's EURO 2017, she led Denmark to their first major final, performing superbly in their quarter-final elimination of Germany and scoring in the decider against the Netherlands as her side lost 4-2.

Honours: Swedish league (2016), German league, German Cup

Domestic league
Linköping 2016
Appearances: 22
Goals: 24
Wolfsburg 2016/17
Appearances: 12
Goals: 6

How Denmark shocked Germany

UEFA Women's Champions League
Appearances: 2
Goals: 0
Assists: 0

UEFA Women's EURO
Appearances: 6
Goals: 1
Assists: 1

Paul Saffer, UEFA.com women's football editor:

  • Harder has proved she can play brilliantly both as a main striker and, as for Denmark, in a supporting role.
  • Her superb individual goal to make it 2-2 in the UEFA Women's EURO final showed her skill as well as leadership quality.
  • Has proved herself a top performer in two of Europe's leading leagues: Sweden and Germany.

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