Jakob Glesnes

Jakob Glesnes
Glesnes with Philadelphia Union in 2021
Personal information
Date of birth (1994-03-25) 25 March 1994 (age 30)
Place of birth Sotra, Norway
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)[1]
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
 Philadelphia Union
Number 5
Youth career
Skogsvåg
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010 Hald
2010–2015 Fyllingsdalen 83 (7)
2015–2016 Åsane 14 (0)
2016 Sarpsborg 08 14 (0)
2016–2019 Strømsgodset 98 (3)
2020– Philadelphia Union 138 (7)
International career
2011 Norway U17 4 (0)
2016 Norway U21 3 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 2 June 2024

Jakob Glesnes (born 25 March 1994) is a Norwegian professional footballer who plays as a defender for the Philadelphia Union of Major League Soccer.

Club career

Early career

He hails from Steinsland in Sund and started his career in local Skogsvåg IL. In 2010, he started playing regular senior football as he transferred to Hald FK. After half a season he went on to Løv-Ham,[2][3] which was soon merged to form FK Fyllingsdalen. He stayed with Fyllingsdalen until the summer of 2015, when he stepped up one tier to First Division club Åsane.

Sarpsborg 08

Glesnes had been on trial with multiple clubs domestic and abroad, including Liverpool FC, FC København, Brann, Sogndal, Hønefoss,[4] Lillestrøm and Nest-Sotra.[5][6] In 2016, he finally joined a first-tier club, Sarpsborg 08, and made his first-tier debut in March 2016 against Haugesund.

Strømsgodset

In March 2017, Glesnes was named captain for Strømsgodset.[7] He scored his first goal for the club on 29 May 2017.[8]

Philadelphia Union

On 31 January 2020, Glesnes moved to the Philadelphia Union of Major League Soccer.[9] Glesnes made headlines with his first goal for the Union, scoring a free kick from over 35 yards from goal against Los Angeles FC.[10]

On 20 June 2021, Glesnes scored a late equalizer from well outside the 18-yard box to secure a 2–2 draw vs. Atlanta United.[11] In the first round of the 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs on 20 November, he scored a long-distance screamer in the 123rd minute versus the New York Red Bulls to seal a 1–0 victory and send the Union to the Eastern Conference semifinals.[12] On 8 December 2021, Glesnes signed a new, multi-year contract extension with the Union through the 2024 season.[13][14]

On 19 October 2022, Glesnes was awarded the MLS Defender of the Year Award, becoming the first Philadelphia Union defender to win the award.

International career

In November 2016, Glesnes played for the Norway national under-21 team for 2017 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification.[15]

In October 2019, he was selected for the Norway national team for the first time.[16]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 2 June 2024[17]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Løv-Ham 2011 Adeccoligaen 16 1 1 0 – 17 1
Fyllingsdalen 2012 2. divisjon 11 0 0 0 – 11 0
2013 21 2 2 1 – 23 3
2014 24 3 3 1 – 27 4
2015 11 1 3 0 – 14 1
Total 67 6 8 2 – 75 8
Åsane 2015 Norwegian First Division 14 0 0 0 – 14 0
Sarpsborg 08 2016 Tippeligaen 14 0 2 0 – 16 0
Strømsgodset 2016 Tippeligaen 11 0 2 0 – 13 0
2017 Eliteserien 28 2 3 0 – 31 2
2018 30 1 6 0 – 36 1
2019 29 0 3 0 – 32 0
Total 98 3 14 0 – 112 3
Philadelphia Union 2020 MLS 20 1 – – 20 1
2021 36 4 1 1 6[a] 0 43 5
2022 37 0 1 0 – 0 38 0
2023 31 2 0 0 5[b] 0 36 2
2024 14 0 0 0 4[c] 0 18 0
Total 138 7 2 1 15 0 155 8
Career total 331 16 26 2 15 0 372 19
  1. ^ Appearances in CONCACAF Champions League
  2. ^ Appearances in CONCACAF Champions League
  3. ^ Appearances in CONCACAF Champions League

Honours

Philadelphia Union

Individual

References

  1. ^ "Jakob Glesnes". Philadelphia Union. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  2. ^ "Overganger i 3. divisjon". Bergensavisen (in Norwegian). 6 February 2010. p. 56.
  3. ^ Støverud, Eirik Bentdal (11 September 2010). "Spillere som kommer og spillere som går". VestNytt (in Norwegian). p. 18.
  4. ^ Nydal, Trond Roger (15 January 2013). "Glesnes fortsetter som prøvekanin". Bergensavisen (in Norwegian). p. 41.
  5. ^ Lundsør, Einar (3 July 2015). "Sjansen han har ventet på". Bergensavisen (in Norwegian). p. 41.
  6. ^ "Nest-Sotra vurderer Jakob Glesnes". Bergensavisen (in Norwegian). 25 January 2015. p. 41.
  7. ^ "Her er vår nye kaptein". Strømsgodset.
  8. ^ "Jakobs første i Godset". Strømsgodset.
  9. ^ "Philadelphia Union add Jakob Glesnes to back line, sign Norwegian on TAM deal". MLSsoccer.com. 31 January 2020. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  10. ^ Matthew Ralph (11 March 2020). "Meet Philadelphia Union free-kick sensation Jakob Glesnes, scorer of the goal seen around the soccer world". MLSsoccer.com. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  11. ^ "Glesnes scores goal-of-the-season contender for Philadelphia – ESPN Video". ESPN.com. 20 June 2021. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  12. ^ Jonathan Sigal (20 November 2021). "Legend of Jakob Glesnes: Philadelphia Union defender nets another golazo vs. RBNY". MLSsoccer.com. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  13. ^ "Philadelphia Union Sign Defender Jakob Glesnes To Contract Extension". philadelphiaunion.com. 8 December 2021. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  14. ^ "Jakob Glesnes signs extension with Philadelphia Union through 2024". MLSsoccer.com. 8 December 2021. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  15. ^ Fotballforbund, Norges. "U21-landslagstroppen til kampene mot Serbia". fotball.no – Norges Fotballforbund.
  16. ^ "Kapteinen tatt ut på A-landslaget". Strømsgodset.
  17. ^ "Jakob Glesnes". altomfotball.no (in Norwegian). TV 2. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
  18. ^ "Philadelphia Union win 2020 MLS Supporters' Shield on regular season's final day". Major League Soccer. 8 November 2020. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
  19. ^ Sigal, Jonathan (5 November 2022). "Hollywood ending! LAFC win legendary MLS Cup 2022 over Philadelphia Union". Major League Soccer. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
  20. ^ "2022 MLS All-Star Team Roster". MLSsoccer.
  21. ^ "2023 MLS All-Star Team Roster". Major League Soccer. 7 July 2023. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
  22. ^ "Philadelphia Union's Jakob Glesnes named 2022 MLS Defender of the Year". Major League Soccer. 19 October 2022. Retrieved 19 October 2022.
  23. ^ "2022 MLS Best XI presented by Continental Tire". Major League Soccer. 2 November 2022. Retrieved 2 November 2022.