Who is Emil Højlund?

Data correct as of 16 July 2024

Emil Højlund

Age: 19 (born 4 January 2005)

Club: Schalke
Position: Attacker
Country: Denmark (25 youth caps, five goals)

Key stats

Højlund is hoping to emulate his two brothers, Rasmus and Oscar, in establishing himself in first-team football. Emil's record in the youth game certainly breeds confidence, even without considering the name on the back of his shirt. He boasts 16 goals and five assists in 44 appearances over three seasons for Copenhagen's under-19 side. Most notably, he has made his mark on the UEFA Youth League, with a goal against the youngsters of Bayern Munich in a 3-2 win in October 2023 being one of four strikes in the competition - another one came with two assists during an agonising defeat against Nantes at the quarter-final stage of the 2023/24 edition.    

Plays a bit like: Maximilian Beier 

The punchy young strike talent is part of a wave of youngsters including Hoffenheim and Germany's Beier riding on the resurgence of the classical centre-forward position in football. By combining positional intelligence, a willingness to drop deep, a physical presence and a nose for goals, Emil Højlund has all the tools needed to thrive in the modern game. 

Did you know?  

Well, you probably do! Emil's older brother Rasmus plays for Manchester United, and his twin Oscar paved the way to Germany just days before his Schalke signing in summer 2024 by joining Eintracht Frankfurt. Father Anders Højlund had been a footballer too at B.93 in Denmark, and would run family training sessions for the three boys in their formative years - although The Athletic reported these would often have to be cancelled due to sibling rivalry spilling over. 

What they're saying

"Emil is a close to being a complete striker who can play in the two front positions in the centre of the field. He has speed, technique and the physique required, as well as good vision with the ball, good finishing skills and a strong pressing game." -Copenhagen development director Sune Smith-Nielsen.

"In Emil, we’re signing a talented forward with an intriguing skill set. He’s a team player who’ll run into space but can also hold the ball up. He also has very good physicality despite his young age. In our discussions, Emil made it clear that he wanted to continue his development in men’s football at Schalke,” -Schalke sporting director Marc Wilmots.

“He’s an elegant player. You see a lot of vision in his play.” -Christian Mouroux, director of sports at HUI, an amateur club where the Højlund brothers trained before joining Copenhagen.